PARKA GREENLAND

Original waterproof cloth worn by the Inuit people, made with seal gut
About ...

PARKA GREENLAND

Original waterproof cloth worn by the Inuit people, made with seal gut
About 1920
140 x 160 cm

Provenance: Joseph Garena collection, private collection, Anchorage (Alaska). References: British Museum (London), Museum of Natural Science (Houston), Anchorage Museum (Alaska), Museum of Art (Honolulu, Hawaii). Parkas made with gut (intestines), such as that offered here, are a technical enterprise evolved from a very ancient tradition. They were usually worn over other clothing. Parkas were mainly used to protect the body from the icy sea water during hunting forays on board kayaks. They were also used as a protection from sleet and for ceremonial purposes. The tailoring of these extraordinary waterproof and light weight hunting jackets was very complicated. The intestines of the fur seal went through multi-stage processing before being made into the actual coat. The intestines had to be washed, peeled inside and out and scraped with a blunt scraper. The intestines were then inflated and tied at both ends until completely dry. After about two days, the intestines were cut longitudinally and rolled into tight bundles until ready to be made into waterproof clothing. The entire drying, cutting and sewing process of a one sea mammal coat could take an entire month. The dried-out intestines are very light and an entire coat can weigh as little as twenty-one to twenty-four grams even though they were made very large in order to fit over a fur parka and other winter resistant clothing.