RACCOON | SHORELINE WANDERER [t-shirt]

While North American indigenous peoples have had oral myths since time immemorial about their ring-tailed furbearer, the first person to write a description of a raccoon was Columbus, who upon arriving in the Caribbean saw this New World creature living as a pet alongside dogs with the native inhabitants [both being a food source]. Totally unknown to Europeans, he mistook them for some sort of “clown-like dog.” Later European naturalists of the 16th-&-17th-century struggled to figure out what exactly they were, perhaps dogs, rats, badgers or bears.

The first person to write down the Algonquian word that became “raccoon” was Captain John Smith in his 1608 Jamestowne journal that birthed the Pocahontas legend. Upon his initial meeting with her father, the mighty Chief Powhatan, Smith stated, “Arriving at Werowocomoco their Emperor, proudly lying upon a bedstead a foot high upon ten or twelve mats, richly hung with many chains of great pearls about his neck, and covered with a great covering of Rahaughcums…” Some say Chief Powhatan was dressed in a grand raccoon robe, while others that his chieftain’s platform was bedecked in their pelts.

May your backyard raccoon take on a renewed sense of wonder.

◊ Oversized graphic

◊ Mens sizes/regular fit

◊ Printed on high quality AsColour Classic T; Heavy weight, 100% combed cotton

◊ Preshrunk to minimise shrinkage

◊ Storm [Gray]

◊ For best preservation of inks: wash inside out on cold