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Cultural Context

transportation

Narrative

The syllabics are a prayer that translates loosely as: “Arnasiapik is writing to Jesus, please understand and protect them from harm.” The style suggests an origin from eastern Nunavut or Nunavik (northern Quebec).

History Of Use

Swivel toggles, or harness swivels, are used for quick release on dog team harnesses. A line would go through the entry hole and a connecting line would be looped over the short tang (Ackerman).

Iconographic Meaning

Toggle is decorated with a dot motif, common on Inuit artifacts. The word Guuti (God) is written next to the cross. The creator possibly wanted to identify himself with the new religion. Or it could indicate syncretism, a blending of Inuit beliefs with Christianity.

Description

Cup-form swivel toggle, or harness swivel, with a piece of flat leather knotted through the hole in one end. On cup bowl side, a short tang faces in over bowl. Cree syllabics are incised on tang, either side of concave bowl surface and in dots at shaft at leather thong end. Rows of dots encircle shaft end; two rows of dots at outside, one row towards cup. Outside convex surface has longitudinal ridge crossed by a single row with u-shaped towards double row along rim. Shaft end has two rows of dots at outside circumference and at cup. A double row of dots in a u-shape, cross the centre line at each end. Leather thong is cut at outside end with a hole 1 cm from the end.