Moccasin Crafting Workshop ~ May 17-18, 2014
The Buffalo is ancient. It’s lineage, of the bovine family bisonids diverged from the common ancestral line with water buffalo and African buffalo about 5 to 10 million years ago. The North American Bison genus is clearly in the fossil record by 2 million years ago. It has served the indigenous peoples of North American ever since the modern American bison—some 5,000 to 10,000 years ago.
Buffalo is guardian medicine. Shelter and sustenance, protector. Buffalo teaches us to trust all our needs will be meet and to be grateful, to have faith in the abundances we already have. Buffalo teaches us to be at peace and allow for the spiritual to support us. White Buffalo Calf Woman brought to the People the sacred pipe, teaching the People to pray. Again teaching a trust in promise that our prayers are being heard and our need will be met.
“The medicine of Buffalo is prayer, gratitude and praise for that which has been received. Buffalo medicine is also knowing that abundance is present when all relations are honored as sacred and when gratitude is expressed to every living part of creation.” (Excerpt from Medicine Cards by Sams and Carson)
I sleep under a Buffalo robe. I journey with her medicine. She is part of most ceremony and ritual in my work. She holds much for me and for others with a willingness that is nearly unparalleled in my experience. Whatever is needed is provided for.
It is my preference to use buffalo hide for the moccasin I sew. The powerful medicine can be felt when the shoes surround your feet. I currently offer two different styles of moccasin and one style of knee high boots. Each pair is custom fit and hand stitched. I am offering a two day workshop for you to sew your own buffalo hide moccasin.
Saturday & Sunday ~ May 17-18, 2014 ~ 9am – 7pm each day Workshop fee is $250 for shoes and $425 for boots Please inquire regarding the additional foot measurements and pre-fitted patterns needed for a proper fit.
If a two day workshop doesn’t fit in your schedule, let me sew your moccasin for you. Again, every pair is custom fit and hand stitched to fit your feet like no other shoe. These moccasin are sumptuous and comfortable, you won’t want to wear anything else. Being the shoe-aholic that I am, I have several pair. My favorite are so comfortably well worn, I am almost (but not quite) embarrassed, I wear them nearly every day – PNW rain or shine!
Buffalo teaches us how to remain grounded, how to work with the natural rhythms and all things happen in right time with right action.
I also sew with Elk hide. Deer hide works well too for the tops of the shoes with a Buffalo hide for a sturdy sole.
Aho Mitakuye Oyasin