And more…from the Lomen Brothers Studio 1900-1930
These photographs, taken by the Lomen family, capture the indigenous Yupik Eskimo and the prospectors of the Gold Rush in Alaska during the early decades of the 20th century.
And more…from the Lomen Brothers Studio 1900-1930
These photographs, taken by the Lomen family, capture the indigenous Yupik Eskimo and the prospectors of the Gold Rush in Alaska during the early decades of the 20th century.
Re: the ‘waterproof jacket’ in the second photo, “Hooded parkas made from seal intestines (gut) were ideal outer garments for wet weather and ocean travel. They were sewn with fine sinew thread and a special watertight stitch.” https://alaska.si.edu/record.asp?id=96 Scroll down for elders’ discussion of how garments like these were made and used.
“[Gut parkas are] mostly men’s, because they always go hunting. [They’re also for] when they go kayaking. They used to make it wide enough for kayak [to cover the cockpit]. So when it gets rough out there, they used to tie them on so the water couldn’t go in.”
p/s re: Gut skin parkas, “The peoples of the Arctic regions use the intestines of the bearded seal, whale, sea lion and walrus to make waterproof parkas or anoraks called “kamleika” by the Russians (Yup’ik?) and kapitaq in the Iñupiaq language.” https://catalogs.marinersmuseum.org/object/CL31214