We were asked to Aztec dance at the 2012 International Indigenous
Leadership Gathering in British Colombia.
In response and in preparation, I made my first pair of moccasins. With very rough and limited guidance from a
fellow runner, I cut out the pieces I needed from the leather gifted to me by
our host. I slowly sewed the pieces
together- pushing and pulling the needle through the thick leather. And
eventually, the leather took shape. By
the end of the day, I had a very simple pair of moccasins to protect my feet
the following day.
Since then, I visited a woman from the Lil’Wat First Nation
in Mt. Curry who happened to be a moccasin maker. In the light of a candle during a power outage,
she taught me how to touch up a pair of moccasins. She gave me pieces of rabbit to cut and sew
around the ankle portion and beads to hold the tie strings together. Along with patterns and ideas for other
styles of moccasins, Jackie taught me how to make medicine pouches. She is a fantastic woman and I thank her for
helping me make my first pair of moccasins.
Now I need to learn how to bead!
