Iglulik Inuit Polar Bear Kamiks

Fur inlay is a technique used by Inuit seamstresses to create highly intricate designs. Traditional patterns are geometric while more contemporary designs feature highly curvilinear motifs, such as animals or floral patterns. A difficult challenge when creating this type of decoration is matching the nap of the different furs used to create the design so that all the hairs lie in the same direction. Leah Okadluk, an Iglulingmiut Inuit seamstress, made these sealskin kamiks decorated with inlaid designs of polar bears for the 1987 Bata Shoe Museum Foundation Decorated Moccasin competition and won second prize.