Hunting-style chigdax̂ (gut parka)

NameHunting-style chigdax̂ (gut parka)

CultureUnangax̂

DateEarly 20th Century

Place madepossibly Pribilof Islands, Alaska, United States, Bering Sea, North America

MediumSeal gut, wool yarn

DimensionsH 59" x W 70.5" x D 4.5 Waist: 66"

Credit LineMuseum of International Folk Art, gift of Lloyd E. Cotsen and the Neutrogena Corporation, A.1995.93.989

Object numberA.1995.93.989

DescriptionHooded parka; intestines of a sea mammal for the body. Decorated with strands of red and blue wool yarns removed from a trade blanket. Sleeve hems and hood edging reinforced with red or blue dyed esophagus strips.

“I can imagine a woman patiently at work sewing
this seal [gut] parka. … Her stitches are even and
meticulously neat, a skill she likely learned through
daily practice and under close observation from
a more advanced seamstress, maybe her mother,
grandma, or aunt. … Working with skins or gut skins
and transforming them into well-made clothing
is a work of love, and women took care that their
work was not only functional but also handsomely
made. Making every piece as beautiful as it can
be honors the animals that gave up their lives to
clothe and feed a community and also shows pride
in a woman’s work and care for her family.”
— Nadia Jackinsky-Sethi (Alutiiq)
(from exhibition label text, 2023).