February 25, 2006
Beautiful slippers from Western Alaska
I received an interesting e-mail from my friend, Naomi Klouda, editor of the Tundra Drums in Bethel, Alaska.
She had some months ago sent me an ulu, a Yup'ik Eskimo cutting knife, that I use constantly for chopping food. Her latest e-mail was to bring a bit more of Alaska into my world here in Baltimore.
You can click on the picture of Naomi at right to read a pdf of her article in the Tundra Drums, dated Feb. 2, about her boots, handmade by Helen Nelson, 89, of Napakiak. She raves about how the boots are art museum perfect, as well as warm, and created not from a chart of foot sizes, but from a sketch of her own foot.
In her latest e-mail, Naomi asked me to send her an outline of my feet, because she wanted to send me a locally made present.
One requirement was that someone other than myself do the sketch (apparently it's difficult to accurately sketch your feet yourself).
My husband Lamont carefully outlined my bare feet on two blank sheets of paper. I added an inches scale to the paper to ensure accuracy as it took its 4,000 mile electronic journey. Then I scanned the sheet, distilled it into a PDF document, and e-mailed it to Naomi.
Here is a small version of the outline of my right foot.
So by these electronic means, we ended up with the most traditional of slippers.
Within about two weeks, I had in my hands handmade, custom-fitted slippers made by Pansey Lupie of Tuntituliak, a Native village of 370 in the flat, windswept Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. They arrived quite quickly by Priority Mail.
Naomi told me that Pansey, shown below with the tops of my very own slippers in her hand, comes into Bethel frequently, seeking sewing work. As for my slippers, they "are made of seal and rimmed in beaver," Naomi e-mailed me. Pansey "dyed a front portion, turned inside out, from seal. It's all hand-sewn."
It was wonderful to slip these on and feel them fit completely accurately. They are very soft and almost weightless, and drew impressed remarks from postal workers Joanne and Calandra when I retrieved them at my Post Office box. Also, the slippers grip our wood stairs, which can be killer slippery. Almost lliterally so -- I went airborne, with our poor cat Casey in my arms, going down the steps in new soccer socks, right after they were polyurethaned. That will no longer be a problem with these sealskin soles.
Top, Pansey Lupie shown in Bethel, Alaska, with just the tops showing of the slippers she custom made for me. Below, the slippers in action, on my feet in my office here in Baltimore.
One final note, these slippers need to be kept away from your dogs or cats. I was warned by Naomi that her dog was attracted to the natural fur of these slippers and she had to keep them up on a dresser. In our case, our young kitten, Olivia, rather than the dogs, drags them off the shoe shelf by the front door, into the dining room, to play with them. They now reside in a cubby where she can't quite reach them.
Anyone interested in ordering a pair of handsewn slippers from Pansey can write to her, perhaps enclosing an outline of EACH foot. You will have to ask her about prices. She doesn't speak English, but has access to interpreters. Address:
Pansey Lupie
P.O. Box 8102
Tuntituliak, Ak 99680
With my grandmother having been a seamstress, I have a good deal of respect and awe for the craft of making fine, custom clothing. I agree with Naomi, who wrote of her boots,
there's an element of whole-body comfort in these piluguug [women's boots] ... as if a massage is going on down there in my feet as I write this. The tradition and scientific knowlege for making Yup'ik clothing and tools exists still, and may it go on forever.
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