Bird skin (cormorant ?) parka, feathers out. No hood, straight calf-length hem. Decoration of red cloth and rabbit skin (?) tassels. Depilated, red skin band around hips with gut strips; reindeer and marten (?) on cuffs. Made with Cormorant skin (?), reindeer, marten (?), tanned hide, gut, rabbit skin, woven cloth, cotton thread, sinew thread (?). According to Eskimo consultant Ronald W. Senungetuk, July 1987: "Trim is made of caribou or reindeer, sea otter, ochre dyed bird skin and leather, decorated with red wool fabric, rabbit skin tassels and red band embellished with gut strips sewn above the bottom edge; reindeer hide and marten fur on cuffs. caribou or reindeer skin band turned inside out with seal''s throat skin overlay and danglers made of unborn or newly born fawn skin. Styling is Kodiak which may have been during or after Russian regime but it may be totally traditional." References: Birket-Smith, Ethno. Studies, Copenhagen, 1941, p.124; Hatt, Arct. Anth., 1969, p. 49.
Donor:
Alaska Commercial Company, Benjamin Bristol, and Older University Collections
Collection place:
Southwest Coast, Alaska
Verbatim coll. place:
Alaska; Southwest Coast
Culture or time period:
Kodiak Eskimo
Collector:
unknown
Collection date:
unknown
Materials:
Fur (hair material), Gut (animal material), Reindeer hide, and Wool (textile)
Taxon:
Phalacrocorax auritus, Rangifer tarandus, and Rangifer tarandus caribou
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Parkas
Function:
2.2 Personal Adornments and Accoutrements
Accession date:
1904
Department:
Native US and Canada (except California)
Dimensions:
measurements for storage— width 127 centimeters, measurements for storage— length 122 centimeters, across sleeves— width 134 centimeters, and neck to hem— length 124 centimeters
Comment:
Continued from Object description, "... caribou or reindeer skin band turned inside out with seal''s throat skin overlay and danglers made of unborn or newly born fawn skin. Styling is Kodiak which may have been during or after Russian regime but it may be totally traditional." References: Birket-Smith, Ethno. Studies, Copenhagen, 1941, p.124; Hatt, Arct. Anth., 1969, p. 49.
Loans:
S1987-1988 #16: California Academy of Sciences (September 11, 1987–February 19, 1988)