and other outside influences. While Alaskan religious masks were typically elaborate, those of the Canadian Inuit were comparatively simple. Gender expression Inuit clothing was traditionally tailored in distinct styles for men and women, generally for functionality, but sometimes for symbolic reasons as well. For example, the shape of the , the frontal apron-flap of the woman's parka, was a symbolic reference to childbirth. However, there is evidence from oral tradition and archaeological findings that biological sex and gendered clothing was not always aligned. Some clothing worn by male , particularly among the Copper Inuit, included design elements generally reserved for women, such as , symbolically bringing male and female together. In some cases, the gender identity of the shaman could be fluid or non-binary, which was reflected in their clothing through the use of both male and female design elements. In some areas of the Canadian Arctic, such as Igloolik and Nunavik, there was historically a kind of gender identity known as ("one who had changed its sex"). People who were born were believed to have changed their physical sex at the moment of birth. Female-bodied were socially regarded as male, would perform a male's tasks, and would wear clothing tailored for such tasks. The gender of a child's clothing might be altered temporarily for other spiritual reasons. In some places, if one son in a family died, a surviving son might be dressed as a girl to disguise him from evil spirits. Identity and community Today, the production and use of traditional skin clothing is increasingly important as a visual signifier of a distinct Inuit identity. Engaging in traditional cultural practices, including sewing of clothes, is strongly correlated with happiness and well-being among Inuit families and communities. Wearing skin clothing can communicate one's cultural affiliation, to Inuit culture in general or to a specific group. Decorated in particular are regarded as an important symbol of Inuit identity and a uniquely female art. The is also considered symbolic of Inuit women and mothers in particular. Sewing of clothing is intimately connected with motherhood in Inuit culture, a motif that has been explored in Inuit art. Issenman describes the continued use of traditional fur clothing as not simply a matter of practicality, but "a visual symbol of one's origin as a member of a dynamic and prestigious society whose roots extend into antiquity." History The history of Inuit clothing extends far