Anorak - Winter and Summer Clothing

Winter and Summer Clothing

There are usually two styles of amauti: angajuqtaujaq, like a dress (shown on the right, with the two women); and akulik, a longer back with a stylized tail-like hem at the back (shown on the left picture-white). Hood shape, decoration and tail shape all speak to the region of origin of an amauti. The sleeves and hem on a winter amauti are trimmed with solid colour stripes which emphasize the feminine/maternal cut, and the swing of the "tail". The winter amauti is classically seen with a white cotton cover (silapak), but also in other solid colours, with an inner duffle inner layer, also trimmed, in a darker solid colour.

In the past, the longer amauti tails were decorated with talismans such as beads, shells and pierced coins, although dispproval of these talismans as "heathen" by the church reduced the frequency within which they were used. The talismans were said to attract spirits to the swinging tail and thus protect the ovaries (and fertility), located at the front, from attracting spirit attentions.

Not shown are the more modern summer amauti which have no sleeves, less insulation, and permit a child to be carried while berry picking or in other summer occupations.They are also used during the winter months of the year, used with an over sized parka covering both mother and baby. The summer amauti is typically made from quilted cloth in any number of patterns.