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Specific Techniques

The pieces are sewn together with an overcast stitch.

Description

Men’s outer coat, or parka, of brown caribou fur (part a). The coat is waist length, has rounded shoulders, a long rectangular back tail and a close fitting pointed hood. The hem and the hood are trimmed with a white band of caribou fur. On top of the hood two caribou ears are attached. A broad band of white and light brown caribou fur is inserted into the upper part of the sleeves. Paired long fringes are inserted into the seams off the shoulders and in the seams on the lower back of the coat. A pair of white fur tassels is attached in the middle of the back. There is a large semi-circular hole under both sleeves.

History Of Use

This type of coat was in use among the Inuinait or Copper Inuit until the 1920’s. Outer coats were generally worn together with inner coats.
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 was worn with the fur on the inside and a second layer with the fur on the outside, designed 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, the makers express the beliefs and values of the group through clothing, which marks social identities like gender, age, childbearing status, and geographic origin. Clothing also expresses the 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 the metamorphosis.

Iconographic Meaning

White bands on the upper arm signify a man’s upper arm and shoulder muscles, important for hunting. The caribou ears were sometimes left on the back, or the hood of the coat to incorporate a reference to the hunted animal.