Yankee ingenuity

Yankee ingenuity is a reference to the self-reliance of early colonial settlers of New England. It describes an attitude of can-do and make-do with materials on hand. It is the inventive spirit faced with a dearth of materials.

Similar phrases relating to other former colonial outposts exist in other parts of the world, such as kiwi ingenuity , referring to exactly the same situation in New Zealand.