Athabascan Clothing

I went to the Anchorage Museum of History and Fine Art. I learned about the Athabascan people and how they make their clothing They use mostly moose hide or caribou hide. First they take all the hair off and make it very soft and pretty by tanning it. That's what my Grandma does.Then they sew it into long dresses or tunics and moccasins. They use rabbit fur for baby clothes or socks and trim on mitts and parkas. They sew beautiful designs on their clothes with beads and porcupine quills.

On display at the Anchorage Museum of History and Fine Art

At the museum I tried on Athabascan clothes and it made me feel like a little Athabascan girl. My Grandma is Athabascan so I have just a touch of Athabascan too. I put on a dress made from moos hide and trimed with bead work. The edges were cut in a fringe. I got to put on Athabascan moccasins with beautiful bead work on the top and take a picture of beautiful mitts.

My favorite thing was when I put on the baby belt with the baby doll. The baby belt goes around your back and over your shoulders. There are handles to hold it tight around you. You carry the baby on your back with it. Baby belts are made out of moos hide or caribou hide. They are decorated with feathers and tassels. They have hundreds of tiny pink, blue and yellow beads sewn into beautiful designs. It was fun dressing up like an Athabascan girl.