A family of Siberian Eskimos

Series of sketches drawn from life by Florence Nupok, a full blood St Lawrence Island Eskimo woman. 93 sketches (numbers are listed on each drawing). As a rule, Siberian winter garments are made from reindeer skin and made without hoods. The red pants and parkasof the men are fashioned from heavy reindeer skins with the hair worn inside, the outside being dyed brick red wih a pigment made from red burned clay mixed with seal oil and a little water. One man shows a tobacco pouch worn on a leather belt, while one of the boys carries a knife sheath. The parkas of the other two boys are held together to keep out the cold and draught from belowby leather thongs to the ends of which are fastened colored beads. The woman shows an armlet and a bracelet as well as a rawhide necklace to which various charms are fastened. The men wear ear pendants and one wears a pendant around the neck. The haircuts, leaving only the lower fringe, is typically Siberian and is used by the older men of St Lawrence Island this day. Practically all the people now occupying the Island originally came from Siberia. However, some of their habits have become so modified that one may easily see the difference between the Islanders and their kinsmen. This is largely due to contact with whites such as teachers and missionaries on the Island. This series of sketches was made by Florence Nupok, a full blooded St Lawrence Island married Eskimo woman, aged about 19, during the winter of 1927-8 at her camp at N. East Cape. I purchased the sketches because they were drawn from life and because they show so nicely the usual every day life of the St Lawrence Island Eskimo. The sketches are worth the money expended for them and I doubt that an other set is in existence made by a native on the spot as these were. It is almost impossible for a white person to do any sketching in the houses or homes of these natives as they will not stand for it under any condition, unless one is fortunate enough to be taken into their tribe. I shall of course try to obtain photographs where ever possible. I shall ask Nupok again to continue this work for me, and I think she will. I trust that the idea meets with your approval. In a few years all St Lawrence Island Eskimos will live in frame houses -- five were built last year -- four this year (1928) and the old customs will go the long trail and be forgotten. Modern kitchen ranges, stoves, coal oil heaters, and so on are replacing the famous and serviceable seal oil lamps, enamel pans, dishes, the old driftwood bowls and platters; aluminum tea kettles are replacing the good old Russian "Samovars", etc. Clothing is about the only thing that they cling to and for a very good reason, which is that the white man's clothing is not yet good enough to keep out the terrible winter's cold and for that reason, I too, adopt the native clothes, the only kind which is good enough to keep one warm. I shall list the sketches by numbers and will give the remarks...