Shoes Item Number: 1128/5 a-b from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

Ankle-high reindeer fur shoes (part a-b) with up-turned toes and multicoloured ties. The shoes and soles are made of brown fur with red woolen trim around the toe and sides. Around each foot opening is a brown skin casing with a black, red and white braided tie. On the ends of the ties are large black, red and white tassels.

History Of Use

Shoes are worn without stockings or any inner covering for the foot. Dried grass (carex vesicaria), which is harvested and prepared for the purpose, is put inside, 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. Shoes are normally made by women.