ID Number

Title

Item Name

Culture

Material

Manufacturing Technique

Date Made

Place Made

Date Collected

Date Owned

Owner

Acquisition Date

Source

Measurements

Item Classes

Condition

Accession Number

Specific Techniques

The pieces are sewn together with an overcast stitch.

Iconographic Meaning

White bands on lower sleeve indicated women’s use of forearms in scraping skins and sewing. Outline of tail on backtail refers to animal’s tail. Ears are often left on hood or back to maintain resemblance to animals and transfer qualities of caribou to humans. The rectangular front flap can be interpreted as a phallic symbol referring to procreation and regeneration of human life.

Description

Women’s outer coat, or parka, of caribou fur with a large elongated hood. The coat has a thin rectangular front flap and a large rectangular back flap. The coat is waist length and has broad angular shoulders. The back of the coat is slightly enlarged through the insertion of a piece of fur. On the front, two white angular chest panels are inserted. The hood, hem and front of sleeves are trimmed with white fur. The form of the backtail and front of the coat are repeated through inserts of small bands of white fur. Bands of white fur are also inserted in the lower part of the front of the sleeves and across the hood. Two elongated triangular pieces of white fur are inserted on the top part of the back of the coat. On either side of these a caribou ear with white fur tassels is attached. Paired fringes are attached to the sides of the hood and along the hem. A narrow tape of fabric is sewn to the inside of the hem.

History Of Use

This style of clothing was in use among the Copper Inuit until the 1920’s. The enlarged back was used for carrying infants; wearing a belt would prevent the child from falling out. The elongated hood provided more space and air for the baby in the back pouch. 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, 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. While mass-produced clothing from the south is now commonly worn, the making of skin clothing was being revived. 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, makers 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 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.

Narrative

Pierce donated this collection to the UBC Geology Museum in 1932, from which it transferred to the newly-opened Museum of Anthropology in 1948. Michell Pierce put together this collection of examples of Copper Inuit clothing and implements, while working in the area for the Hudson’s Bay Company. Before going to the area, he interviewed Dean Brock and M.Y. Williams about the possibility of collecting for UBC while there. This was the second collection he assembled, as the first was lost when the ship carrying the materials was caught in the ice.