Monday 8 October 2012

Arctic People

(Scincephoto.com)

I'm Particularly interested in Tribes that are situated in some of the harshest living conditions in the world - The Arctic


(image from Smithsonian Institution)
A man from the Umingmaktormiut Tribe located in the eastern part of the American Arctic. The hoarfrost on his beard is just absolutely beautiful. 


A Nunivak Eskimo woman's jewellery from her bottom lip almost recreates the image of a frosty beard.
This image was taken by Edward S. Curtis, a historian who documented as much Native American traditional life as possible before that way of life disappeared.

"Curtis was a strong adherent to the prevailing sense that American Indian was a "Vanishing race" with no hope of maintaining any identity as Indian, and that it was the duty of the dominant culture to record the existence of the one being absorbed." - from an article on thenonist.com

Another photograph by Curtis
I love the white markings on the skin and the textures on the mask, especially the fur . This person, I believe, is a Navajo Indian and even though not from the Arctic, the fur and white markings are relevant to the Native Americans who lived in the colder environment.

another similar image from Curtis.

This image by Curtis is of a Noatak family

This is another Nuniwarmiut person from Nunivak Island. The harsh cold conditions meant people needed to be as warm as possible, I love the large amount of fur framing their faces.


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