The National Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen boasts an impressive collection of animal-skin garments once worn by the indigenous people of Greenland, North America, North Scandinavia, and Siberia. Among the expected array of furry boots, mittens, capes, and leggings designed for these frigid climates, there is a particular garment that stands out for its uniqueness and historical significance: a 19th-century beaded seal-fur thong.
This intriguing piece of underwear, known as a “naatsit,” was crafted by the indigenous people of East Greenland. It is made by sewing strips of seal pelt together using thread made from reindeer or whale sinew. The naatsit is adorned with glass beads tied onto seal-skin fringe and was specifically made for women to wear under seal-skin trousers. The item was acquired by Explorer Captain C. Ryder during his 1892 expedition to the southeast Greenland settlement of Ammassalik.
Peter Toft, the National Museum of Denmark’s expert on Greenlandic fur clothing, explains that this beaded, furry thong was intended to be worn not just in intimate settings but also in polite company. Inside the warm homes of the Greenlandic Inuit, a naatsit “was the only thing worn even when having guests or visiting the houses of other families,” Toft notes. This practice greatly shocked the Danish missionaries of the 18th and 19th centuries, who tried, unsuccessfully, to persuade the Inuit to adopt European linen underwear for indoor wear.
Regarding the choice of material, Toft highlights that seal skin was preferred over reindeer, fox, bear, or dog pelts due to its durability and lower insulation. “Sweat building up inside your garment is just as dangerous as being underdressed for the cold,” he explains. “Your perspiration will eventually freeze.” Therefore, seal skin thongs were less likely to cause the dangerous accumulation of frozen sweat between the buttocks.
This 19th-century beaded seal-fur thong offers a fascinating insight into the practical yet culturally rich traditions of the Greenlandic Inuit, showcasing their ingenuity in adapting to their harsh environment while maintaining unique aspects of their heritage.
