Midwestern Literature

During class, we mentioned how traders had a limited supply of boots and how the Native Americans immediately noticed the footwear of the explorers and settlers.  Being a girl and obsessed with shoes, I became interested in Native American moccasins in a quest to learn about their history.

The word ‘moccasin’ came from an Algonquian word because they were the first tribe encountered by Europeans.  Although this word is accepted by all now, specific tribes would have used their own native word instead.

Native American clothing, including moccasins, varied from tribe to tribe.  However, the concept of the moccasin remained universal – a pair of slipper-like shoes made of tanned leather.  The basic construction of the moccasin remained the same throughout tribes, but the patterns were different.  Native Americans could actually identify members of other tribes based on their moccasin patterns.  For example, some names of large nations like Blackfoot or Chippewa actually referred to the moccasin styles.  These patterns were created with the use of beading, quillwork, and painting.  Moccasins belonging to Plains Native Americans often had undecorated cuffs and would sometimes cover the entire top of the shoe with beadwork.  They would also bury their dead with fully beaded moccasins, including the soles.

When it was mentioned in class that Native Americans would have wanted to own their own pair of boots like the explorers, I decided to explore how the Native Americans would have made their own more durable version of moccasins.  Apparently they could use hardened rawhide on the soles of the shoes to make them more durable.  Also, by adding rabbit fur (or sheep skin like today’s popular Uggs), the Native Americans could add warmth and extra comfort to their moccasins.

Each style of moccasin was designed based on the environment.  The harder-soled moccasins were more common in the western plains and desert areas.  This helped to protect feet from prairie grass and sharp rocks.  Softer-soled moccasins were primarily used for travel through wetlands and forests covered in pine needles.

(Background Information found at: www.marieshoes.com/site/1645168/page/766719)

Educational Websites:

http://www.nativetech.org/clothing/moccasin/moctext.html  -  This website has moccasin pattens depending on the region and style.  There is also a lot of background information on how the shoes were made.

http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/museum/collections/online/pictsrch.cfm?ParentID=735332  – This website has a gallery that shows images of different moccasin styles based on the Native American tribe.  I noticed some of the tribes we discussed are listed on this site, and I found it interesting to see the designs and styles.

http://www.shoeblog.com/blog/back-from-the-fashion-greveyard-fringed-leather-moccasins/  – This website was amusing to me.  Not only the Native Americans like the leather, fringe look of the moccasin, but also current fashion designers do.  This link will take you to a blog with images of modern moccasin style boots and heels.

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 5th, 2009 at 6:48 pm and is filed under Native Americans. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.