Moccasin is a soft leather shoe worn by Native American tribes, often decorated with beads, shells, or other embellishments. Regional variations include hard soles, decorative tongues, and trailing tails. The tread pattern can indicate the wearer’s tribe, and designs can include floral patterns, geometric shapes, and spiritual symbols. Modern moccasin producers offer traditional and inspired designs.
The word moccasin was first introduced into English in 1612, from an Algonquian language of Virginia, probably Powhatan (makasin ‘shoe’), although similar words exist in Narragansett (mokussin), Micmac (m’kusun) and Ojibwa (makasin) . . . . .
The term is used in a general sense to refer to any piece of footwear made of soft leather (most often deerskin). The shoes are often incredibly flexible and soft, allowing hunters to walk in virtually silence. Being made of leather, they also absorb liquid easily and provide good traction.
Specifically, the term is used to denote leather footwear worn by many native North American tribes. Many moccasins are decorated with beads, shells, or other embellishments, depending on the tribe and the particular use.
In the western plains and desert, moccasins often had hard soles to protect their wearers’ feet from sharp rocks and cacti. Apache loafers include an upturned toe to prevent thorns or thin rocks from entering the seam and stabbing the foot.
Other regional variations include decorative tongues among many southwestern tribes, pieces of leather that dangle from the heel to eliminate footprints, and small tails that trail behind the moccasin.
The actual pattern used for the moccasin is so distinctive that you can often tell a wearer’s tribe simply by examining the shape of the tread: Iroquois moccasins are wide at bottom, whereas most Eastern Woodland tribes are very thin; The Great Lakes tribes often use rabbit-nosed fingers, while on the plains the fingers are much flatter.
Finally, the decoration of moccasins differs greatly depending on the purpose and the tribe. Many hunting moccasins are unadorned and consist solely of a single piece of leather wrapped around the foot. Marriage moccasins among most tribes, on the other hand, are fully molded on top. Many tribes of the plains prepared special moccasins for the journey to the afterlife, and these moccasins are decorated with beads not only on the top and sides, but also on the soles.
Patterns can include floral patterns, geometric shapes, religious and spiritual symbols, and zoomorphic designs. Occasionally other materials, such as velvet, are added to the moccasin cuffs to lend particular distinction.
Many modern moccasin producers have emerged in the last thirty years, with styles ranging from traditional tribal designs to Native American inspired ‘Celtic’ or ‘Australian’ moccasins.
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