Dave Brosha Photograpy   davebrosha.com

To us, the rest of the world ceases to exist as we walk along the river on this crisp, winter morning. She sleeps so peacefully and we enter a mysterious realm that we have created; it is our little secret. I can feel our spirits fuse and dance together. I can feel every breath she takes, so much life and so much love. Oh, how fast her little heart beats. Her head rests against my back; snuggled against me. The warmth of my skin, the smell of my hair, the sound of my heart and the motion of every step I take through the crunchy, cold snow. We stop to just cherish every second that passes us by.  The bond between her and I is strengthened beyond anything in this universe.

 

  

    There is a certain glow and beauty of a woman wearing an Amauti, when you see her you know that there is a happy baby being worn with love.

Minnie

Here at Amauti Baby you can rest assured knowing the amautis here are authentic Inuit made by two beautiful Inuit ladies, me (Susie) and Francine! :-) 

The Amauti is a cool traditional coat and baby carrier all in one used by the Inuit women.  It is put on like a pull over sweater. The winter amauti has a large pointed (fertility peak) wide hood that goes over both child and mommy's head. Not all amautis have a pointed hood, there are big round hoods too. Below the hood is the pouch (amaut) which is a space that the child and mom's back share, can get toasty warm in a winter amauti:)

Amauti styles and designs do vary from region to region. In one community they may prefer pastels, in another bright and rich colors. White or cream though is the traditional color still preferred by most Inuit women. I’m adventurous, I’ll use any colour I think will look nice, even black! I love black especially Charcoal.

The pouch and hood are made from one piece of fabric. The fabric at the base and sides of the large size amaut (pouch) may have pleats or large gathers which help form roomy space for child’s feet and legs. Part of the sleeves of my patterns go over the shoulders and continue in a continuos line from the hood and pouch area. The sleeves are roomy. This design allows air through and makes it easier for mom to take her arms out to turn the amauti around to nurse her baby. Triangular gussets are also inserted in the arms for ease. The braided rope/belt or sash is worn around the body, below the pouch at the back to the front through the loop at the chest and then down to the side where it is tied. This helps secure child in the amaut, controls the size of the pouch, and is used for counter balancing weight so all the weight isn’t going to your neck area.  When the inner and outer shell layers of the amauti aren’t sewn all together, the outer shell of the winter amauti can be worn alone and used as a summer amauti, but this can make the liner ride up and appear to be unsightly, so I prefer to sew them together, then in the summer undo the stitches along the hood. Sleeveless and hoodless summer amautis are made as well.

The amauti is the coolest baby carrier. It is comfy, lightweight, and the child's weight is evenly distributed and keeps you and baby warm. But the best part is the closeness shared between you and your little one. That special bond that develops when amaaq-ing. It is the best feeling a mother (and sometimes father) can have. It is a utility for love and bonding...it’s magical! :)

Amauti Pattern:

Inuit are concerned that their artistic creations and cultural heritage is being misappropriated by non-Inuit. These activities are undermining such small-scale, community-based enterprises like my own. If southern manufacturers start producing Inuit-inspired amautik, they will put me and other Inuit women out of business and Inuit will lose control over one more element of our culture. The kayak, the anorak, and the parka have already gone down this road.

A few years ago Donna Karen from New York City (DKNY) sent a representative to the Canadian Arctic to buy old traditional Inuit clothing. DKNY wanted to use these traditional creations as inspiration for a fall clothing line. No credit or compensation was given to Inuit for our remarkable clothing heritage. Nowadays, Inuit representatives are working hard to protect our cultural heritage. For example, negotiations are taking place at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva, Switzerland about different ways to protect the various creations made by Indigenous people around the world.

It is with these concerns in mind that I must refuse all requests to give away or sell my amauti patterns. The amauti is a particularly important Inuit creation that is receiving a great deal of international attention as Inuit seek ways to protect it. I hope you appreciate my concerns and understand that we Inuit are struggling to retain what is left of our culture and our way of life. Until there are laws that protect Inuit creations I cannot sell what belongs to all Inuit.

Donna Karen didn’t end up using the amauti for her fall inspirations...other aspiring fashion desingers should follow the good example of their peer Donna Karen.

The Amauti is the intellectual property of the inuit people.

Borrowing of our amauti design and patterns are not permitted by non-Inuit. 

Thank you Jennifer Gordon, you were a great mentor to me and I appreciate all the advice you gave me and emails from you :) Ruby thank you for all your amauti expertise. Your a wise women:)... Francine thank you for your friendship.  It would be cool to meet you someday, I think we have a lot in common but you are way more ayungi than me! :)

Amaut- pouch     Amautik - coat with a pouch (amaut) to carry a child in

Amaq - to carry  Amariik- Mother and Child in Amautik,

Arnauti- coat for female, (amauti without pouch)

Inuit (aka Eskimo)-  Indigenous people who inhabit the Arctic and subarctic regions of Canada.There are Inuit in Greenland, Syberia and Alaska but they dont call themselves Inuit. The amautik comes from the Canadian Inuit.

Inuit is plural, Inuk is singular meaning person.

 

Amauti Baby

© 2009

Did You know...

The points at the sides of the ‘akuliq’ amauti (tail style) that stick out at the sides made it easier to fold it up when one had to walk through slushy ice.

                                      

Over the hips where it flares out with the akulik style amauti are small passageway for air.

The amauti hood can be pulled over the mothers head and folded to the side and held in place by the hood rope tucked in through the front loop .

Pointy tip on the amauti hood is the fertility peak.

Have you heard of the Ulu? It is an Inuit women’s knife and played an important part in survival. It is an all purpose tool used for skinning, cutting skin for sewing, and cutting meat:)

Check out my blog for amauti rope braiding instructions.

Welcome to my website. I hope you are having a great summer! And thanks for visiting:) 

Take care and God Bless.

Susie