The Origins of the Anorak

What we know of the anorak can be traced back generations with the peoples of the Arctic, from the Iglulik who inhabited Melville Peninsula and northwestern Baffin Island, those Inuit spread across the central Arctic to Greenland, to the Inupiat of Alaska and Western Canada. Another commonly held name for this outer garment was the Russian term, the “parka” and made as a one-piece jacket that was pulled over the head, and generally included a large hood. These anoraks utilized a variety of materials in their construction, such as animal fur, skin, bone, and ivory, with the style depending on whether the wearer was male or female, and for what season (summer or winter) it was being worn in.

At the time of the first recorded European contact with original inhabitants during the 15^th century, the parka or anorak for men was a knee-length garmet, with a flap in the center front and backside (the shorter flap in front). Women’s anoraks were above the knees in length. Another commonly found feature were the “walrus tusks” placed on both sides of the neck of the anorak hood: these two pieces of caribou fur added protection of the head against ice formed by the wearer’s breath.

Caribou hide was used for winter anoraks, while those in the summer were fashioned from sealskin, with a ruff or collar of fur inside the hood, and on the sleeve cuffs. This fur could be either wolverine, wolf, or dog. By the 18^th century, the anorak had been shortened to hip-length and had a front enclosure, as changes that were influenced by European fashions from that era. Until the mid-20^th century, the use of fur in the anorak design was widespread throughout the Arctic. Waterproofing of the garments done by using strips of seal or walrus intestines, dried and whitened in the cold, with these then applied to the wrists and neck openings to prevent water entry. While the hood was most often part of the anorak, in some instances the hood was omitted entirely as a regional trait. The Iglulik men’s inner parka of caribou was a good example, which either left the hood off, or had a more pronounced peaked look.

For the identity of the wearer, anoraks were made of other materials, and had parts with specific names depending on the style. The skins of waterfowl, such as cormorants and puffins, were highly valuable and used for parkas worn only by the men. Decorations on both men and women anoraks could include either insets of colored leather at the seams for the arms and waist hem, or bands of white skin or fur. Some of those made for women included a larger hood – an amaut – that allowed the carrying of an infant inside with the aid of an interior harness (called a qaksun-gauti). Other vocabulary reflects the variety amongst local dialects of the Inuit language: atigi used to describe a “single” woman’s coat, with fur to the inside; the Akuitoq, as a man’s parka slit down the front; the Atigainaq, a parka worn by a teenage girl; and the qulittuq, a closed hooded jacket with fur to the outside.

With a tough climate, and the need for two types of anoraks and other clothing for two seasons and both inner and outer-wear, it was necessary to have new clothes made on an annual basis. Hunters could provide enough materials from seals, walruses, caribou, and polar bear to outfit themselves and their families, if the hunter was fortunate. In any event, no old clothing was ever wasted: anoraks found new use as work clothes, bedding, repair materials as the need for each arose.

The advent of the 20^th century saw a decline in fur clothing in favor of European clothing and fashions. Greenland natives still wear traditional anoraks made of sealskin, but have developed a preference for white cotton anoraks in the summer season. The women’s anorak is now often worn without a hood as an option. However, the basic necessities of Arctic clothing still apply for the Inuit, the Iglulik, and the Inupiat, whether they live today in Alaska, Siberia, or Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland). The anorak must be durable, provides heat insulation, prevents water intrusion, and controls both humidity and temperature with the wearer. These are the realities of Arctic life, and those who have lived there for generations past, and generations yet to come.