Date: Fri, 3 Mar 1995 08:10:04 -0800 (PST)
From: George Dyson <gdyson@janice.cc.wwu.edu>
To: Guillemot@aol.com
Subject: Re: Traditional Kayak Designs
In-Reply-To: <950302181930_37399547@aol.com>
Message-Id: <Pine.ULT.3.91.950303074702.3598A-100000@janice.cc.wwu.edu>
One very brief and insufficient comment:
Many visible kayak features were the counterpart of what in today's
military (aviation) parlance is called "IFF" or identification friend or
foe. These are non-functional distinctions (used to be visual and are now
electronic). Kayak warfare often took place in poor lighting and
substandard weather, and, also as you note there was a value placed on
distinction for distinction's sake (and appearance).
And I suppose the other obligatory comment: "Eskimos" do not like being
referred to as "Eskimos", and Aleuts (and their kayak-building relatives)
never were Eskimos by any means (the Prince William Sound Chugach took
Birket-Smith's labeling of them as "The Chugach Eskimo" to have been some
kind of curse.) Better, if making a general reference, to simply say
"kayak builders" or else make the distinction a geographic one, or a
specific cultural group. I mention this not to promote political
correctness, but accuracy.
With that aside, I agree with your middle-ground "motor-head" approach.
George B. Dyson Fairhaven College / MS 9118
gdyson@henson.cc.wwu.edu Western Washington University
(360) 734-9226 Bellingham, WA 98225-9118