Figure Item Number: 3148/8 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Ookpik. Toy owl made from brown seal skin, with hair directed downward on front and up at back, causing bird colour to change slightly. Head is large, body flaring out slightly at shoulders. Eyes are large circles of leather, with a small leather triangle below to serve as a beak. Feet are also leather and have three toes. Suede base is round and stitched to body.
History Of Use
Ookpik (meaning 'snowy owl' in Inuktitut) refers to a popular Inuit handicraft that originated in the early 1960s. An ookpik is an owl figure made of sealskin with round eyes.
Narrative
In 1966-67 the donors' mother was engaged to James Haining who, at that time, was the area administrator of Igloolik/Hall Beach. During that period she acquired a number of Inuit artifacts. Her collection is thought to have been obtained from some of the following eastern arctic communities: Hall Beach, Igloolik, Cape Dorset, Sheardown Lake, Mary River, Frobisher Bay, Cambridge Bay, Pelly Bay, Baker Lake, Milne Inlet and Pond Inlet.
Item History
- Made in Kuujjuaq, Quebec, Canada before 1970
- Owned by Kim Armstrong before February 5, 2016
- Received from Kim Armstrong (Donor) on February 5, 2016
What
- Name
- Figure
- Identification Number
- 3148/8
- Type of Item
- figure
- Material
- seal skin, cotton fibre and leather skin
- Overall
- height 13.0 cm, width 9.0 cm, depth 9.2 cm
Who
- Culture
- Inuit
- Previous Owner
- Kim Armstrong
- Received from
- Kim Armstrong (Donor)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Kuujjuaq, Quebec, Canada
When
- Creation Date
- before 1970
- Ownership Date
- before February 5, 2016
- Acquisition Date
- on February 5, 2016
Other
- Condition
- good
- Accession Number
- 3148/0008