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• Inupiaq artist
• St. Lawrence Island, Alaska
• 1950
• Crested Auklet feathers, intestine, walrus, leather, fur
• Museum Exchange with Denver Museum of Natural History, 1956.156

This ceremonial parka is made from walrus intestine and crested auklet feathers, sewn together with sinew. As a material expression of spiritual life along coastal Alaska, this type of parka is imbued with social and symbolic value. Sewing garments from animal skins transfers the identity and characteristics of the animal to the wearer, establishing a continuum between animals and humans. Design elements are locally distinct and specific to the wearer’s age and gender.