The Decorated Moccasin

In 1987, The Bata Shoe Museum Foundation, in conjunction with the Canadian Native Arts Foundation, held a competition called The Decorated Moccasin. The project encouraged entries from across North America that represented the traditional footwear styles and techniques of the tribe, band or nation of the craftsperson. The submissions were judged by their adherence to traditional styles and decorative treatments, use of traditional materials such as hand-tanned hides, sinew, rawhide and natural dyes, mastery of traditional techniques, overall craftsmanship and visual impact. The quality of the nearly two hundred entries made it clear that the traditions of the past are still thriving today.