Sinews of Survival facts for kids
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| Author | Betty Kobayashi Issenman |
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| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
| Subject | Inuit clothing |
| Published | 1997 (University of British Columbia Press) |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 274 |
| ISBN | 978-0774805964 |
Sinews of Survival: The Living Legacy of Inuit Clothing is a 1997 ethnographic book about Inuit clothing by Canadian ethnologist Betty Kobayashi Issenman. The book draws from existing research as well as Issenman's own travels and research with Inuit seamstresses. Sinews of Survival is illustrated with maps, clothing patterns, and color photographs of numerous clothing items.
Summary
The first chapters of the book discuss the history of Inuit clothing as it developed through the prehistoric, historic, and modern eras, covering the materials, tools, and processes that have traditionally been used to make these garments. Early European research on Inuit clothing is also explored. The bulk of the book covers the distinct styles of each of ten Canadian Inuit subgroups: the Inuvialuit, Copper Inuit, Netsilik, Iglulingmiut, Sallirmiut, Caribou Inuit, Nunatsiarmiut or Baffin Island Inuit, Nunavimiut or Ungava Peninsula Inuit, Qikirtamiut or Belcher Islands Inuit, and the Inuit of Nunatsiavut in Labrador. Although focused on Canadian Inuit in particular, the book also provides a brief introduction to the clothing of other circumpolar peoples, including the Greenlandic Inuit, Alaskan Iñupiaq and Yup'ik, and the indigenous peoples of Siberia, due to shared traits in their respective clothing. The remainder of the text discusses the aesthetic design and spiritual elements of Inuit clothing and explores areas for future research.
