tour 7 of 8
Kayak clothing from Greenland
Kayak jacket of sealskin (tuilik)
'You should learn to look after it
[...]. If our ancestors could do it, why not us?! When we are
finished for the day, we could just put it in the deep freezer, or
the fridge.' (Member of the Kayak Club Nuuk,
1999)
This
tuilik (hooded jacket)
of young harp seal skin was made about 1988 in Maniitsoq, and used
by members of the kayak club there. It was sold to Hans
Kleist-Thomassen about 1996, and then used by the members of the
Kayak Club Nuuk in the rolling competitions at the Kayak
Championship.
The garment
has been mended numerous times. This is not unusual. Today, only
few people still know how to make traditional sealskin kayak
clothing, and it is not readily available in many of the clubs.
Items are thus repaired and used for as long as possible. This is
also one of the reasons why in most clubs, sealskin clothing is not
used for training, but only for the Kayak
Championship.
For the same
reason, proper treatment of the clothing is important. When not
used, it should be stored in a cool and dry place, ideally in the
deep freezer, it was said. Before competitions, the garments are
soaked in salt water and then impregnated with seal fat and
softened by rubbing. In this way, they not only become more
waterproof, but more flexible and
comfortable.
Other
Views: Bibiane 'Arnaq'
Isaksen from Qaqortoq mending a
tuilik. Nanortalik, July
2001.