The specific conditions in which hunting and fishing took place were of great importance for the life of the Nanai people, an indigenous people of the Russian Far East. They left a significant imprint on the character of the costume. Throughout the centuries-old Nanai history, a special type of clothing was developed that retained heat, did not restrict movement and was resistant to humidity.

A robe made of fish skin or well-tanned elk skin is open at the front, right-handed, with a diagonal-cut wrap hem, which was fastened on the side with three buttons. During the pursuit of the prey, a short jacket made of Manchurian wapiti’s hide was worn instead of a robe.

The hunter wore an apron with a rounded bottom side over his clothes. One of the important elements was a combined headdress. First, earmuffs called “siaptun” were put on, then a garmasu hunting cape (also called “garmaso” or “balya”), the ends of which fell on the shoulders and back, covering the neck from snow, in summer they could protect against mosquitoes and midges. A special small korochi cap (also called “korofchi”, “kolopzo”, “porogdan”) was put on top, which was made of the skin from the elk’s forehead, the skin of a dog, and the paws of a roe deer. The cap was decorated with a squirrel, sable or Siberian weasel tail.

The hunter’s costume as a special set of clothes was formed in ancient times and underwent changes throughout the history of the Nanai people. It contributed to the convenience of movement, was quick to dry, and retained heat for a long time.

During the years of Soviet power, there have been changes in the clothes of the Nanai hunter. Purchased factory products have completely become dominant: cotton wool-padded jackets (“vatniks”), felt boots (“valenki”). The combined headdress was replaced by a winter fur hat with earflaps (“ushanka”). But along with this, hunters used national shoes, mittens, knee pads, fur sweater vests, and a head cape.

A hunting cape for the head and shoulders (“garmasu”) from the museum’s collection was made in the first half of the 20th century from white cotton fabric. It was given a trapezoidal shape, the front edge was trimmed with a black cloth. The lower edge of the handiwork was hemmed with wide stripes of black, red and dark blue colors, as well as narrow yellow and red edging. On the wide stripes, floral motifs are embroidered. Embroidery was also placed on the back of the cape — a floral ornament on a dark blue background.