Nomadic Nenets Women’s Sewing Skills: The Ethno-Pedagogical Process of Transferring Traditional Skills and Knowledge by Nenets Women through the Generations as Part of Their Nomadic Culture

Abstract

“Dressed up with needles,” as they say in Nenets, means praising someone for their impeccable appearance, elegance, and beauty. Nenets women sew clothes for their husbands, children, and themselves. They also sew covers for their tents, bags for storing and packing, the covers for baby cradles, and the last clothes worn by the deceased before burial. Dedicated and loving, a Nenets woman works tirelessly to produce warm, functional, comfortable, and beautiful clothes and footwear for her family, relatives, and community. This article is concerned with the traditional knowledge of Nenets women in the field of sewing, and it also addresses the transfer of such knowledge to younger generations. Specifically, the process of manufacturing fur garments, their different types, and main stages of production are analyzed. The analytical approach of this study is structured within an interdisciplinary methodology.