Two traditional parkas were donated as part of a clothing drive to an organization on Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.
But once staff realized what they had – they knew the parkas had to be preserved.
Parkas, traditionally called Anoraks, are usually made from seal skin or caribou hide and ideal for hunting or kayaking.
One of the parkas is destined for the Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver.
The other parka will be donated to an organization that has a connection to Inuit.
my partener was a teacher in tuk in the 70s and he commisioned a similar parka from one of his students mother. i had the great fortune to wear it in the 80s and early 90s it had wolverine around the hood, to stop frost,, then beaver around the cuffs and something else at the base of the inner lining, it had beautiful ribbon work,, much like these examples.. however these have extraordinary embroidery on the inner lining.i had fun wearing my parka to student conferences down south in ottawa.