The ancestor is a beautifully embroidered moccasin made during the 1800s-1820s, likely of black dyed and smoked hide, moosehair and thread. The ancestor moccasin has a prominent two-toned floral motif on the ‘upper’ or vamp surrounded by a pattern of circular whorls. The vamp is sewn to the bottom part with an invisible seam, which is unlike the puckers that are more characteristic of Wendat moccasins. A finely threaded pattern of semi-circles is embroidered around each whorl forming a border along the edge of the moccasin. The ancestor has a low shaft which likely covers the ankle of the wearer, is adorned with a rich pattern composed of three types of motifs arranged in consecutive rows. Starting at the ankle, the first row is made up of a composite of  finely threaded rows sown together in semi-circular pattern which goes around the ankle. This is followed by a row of three motifs arranged side by side, each a three petalled flower in a unique colour and slightly varied in size. The last row is the pattern of circular motifs similar to the one around the vamp, only inverted. Along the edge of this row are what appear to be tufts of moosehair or short bits of thread sewn together into small bunches and pointed towards the bottom. The moccasin currently resides in the Canadian Museum of History.

Museum documentation