Shoes Item Number: 913/1 a-b from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

Ankle-length off-white and brown reindeer fur shoes have narrow, pointed, turned-up toes. Top edges trimmed with a 6.8 cm band of red and green wool fabric, which is appliqued with multi-coloured emboidered ribbon and rickrack. Front opening bound with leather, punched, laced with twisted red, blue and yellow wool yarn. Laces trimmed with red, blue and yellow tassels.

History Of Use

Shoes are made by women. They are worn without stockings or any inner covering for the foot. Dried grass (Carex Vesicaria), which is gathered and prepared for the purpose, is put inside the boot to cover the whole foot, in order to provide insulation and to keep the feet dry. An extra coil of grass is carried to replace the grass if it becomes damp.