seal gut parka, unrecorded Native Alaskan artist

Exhibition Label:
“Climate Change at the Poles,” Jan-2009, Kate Meyer, Jennifer Talbott, and Angela Watts
Inuit clothing is supremely well-adapted to life in a cold climate. Many contemporary cold weather garments were originally designed by the Inuit hundreds of years ago. This seal-gut parka functions in the same way that a water-proof, hooded jacket would. Gutskin parkas are made from the intestines of seals, walruses, and other animals that are hunted for food. The intestines are cleaned, dried, and sewn in vertical or horizontal strips to form a lightweight parka that naturally wicks water away from the body and prevents clothing worn underneath from getting wet. Today, gutskin parkas are often decorated along the seams with feathers, yarn, or other materials, and worn for special occasions.