Beaded Feather Earrings

Vibrant and brightly coloured, these dangling earrings were beaded in the shape of feathers.

Beads
Approx. 6 x 1.5 cm
Registration no. C4-202338

These earrings were handmade by an Inuk artist in Salluit, Nunavik. Salluit (formerly Sugluk) is the second most northern Inuit community, and sits between high, rugged mountains at the far end of the narrow Sugluk Inlet, 10 kilometres inland from Hudson Strait. Its Inuktitut names means the “thin ones” derived from an ancient story about a group of Inuit who were told that the region abounded in wildlife.  When they arrived, they found almost nothing to eat and experienced near starvation. Though the village's name suggests that it has not always been the case, the area is rich in wildlife and arctic plants. The coastal seabed teems with mussels and clams. Sallumiut, the people of Salluit, enjoy a variety of dishes which include arctic char, caribou, bannock, berries, roots and herbs. The very harsh climate endured by Sallumiut is indelibly engraved in their way of life, endowing them with an incredible sense of affinity for the land.