Loss of Labrets and Rise of the Gospel: A Photo Essay about the Western Arctic Kukpugmiut, 1888–1924

Labrets, for centuries a ubiquitous feature of male Kukpugmiut facial décor, are seldom mentioned in Western Arctic contact studies. Via early lithographs and photos, this essay reviews their three-tiered typology, visualizes social strata affecting their use, and defines when they were worn. As well, it describes the surgery required for labrets’ first insertion, their role as a credibility-enhancing display (CRED), conduct related to their high cost, and the vectors, including missions, that drove their disappearance.