tour 1 of 8
Kayak clothing from Greenland
Kayak clothing from Greenland
'When they go to sea, they wear over
their clothes a tuelik
or black, smooth sealskin frock that keeps out the water.'
(David Cranz,
1765)
'Because our
ocean here, - it is very cold. And therefore it is very important
for those who want to train kayaking, that they maintain their body
temperature, out of consideration for their health.'
(Member of the Kayak Club Nuuk,
1999)
The kayaker wears a
variety of garments - hooded jackets
(tuilik), sprayshirts
(akuilisaq), mittens
(aaqqatit) and kayak
sleeves (aaqqat) - to
keep warm and prevent water from coming into the kayak.
Traditionally, they were an indispensable part of a kayak's
equipment in Greenland and remain so in Greenlandic kayak clubs
today.
This tour presents a
field collection of kayak clothing as it is made and used by kayak
clubs in Greenland today.