Show us how you Rock Your Mocs!
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Jessica “Jaylyn” Atsye (Laguna Pueblo) started the worldwide event called Rock Your Mocs by accident. After her traditional ceremonies ended, she found herself wishing she could have an occasion to wear her moccasins everyday. So, she created one.
In 2011, she and a group of friends started an event on Facebook inviting people to wear their moccasins for the day. She was overwhelmed by people’s responses. She said she started getting a lot of people asking her about it and wanting to know how they could participate. Overwhelmed, she hired Melissa Sanchez (Acoma/Laguna Pueblo).
One goal was “letting the younger generation know that it’s OK to be who you are and not be ashamed of your identity,” Atsye told the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in a recent interview.
Thirteen years later, it’s still going strong.
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Shauna White Bear (Arikara Hidatsa) said she will be participating in Rock Your Mocs week.
She started making moccasins six years ago in the back of a Carter’s Boot and Repair Shop in downtown Bozeman, Mont. Now, she has her own business called White Bear Moccasins and employs Native people in her shop.
“You think about it, moccasins were the first shoes to walk in North America,” White Bear said.
“I think… it's kind of a fun reminder to all, like how these shoes have so much history to them, and how the evolution of the moccasin is still pretty… similar to the original.”
She makes moccasins for everyone — Native and non-Native people — and they can be worn anywhere — from the harsh winters of Montana to city streets.
One thing that is consistent in her moccasin making is using bison hide as the main material.
“My focus was on the quality of the leather and how important bison was to Indigenous people [of] North America, and learning how important it was to the land itself,” said White Bear.
Indigenous people from all over are invited to share pictures of themselves “rocking” their moccasins to create an online photo album.
MPR News want to see your moccasins! Here’s how you can participate:
Take a photo, create a video or a story of you or your friends wearing your best mocs and upload it to social media and use the hashtag #RockYourMocs and/or #RockYourMocs2024
Send your photo or video to tell@mpr.org with “Rock Your Mocs” in the subject line. We will need your name and where you’re from, too.
MPR news will highlight your moccasins on Rock Your Mocs day on Nov. 15.