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Boots Made of Animal Skins
The Inuit - one of Canada's aboriginal peoples - developed footwear in adaptation to the natural environment of the Arctic by utilizing the inherent characteristics of materials from animals. Seal and caribou provide sinew and skins to make clothing and footwear. Even today traditional, hand-made, Inuit boots known as 'kamiks' are essential for survival in the extreme cold of the Arctic.
“We hunt caribou on the coast or inland, depending on the season. There are lots of harp seals migrating along the rocky Labrador coast. We use the skins in our kamiks.”
Beatrice Watts, North West River, 1995
“Seals are used for food, clothing, and tools. Their blubber was burned for light and heat. We show respect to the spirit of the seal by offering dead seals a drink of water.”
Qapik Attagutsiak, Arctic Bay, 1984
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