UNITED STATES — National Native American Heritage Month is celebrated each year in November and on this particular week, from Nov. 10 to 16, a worldwide event called “Rock your Mocs” encourages Indigenous people to wear moccasins wherever they go to celebrate their unity and Tribal individuality.
Nonprofit Rock Your Mocs encourages individuals, organizations, businesses, schools, museums and tribes to initiate their own local events.
“We honor our ancestors, and Indigenous peoples worldwide, during Rock Your Mocs events and commemorate National Native American Heritage Month,” Rock Your Mocs’ website says.
During Rock Your Mocs week, Native people share via social media a photo or video of themselves wearing moccasins for the world to see and enjoy.
The National Park Service brings attention to Rock Your Mocs every year and encourages Indigenous park visitors and employees to participate.
“Rock Your Mocs is an opportunity for Native peoples across the country to express solidarity and embrace their identities by wearing traditional footwear, ” NPS wrote in a Facebook post. “As Indigenous peoples across the world celebrate by sharing traditional regalia during Rock Your Mocs week, the National Park Service invites Indigenous employees, volunteers and visitors to #RockYourMocs in parks and share posts on social media using the hashtag #RockYourMocsInParks.”
Rock Your Mocs week began in New Mexico in 2011, as a single-day event to coincide with Native American Heritage Month. Its founder, Jaylyn Atsye, created the event as an opportunity for Native peoples across the country to express solidarity and embrace their identities by wearing traditional footwear.
To see people rocking their moccasins all over the world, use hashtags #RockYourMocs, #IndigenousHeritageMonth and #NativeAmericanHeritageMonth on social media.
