Description: |
A Labradormiut model kayak with a wooden frame and sea-mammal skin canopy, complete with a miniature toggling harpoon, seal-skin float and harpoon line, paddle, bow and fish spear. Collected in Killiniq (Port Burwell), Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, before 1931. |
Full description: |
Model kayak (a) is flat bottomed with frame of wood (only gunwales, keelson, one cross beam and two side stringers visible). The D-shaped cockpit coaming is secured with seal skin thong; bundle of wood shavings loose in interior. Frame is covered with dehaired seal skin sewn with sinew along flat deck. A triangular ivory harpoon rest is attached to one side of cockpit with seal-skin thong. Two dehaired seal-skin cross straps for equipment secured with wooden rivets are stretched across the deck in front of cockpit; a single cross strap of same is secured to deck behind cockpit. Two sinew loops are attached to deck behind cockpit, one on deck in front of cockpit. Wooden seal float or bladder (b) is attached to ivory harpoon head with dehaired seal skin thong. One end of thong is tied around seal's tail, opposite end is threaded through lateral line channel on underside of harpoon head. Ends of double-bladed wooden paddle (c) are tipped with ivory secured with ivory rivets. Harpoon (d) consists of a wooden shaft which tapers towards proximal end. Separate ivory foreshaft is secured to ivory tip at distal end of shaft with two seal skin thongs. Curved wooden hand rest is inserted one side of shaft; ivory peg (to hold the line taut) projects from shaft opposite hand rest. Wooden fish or bird dart (e) has barbed shaft and twin points. Bow (f) is rectangular in cross-section and pointed at each end.
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