Clothing in the Arctic: A Means of Protection, a Statement of Identity

The interest in clothing as a powerful item for cultural inquiry has recently increased among anthropologists. This has to do with its dual connection to habitat and cultural identify, allowing for ecological as well as symbolic analysis. The identification of contexts in which identity is communicated by means of clothing is considered an additional dimension to the study of clothing proper. Clothing is viewed as the most efficient means of non-verbal communication of cultural identity as well as culture-specific values and standards. The communicative power of clothing is especially salient in various inter-ethnic contexts. Referring to the Shi in northem Fennoscandia, cloth- ing appears as an effective ethnic marker. At the same time the vitality of clothing as a material object is evident. Clothing reflects both habitat and cultural identity, and thereby it becomes a significant objective for cultural inquiry. In terms of habitat, clothing is a means of protecting the body in vari- ous ways; in this respect it covers the body, or parts thereof, against cold, heat, sun, wind and wet. Clothing also varies according to the different seasons of the year. In arctic and subarctic environments, for instance, different kinds of fur and diverse ways of making use of the type of fur available - e.g., single or double coat - are used to meet basic needs depend- ing on the season. Clothing is also a means to communicate identity through shape and material used, ornamentation applied and sewing technique, which may indicate diverse levels of identity, including sex, status, ethnicity and age. Specific costumes may serve as effective visual markers of ethnic distinctiveness, and in numerous contexts they are used internally to reaffirm a sense of belonging and of community. In external articulation particular clothing also symbolizes cultural identity, for exam- ple in the political arena in inter-ethnic confrontations of vari- ous kinds. Thus, we have to look for varying contexts in which clothing plays a communicative role. Referring to the Shi in northern Fennoscandia, we are able to identify two headings under which such contexts can be grouped: 1) inter-ethnic encounters, such as those that take place in the political arena, legal confrontations in matters of rights in principle and, finally, events relating to social and economic concerns; 2) regular social gatherings, for instance, markets, church holidays, sports events, cultural festivals and performances in the field of education or research. This contextual pattern is fairly com- mon among native peoples in the North and in no way unique for the Shi. Clothing conveys messages loaded with meaning. Obviously, clothing is a non-verbal form of communication,