Boots Item Number: A2.491 a-b from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
The boots (part a-b) are brown sealskin with a band of fur and blue fabric around the opening. The boots made of shaved ringed sealskin with soft pleated shaved bearded sealskin soles. The top of the boots is trimmed with a haired strip of ringed sealskin with horizontal fur flow and a blue fabric casing. The drawstrings are made of blue fabric tape that can be tied at the back of the boots. The leg section of the boots is rather broad, angling slightly outward.
History Of Use
Waterproof boots of shaved seal skin were worn in the winter as well as to hunt seals and caribou and gather wood in wet weather.
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.
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 pieces are sewn together with an overcast stitch.
Cultural Context
footwear
Item History
- Made in Kangiqsualujjuaq, Quebec, Canada
- Owned by Jean Ryan before 1959
- Received from Jean Ryan (Unknown) during 1959
What
- Name
- Boots
- Identification Number
- A2.491 a-b
- Type of Item
- boot
- Material
- bearded seal skin, ringed seal skin, sinew and cotton fibre
- Manufacturing Technique
- cut, pieced, crimped and sewn
- Part A
- height 12.5 cm, width 39.5 cm, depth 25.0 cm
- Part B
- height 12.0 cm, width 41.0 cm, depth 25.0 cm
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Kangiqsualujjuaq, Quebec, Canada
When
- Ownership Date
- before 1959
- Acquisition Date
- during 1959
Other
- Item Classes
- textiles
- Condition
- fair
- Current Location
- Case 47