miniature kayak with figure and harpoon, unrecorded Kalaallit artist

Artwork Overview

unrecorded Kalaallit artist, miniature kayak with figure and harpoon
unrecorded Kalaallit artist, miniature kayak with figure and harpoon
unrecorded Kalaallit (Greenland Inuit) artist
miniature kayak with figure and harpoon
late 1800s
unrecorded Kalaallit (Greenland Inuit) artist
miniature kayak with figure and harpoon, late 1800s
Where object was made: Greenland
Material/technique: carving; string; wood; ivory; cloth; bone; ink; sealskin
Dimensions:
Object Height/Width/Length (Height x Width x Length): assembled 14 x 22 x 70.5 cm
Object Height/Width/Length (Height x Width x Length): a 5 x 6.5 x 70.5 cm
Object Height/Width/Length (Height x Width x Length): 1 15/16 x 2 9/16 x 27 3/4 in
Object Height/Width/Depth (Height x Width x Depth): b 11.5 x 25 x 5.5 cm
Object Height/Width/Depth (Height x Width x Depth): 4 1/2 x 9 13/16 x 2 3/16 in
Object Length/Width (Length x Width): c 32 x 0.7 cm
Object Length/Width (Length x Width): 0 1/4 x 12 5/8 in
Credit line: Gift of Lewis Lindsay Dyche
Accession number: 2007.6078.a,b,c
Not on display
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Label texts

Mobile Memory
Greenland Inuit fathers built miniature kayaks for their sons to use as toys. Although these objects were meant for play, they also symbolized a child’s future role in society. By familiarizing themselves with the toy kayak and its purposes, young boys learned important hunting and survival skills passed down from one generation to another. This miniature kayak is an exact replica of the boats once used for hunting at sea. Hunters designed these kayaks to fit their bodies and withstand the cold environment. Local resources used to construct the boat, such as sealskin and driftwood, provided a warm, durable form of transportation.

Exhibitions

Soundings: Making Culture at Sea
Celka Straughn, curator
CuratedByVoc, curator