Staying warm and dry in wet weather not only made life more pleasant, but was also often necessary for survival. Men hunting or fishing in kayaks or boats were exposed to frigid waters in freezing temperatures. Indigenous cultures discovered an ingenious way to create waterproof rain gear—using animal intestines! The intestines of bears, seals, walrus, and other large animals were removed, cleaned, filled with air and stretched out on the ice to dry. They could then be cut into strips and sewn with sinew using a special overlapping type of fine stitching to create waterproof seams. Sinew swells when wet, sealing the stitching holes surrounding it to ensure a water-resistant garment.

People also needed to keep their hands and feet dry in wet weather. These mittens were made from fish skin!  What better animal skin to use to survive wet weather? Fish skin requires tremendous skill to cut, dry, smoke, and sew into mittens, boots, and pants. The method used to sew the seams on these mittens forms a waterproof seal.