To Please the Caribou: Painted Caribou-Skin Coats Worn by the Naskapi, Montagnais, and Cree Hunters of the Quebec-Labrador Peninsula

Janet Arnett is the former campus manager of adult education at Ontario’s Georgian College. She is the author of Antiques and Collectibles: Starting Small, The Grange at Knock, and 673 Ways to Save Money.

Caribou-skin coats, elaborately painted with tools carved from caribou
bone and antler, were thought by the Innu to be essential for success in
the hunt. They believed that if the hunter wore appropriate symbols on
his coat, the caribou would not object to being killed; the presence of
the right designs on the hunter’s coat would free the caribou’s
spirits to return to the magic mountain from which all caribou
originate. From approximately 1700 to 1900, caribou-skin coats were
considered part clothing and part talisman, a mystical link between
hunter and hunted. It is believed that each hunter dreamed which designs
would please the caribou and make them agree to be killed; he conveyed
his dream to his wife, who then interpreted it in designs for his coat.

Burnham has produced an in-depth exploration of this rare and
intriguing art form in a book that presents 60 of the 150 coats known to
exist today, including the oldest and most unusual samples. A section of
color plates gives an impression of the intricate patterns, colors, and
fine handwork of the coats, but the real evidence of Burnham’s depth
of research is in the “catalogue” section. As well as a
black-and-white photo, and as much history as is available for each
garment, she provides drawings of the cutting patterns and the
decorative motifs, including the mandatory “magic mountain” shape.
Researching the coats led Burnham to museums throughout Europe, where
she explored the question of European influence on the coats. In the
brief text, she presents the cultural context and mechanics of the art
in a very readable style, making her ethnographical research accessible
to anyone with an interest in the rich artistic traditions of Canada’s
Native peoples.