Guide to making a pair of centre seam moccasins! I get many requests for patterns and questions on making mocassins. Over the years I have observed many things on the PowWow trail. The Old Timers taught me to watch everything carefully. They would say." keep your mouth closed and your eyes open!Then you will learn many facinating things."I will share some of the most facinating things I have witnessed on the trail right here! Thanks to Ebay.
By the way if you have never been to a PowWow plan now to go to one next summer and remember,keep your mouth closed and your eyes wide open! Then you will learn many facinating things about the Indian culture. LOLOL

It is exactly 45 minutes before Grand Entry!Everyone in one camp is running in little circles that people do when they are in a panic. Their top family contest dancer has lost her mocassins,hoods,doors,trunks pop,as all sizes colorfull fully regalia dressed people look everywhere! Ther is a whirl of unproductive activity.
A well wrinkled small framed thin grampa in a faded blue shirt and jeans steps foward and asks the child what is wrong? She tearfully explains that she has lost her mocassins and has to be in the circle for Grand entry to qualify for the contest.Her brothers and sisters gather to form a circle around  the grandpa. He asks for the mother to come foward.She does and he asks her for permission to make a pair of mocassins. there is murming in the crowd.we havn't got time. People shrug,people laugh some express anger.
The old man says," bring me a peice of hide."One quickly appears it is a mans dance apron that he just takes off and hands the old man. The Grandpa stoops down and feels the nice hide and pulls it in one direction and then the other. It is soft and nice,he smells it," ahhhhhh" he says," a peice of smoked brain tanned elk or moose. Nice golden color."
He then says,"bring me some duct tape." He asks the little girl to find a pair of old socks and to put them on. she does and her face is starting to brighten. The old man wraps the duct tape carefully around each foot from toe to about 6 inches up the leg and says. "Old Indian Secret Trick!" Everybody laughs.
When he has each foot carefully wrapped he asks for a sissor,some one comes up with the perfect pair from a auto medicine kit! the kind you use for cutting adhesive tape.He says, "ahhh" as he carefully cuts down from the top of the ankle to just between the big and second toe.He then and removes the duct tape pattern from the litle girls feet. Two silver duct tape mocassins appear almost out of nowhere. He says jokingly, "here wear these into Grand Entry!" She steps back. like he has played a bad joke on her ! LOLOL
Eveybody laughs until he puts the patterns on the braintanned leather and quickly cuts them out while asking people in the crowd that has gathered to get some needle and thread. He starts sewing the seam of one mocassin as people are flocking to the arena. He asks a volunteer to sew the other. They get them stitched up,the little girl slips them on and he folds the ankle leather down twice down into a perfect pair of centre seam brained tanned mocassins. A perfect fit, for a very smiling little girl with dried tears on her face.. He says go, go, quickly, motioning with his hand and arm, to your dancers.
she thanks him, and runs quickly to the Dance Arena. He disappears into the crowd.
I think anyone can follow this Old Man's Teachings and make themselves a nice pair of centre seam mocassins.
You don't need to buy my mocassins or some of this old junk streaming down the right side of this Guide.
Just follow these teachings and make yourself a pair. Guareenteeed!
The Great Mystery has been good to me in my travels.The Indian people have been good to me as well. Thank you,thank you, and a special thanks to the Grampa who shared his wisdom and knowledge at the St Ignace PowWow!

Sincerely,

Woody