Rock Your Mocs Day celebrates Native American culture

Students across the globe participated in “Rock Your Mocs” day to honor Native American heritage and culture on Friday.

According to the Associated Press, 21-year-old Jessica “Jaylyn” Atsye started a social media campaign to encourage people to all wear moccasins for one day a year to celebrate the cultures of Native Americans and other indigenous people.

"When someone asks you, `What do your shoes represent?' or `What's the story behind your moccasins?' there can be endless descriptions," she said. "They show who you are. They're an identifier. They can bring unity."

Atsye added, "Moccasins can be worn and appreciated by anybody. That's what's really cool about it. It's like you're wearing these pieces of art. They're all unique."

In many Native American tribes as well, moccasins were an identifier, as people could tell what tribe someone was from by the design of their shoes, including beadwork, quillwork, painted designs, fur and fringe patterns.

“Rock Your Mocs” day is a day to celebrate that culture, and make sure students and adults are educated about indigenous customs. Another one of Atsye's visions was a day that would allow people to forget about racial profiling. "The only way we're going to be able to succeed is to move forward and forget all of that," she said. "We can't change that. That happened in the past. Let's focus on the things that we can change today."

On the Rock your Mocs Facebook page, Atsye encouraged people to join in the fun and participate by wearing moccasins to school, work or wherever on the 15th.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons