Delving Deeper Into Moccasin Traditions
This article will delve deeper into a few of the Native American tribes and their
moccasin traditions, helping to understand the origins and different uses of moccasins.
Some of the methods they used and traditions they had may seem strange and unappealing to us now, but they adapted to the territory and literally learned to live off of the land.
The Northern Paiute Indians resided in the Great Basin area, which includes parts of what are now California, Nevada and Oregon. For those of you unfamiliar with the area, it is made up of primarily desert landscape.
This can help explain the type of moccasin most often worn by this tribe. Seeing as they did live in the desert, there were limited resources available to them when it came to material from which they could make these shoes.
These Indians adapted and began making "hock" moccasins. These are literally made from the leg of a buffalo. They removed the skin from the "hock" or lower leg of the buffalo as an intact piece.
They would then stitch one end up, slip their foot in, and then tie leather straps around their ankle to hold their foot in place. This type of moccasin then would come higher on their legs than most.
Other materials used in the construction of moccasins were, cactus fibers, beaver fur, moose and caribou skin. Seal and bear skin were also used in some tribes, but could only be afforded by the wealthy, while the poor often wore only cedar bark.
One of the primary reasons that moccasins were so useful for the various Indian tribes was because they could creep and sneak around, because of the soundless quality of the shoe. As well as being soundless, they protected their feet from the ground while allowing them to still feel the ground, making hunting easier.
Many tribes such as the Nez Perce Indians spent a lot of time making intricate and many times delicate designs and patterns on their moccasins. Often this was done using dyed porcupine quills to make the beautiful designs.
Feathers were also a popular method of beautification. As the Europeans and other white men started arriving and trading with the Native American tribes, beads, buttons, and other goods became more popular and widely used.
Most native tribes have now abandoned the moccasin for everyday use and have replaced them with the white man's tennis shoe. However, moccasins are still used for special ceremonies and celebrations in most if not all remaining Native American Indian tribes.
It is also interesting to note, that as the moccasin has died in everyday usage among the Native American tribes, it has done the opposite in modern America. Many non-Native American shoe stores now offer moccasins as a stylish, yet comfortable everyday shoe.
They have also changed slightly the materials used to make the modern moccasin. Suede is being used for the sophisticated one. Sheepskin is also making an appearance in the "outdoorsman" category.
Leather however is still the most popular material used in the their construction. This is because as the leather becomes worn, it becomes softer and conforms to your foot, giving the wearer the most comfort possible.
Cow hide, deer and moose skin are still the most popular leathers found in moccasins. It is highly recommended that if leather is your preference, you keep your moccasins conditioned with leather conditioner so that they don't crack or lose their softness over time.
by: Jack Landry
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