Coat

Description:

Man’s winter coat with attached hood. Made of white tanned and painted caribou hide with the fur inside. Designs of red, blue and yellow bands, triangles and curves are painted on the tanned skin around the bottom edge, the front center, back and arms of the coat. On the back, there are beaded fringes with loops across the shoulders. Speck recorded the Naskapi name for a winter coat as “manewi’ ” or “ucegi ako’p’ ” and the locality where it was acquired as “Mucwaoci.bu wilnuts’ ” – the “Land of Nothing People.”

Innu Narrative:

“Innu clothing was made from caribou hide. The caribou hide is really warm, and Innu didn’t need to wear other clothing underneath the hide in the winter. Man’s clothing was made in three or four pieces and women’s clothing was made in one piece. The man had two sets of clothing, one to wear when he was outside and the other to wear when he was inside the tent. Another useful thing for Innu was the tent made out of a caribou hide. But ever since the white man has been around, everything has changed, including the way Innu hunted, the way they made their tools, and what they made their tools out of. Now Innu tools are made of metal. Yes, they last long and are better. That’s why the way of life back then was so hard compared to today. For example, hunting back then was harder that it is today because now you use a gun to shoot a caribou, but back then, you had to use a knife to kill the caribou .” Nuk Nui (Sheshatshiu, formerly Barren Ground Innu Band, born near Fort Chimo). Note – Nuk Nui was not interviewed as part of the Web Demo Project.

Other Info:

Search ‘hunting coat’ for more information on skin coats.

Visit the exhibits section of this website for more stories, images and information on the caribou jacket.