Intestines
The idea of garments made from animal intestines seems even stranger than clothing made of bird skins. Yet it is possible to treat the intestines from sea and land mammals in such a way that clothes can be made from them.

RMV 2085-1

A coat made from gut skin formed a major element in clothing for use in the kayak, since the material is waterproof. For this purpose the Inuit of Greenland used the intestines various species of seal.

Three women skinning a bearded seal. The intestines are placed in a tub for further treatment. (Photo: Gerti Nooter 67-3-58-24)

The preparation of the intestines involved considerable work. First the women had to squeeze the remains of faeces out of the guts. Next, they scraped the outsides clean. They then soaked the intestines in water to clean the insides thoroughly. After allowing the water to run out, the women blew up the intestines and spread them out on the ground to dry. Blowing up the intestines demanded a strenuous effort, given that the large intestine of a walrus, for example, could measure twenty-three metres.

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