Staying Warm in the Far North

The Inuit people survive the harsh cold of the far north in many resourceful ways, including using toboggans and sealskin kayaks for transportation. They also fashion these extremely warm parkas that are both practical and beautiful. 

This murre (a type of seabird), wolf, and beaver skin coat was created by an unknown Inuit artist in Alaska. The versatile and protective bird skin parka was reversible: if it was raining, the feathers went outside or under a gut parka; if it was cold, they faced inward. Diving seabirds were preferred, due to their tougher skins. This parka was purchased during the 1927 Borden-Field Museum expedition to Alaska and the arctic. James Borden, the host, was a Museum Trustee at the time. 

Among the coastal peoples of the Bering Sea and the Arctic Ocean, such garments were the mark of a husband who was a good hunter and a wife who excelled as a seamstress. Each element of these fancy winter parkas had a specific name that referred to the stories, spirits, or history of the village or the wearer. 

See more Inuit and Arctic objects on display at the Museum. The Alsdorf Hall of Northwest Coast and Arctic Peoples showcases the artistic talents of native people in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia, as well as the far north.