These are two very finely made square-toed snowshoes. Red Stroud cloth was used under the edge of the webbing along the sides of the snowshoes. Red and black tufts of yarn decorate the edges. The webbing is painted red in the two end sections and black in the center.

These wooden snow shoes are constructed with upturned, pointed tips. They are decorated with both red paint as well as red Stroud cloth which has been added as small red squares along the edges and covering the edges of the center sections. The red cloth is also wrapped around the curved wooden members that make up the external structure of the snow shoe. At the center of each shoe's right and left side, hide thong is wrapped over the red cloth section to secure it.

The blue color of these high top shoes indicates they may have been worn by Kachina Dancers. The red fringe was colored by dye made from alder bark or rubbed iron oxide. Calcium carbonate might have created the blue color. A band of porcupine quills covers the heels.

Source of the information below: Inuvialuit Pitqusiit Inuuniarutait: Inuvialuit Living History, The MacFarlane Collection website, by the Inuvialuit Cultural Resource Centre (ICRC), Inuvik, N.W.T., Canada (website credits here http://www.inuvialuitlivinghistory.ca/posts/12 ), entry on this artifact http://www.inuvialuitlivinghistory.ca/items/141 , retrieved 1-3-2020: A pair of child's ankle high shoes made from seal hide .... The soles are joined to the foot and ankle sections without an intervening vamp. The sole is loosely pleated around the fore part of the foot. More information here: http://www.inuvialuitlivinghistory.ca/item_types/23: Warm, dry footwear is essential for survival in the Arctic. The MacFarlane Collection includes examples of knee-length boots known as kamaks, and ankle high moccasin-type footwear. These garments have been skillfully made, and often were decorated by piecing together contrasting pieces of skin. The soles are crimped along the front edges to make the shape conform to the foot.

FROM CARD: "ILLUS. IN USNM AR, 1894; PL. 4, FIG. 2; P. 336. [FORMERLY] ON EXHIBIT HALL 9."Source of the information below: Inuvialuit Pitqusiit Inuuniarutait: Inuvialuit Living History, The MacFarlane Collection website, by the Inuvialuit Cultural Resource Centre (ICRC), Inuvik, N.W.T., Canada (website credits here http://www.inuvialuitlivinghistory.ca/posts/12 ), entry on this artifact http://www.inuvialuitlivinghistory.ca/items/51 , retrieved 12-30-2019: A pair of men's ankle high shoes. The soles are made from seal hides, and are finely pleated around the fore part of the foot and at the back of the heel. They are joined to the ankle section by a pointed vamp made of strips of dark and light seal hide. Around the top of the ankle on each shoe is a casement holding a drawstring.