A Brief History of Moccasins
The moccasin does what any good shoe should - and more!
The moccasin has integrated into popular fashion more than any other item of Indigenous American clothing. From sherpa lined slippers to traditional powwow regalia, “mocs” have truly become a favorite outside of the Indigenous community, and within. But who do we have to thank for this all encompassing shoe? The word “moccasin” comes to us from the language family known as Algonquian. Algonquian languages are spoken across the entire eastern coast of the modern day United States, from the Great Lakes to the Great Plains. This makes each spelling, pronunciation, and as we’ll see, style of moccasin respective and correct. For example, the Powhatan tribe of Virginia use “makasin/mockasin”. It is stated that the Powhatan m-a-k-a-s-i-n is what inspired the m-o-c-c-a-s-i-n, a spelling that is not traditionally used in any Algonquian or otherwise Native American language, but somehow has come to be the common spelling.
An Example…
The moccasin does what any good shoe should-and more. Here is a traditional Cherokee moccasin. Cherokee moccasins are traditionally made with deerskin and sewn with sinew. If you’ll notice the vamp, or front toe of the shoe, the material is sewn in a way so that it puckers. Even things like the sole of the shoe are different from style to style. A moccasin like this would typically have a single layer of deer skin-the same thing made from the rest of the shoe- as it’s sole. The forest floors are already covered with leaves and pine needles, so the Cherokee and many other eastern tribes do not have to worry about a thicker sole. All of these factors are what make the Cherokee moccasin special, but also distinguishable…
The Vamp & Sole
Each moccasin was so unique, that people were distinguishable by the style of moccasin they wore. The first noticeable difference across this map is the vamp of the shoe. A moccasin is usually created from a single cutout of animal skin/hide. That cut and the way it is sewn together is what creates the variable vamps. We have already covered the pucker toe/center seam, common across the entirety of the east coast. Not to be confused with the Ojibwe pucker toe/gathered toe, which does not include the center seam, but rather separate pieces for both the top and the bottom of the shoe. You may be familiar with the gathered toe look under the name hogan moccasin, which is the style most synonymous with what most non-Indigenous Americans think of for moccasin.
Puckertoe/Center Seam
Gathered Toe
Pueblo
The pueblo style moccasin’s vamp is quite nonexistent. Instead of the shoe being distinctively sewn together at the toe of the shoe, the pueblo style has a flap, fastened together by a clasp.
Lakota
With northwestern tribes, like the Lakota, flaps fall around the ankle, sometimes accompanied with a sort of tasseling at the front of the foot. The sole of a moccasin acts as a spectrum, with the further east you go, the thinner the sole. Western tribes had to navigate through desert cacti and rocks, not as soft a terrain as the eastern tribes, and used rawhide for a thicker sole. In the east, a moccasin’s sole would not be rawhide, but the same hide the rest of the shoe was made of. The thinner sole was not a problem on those padded forest floors. The single-layer soles of the eastern tribes also allowed for the option to sow the sole inside the moccasin.
Beadwork, Ankles & Tassels
Adding beadwork to a moccasin doesn’t add any efficiency to the shoe, but it serves other purposes. Substituting the full versatility that the moccasin provides for something as delicate as beadwork said a lot about a person's status. In ceremonies and powwows, having beadwork moccasins can be part of your regalia. Specific patterns and motifs are handed down through generations, and are taught and worn with pride. Natives have always been great at creating intersections of art and practicality, and adding beadwork to moccasins is one of the ultimate staples of this principle. Certain styles also required a higher top, something to cover the ankles in those scratchy desert bushes. The southwestern Navajo(Diné) tribe feature wraps that go up the women’s legs. Comanche (Numinu) moccasins can also tend to go higher up the leg, but unlike the Navajo, there is no wrap. The moccasin is just elongated up to the knee, and sewn at the ankle. Some people theorize tassels were added to the heels of a moccasin to cover the wearer's tracks. Today tassels are decorative, usually cut into those ankle flaps, and no longer being dragged behind at the heel, unless for traditional purposes.
Moccasins Today
A lot of Native American fashion and items became popular in the 60s. The hippie movement adopted friendship bracelets, dreamcatchers, headbands, deerskin jackets, and of course, the moccasin. Today, a moccasin is anything from a slipper to a dress shoe, usually in the Ojibwe pucker toe style. This style is also known under the name “hogan style”. A hogan is a traditional Navajo home, but the style is not utilized by the Navajo, or any neighboring tribes to the Navajo.
Surprisingly little backlash is dealt when a non indigenous person wears a pair of moccasins, but there are a few scandals to note. In summer 2020, the CEO of “Minnetonka” David Miller acknowledged the lack of indigenous representation within its company-which sells moccasins. In his apology, he states: "We recognize that our original products… have been appropriated from Native American culture” and "We deeply and meaningfully apologize for having benefited from selling Native-inspired designs without directly honoring Native culture or communities.", promising to support indigenous businesses in the future. It would seem the problem lies with the authenticity of the moccasin.
If you are looking into buying a pair of mocs, feel free to do so from your local trade post or find an indigenous seller on sites like Etsy! And explore further into all the wonderful styles to choose from.