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Narrative

Boots were collected in Great Slave Lake area but are actually Arctic type boots that were made and used by the Inuinait (Copper Inuit) farther north.

Cultural Context

footwear

Description

Pair of boots made of brown and white caribou fur. The soles are made of dehaired seal skin with upstanding sides with vertical crimps. Between the sole and the vamp a red dyed narrow strip of dehaired skin is inserted all around. The leg section consists of white caribou fur with vertical brown caribou fur panels and narrow strips of white and brown caribou fur on either side of the leg. On top of this a horizontal strip of wolverine with two wolverine tassels in the front and in the back is sewn. Above this and intricately decorated broad band of shaved white and brown caribou fur in a geometric pattern, and tufts of red cloth are attached. The top of the boots have a blue cloth casing through which a plaited cord of wool is strung. On either side of the foot a long strip of dehaired skin is attached into the seam of the sole.

Specific Techniques

Before crimping, the soles are moisturized. To begin crimping the seamstress folds the sole in half longitudinally. The crimps are made by hand and pinched between index finger and thumb and between the teeth. Crimps are about 3 to 4 cm. long and 0.1 cm. apart throughout the toe and heel area. The soles are sewn to a narrow side strip of depilated skin with a running stitch incorporating a thread that is placed on top of the side strip to reinforce the stitches. The other pieces of the boots are sewn together with an overcast stitch. The decorative band on the top of the boots is known as “Delta trim”. This type of decoration spread east from the MacKenzie Delta area and is now found all over the north. Later these type of decorations were made with coloured cotton bias tape. The fur used in the decorative trim is shaved to make a more clear and crisp pattern.

History Of Use

Boots were worn over stockings. The insulating capability of animal skins is enhanced by the practice of wearing two layers of skin clothing, especially in winter. One layer of clothing is worn with the fur on the inside and a second layer is worn with the fur on the outside. The clothing also is designed so as to minimize ingress of wind and cold. During winter men and women wear two hooded waist-length coats, two pairs of trousers, two pairs of stockings and boots, and mittens. Men often wear a longer, heavier outer coat when outdoors in winter. While mass-produced clothing from the south is now commonly worn, the making of skin clothing is being revived in the Arctic. In the Arctic, the making of clothing is considered as important as the creation of sacred objects. Aside from its important function as protection against the cold, clothing is imbued with power and spirituality. Women as seamstresses play an extremely important role in the expression of cultural value and meaning. The clothing of each group is cut and decorated according to distinctive cultural aesthetics. In addition to expressing the group’s identity, seamstresses express the beliefs and values of the group through clothing, which marks social identities like gender, age, childbearing status, and geographical origin. Clothing also expresses the special relationship of people in the Arctic with the animal world. People, animals, and spirits are subject to metamorphosis. Clothing often refers to this ability to transform, and could effect such a metamorphosis.