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Boys wearing sealskin clothing
From Pangnirtung, Baffin Island
Dating to 1933-1934 or 1940-1942
Photographed by Dr. Jon Bildfell
Dr. Jon A. and Mrs. Muriel Bildfell Collection
997.84.135.138 |
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For protection against the
harsh Arctic conditions, the Inuit depended upon animal skins to meet their clothing
needs. To provide a family of two adults and one small child each with one set
of winter clothing, approximately twenty-six caribou were required. Winter
wear required two layers of caribou-skin clothing to keep the body warm. The inner
layer was worn with the fur toward the skin, while the outer layer had the fur
facing outward.
Summer clothing was either the winter layer of caribou skin
alone, or a sealskin layer with the fur on the outside. The water-repellent quality
of sealskin clothing made it ideal for the wet conditions experienced during kayak-hunting
expeditions.
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