Summary

National Doll produced to represent an Inuit person. Dolls are among the most universal toys found throughout the world and through history. Ornamental dolls can also be used to represent aspects of cultural traditions, such as dress.

In Canada Inuit peoples inhabit vast areas of Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, the coast of northern Labrador and approximately 25% of northern Quebec. They also live in Alaska, Greenland and Russia. In 2011 in Canada there are approximately 55,700 Inuit living in 53 communities. The climate and environment in which the Inuit live has impacted on their culture and way of life. Traditional Inuit clothing and foot was made from animal skins and fur.

This doll comes from a collection of approximately 150 dolls in an array of national and regional costumes which were collected by Edna Setford from 1964-1988. Her husband Clifford continued the collection until his death in 1997. The collection is the work of both Edna and Clifford as well as many friends and family who brought dolls home to Edna as gifts from overseas trips. The final doll arrived two days after Clifford's death. This doll was purchased in Canada.

These dolls were purchased as souvenirs of particular countries and like many mass produced souvenirs they are often not accurate representations of a particular country or region, and may actually better reflect neighbouring counties or regions. This occurs because costumes are often stylised and simplified resulting dolls wearing generic costume elements which are common to many countries/regions. Often the fabrics and decorations used are selected to make the dolls cheap and easy to manufacture and aesthetically pleasing. This can result in the fabrics, colours and decorations of the doll's clothing having little or no reflection of the costume associated with a particular country or region they are meant to be representative of.

Physical Description

Doll dressed in fur parka with a hood, painted grey/brown legs and holding a wood spear which has been wrapped in brown leather. It is mounted on a wooden base.

More Information