Women of America: Woman: In all ages and in all countries Vol. 10 (of 10)Larus, John Ruse
History
Women of America: Woman: In all ages and in all countries Vol. 10 (of 10)
Larus, John Ruse
Women -- America -- History; Women -- United States -- History
The Innuits are a nomadic people, living during the winter in _igloos_,
or ice huts, during the summer in skin tents called _tupies_, but moving
from place to place as chance or the necessity of sustenance suggests.
They have not attained a high degree of civilization and may indeed be
termed semi-savages; yet they have some excellent traits, together with
some contradictory ones. Thus, they will steal anything on which they
can lay their hands; but they hold a lie in utter detestation, and to
_shay-va-loo_ (tell a lie) is to brand the teller as worthy of social
ostracism. The first of these traits may arise from the existence among
them of some of the socialistic theories of our own civilization; but
the second is not a purely civilized trait, as civilization is known to
us.
Living in a community of most primitive conditions of existence, even in
the household, morals are not at a high standard among the Innuits. Yet
there is to be found among them a high degree of domesticity in certain
directions, and their women appear to be affectionately cared for and
held in high esteem for semi-savages. The personal appearance of these
ladies is far from captivating to a Caucasian eye, they being as a rule
of a figure only to be described as "pudgy," while their features are
coarse and unintelligent. Their dress is the same as that of the men:
Long stockings of reindeer skin, with the hair next the person; socks of
eider-duck skin, with feathers on both sides; socks of seal skin, with
the hair outside; boots, the legs of reindeer skin, the hair outside,
the soles of seal skin; and a jacket of reindeer skin, fitting to the
form, though not tightly. In this latter article of apparel is to be
found the sole difference between the male and female costume, the women
attaching to their jackets long tails, which reach almost to the ground,
while their jackets also have hoods, frequently used for carrying their
children. The women also, as is natural, adorn their costumes to a
degree not common among the men; one belle was described by Mr. Hall,
who spent two winters among this curious race, as having a fringe of
colored beads across the neck of her jacket, bowls of Britannia-metal
teaspoons down the front flap, and a double row of copper cents,
surmounted by a bell from an old-fashioned clock, down the tail, which
was bordered by a beading of elongated lead shot. But such extravagance
of adornment as this is rare and can be attained only by the most
wealthy. The ladies also wear finger rings and headbands of polished
brass.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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