Traditional Clothing

Before contact with the Europeans practically all articles of the Secwepemc people's clothing were made of hides, dressed with or without hair. When hides were scarce the people used different kinds of plants, woven or braided, to make clothing. Clothing manufacture was a year-round activity for the Secwepemc, but carried out much more in the winter when less time was spent securing food.

The men wore leggings, breechcloths, shirts or jumpers. Shirts were decorated with feathers, dyed hair tassels, buckskin fringes, horsehair and porcupine quills. The rest of the clothing was worn plain. Sometimes robes were dyed with natural colours.

Women also wore shirts and leggings as well as skirts and dresses. Women's buckskin dresses were decorated with porcupine quills, bone beads, shells and elk teeth.

All the Secwepemc wore fur coats, capes, caps, mittens, socks, and leggings for added warmth in winter.

Footwear was made from the hide of deer, elk, caribou, and moose. Moccasins were usually plain but occasionally embroidered with dyed quills and horsehair. Woven sagebrush or rushes and sturgeon skin were sometimes used to make shoes and sandals.

The Secwepemc also wore headbands and headgear. Those worn by warriors, shamans, and chiefs were decorated with feathers, shells and ermine pelts. Other accessories included earrings, necklaces, breastplates and nose ornaments. Worn by men and women, these were made of dentalium shells, bone beads, wampum beads, copper, animal teeth, claws, porcupine quills, feathers and seeds.

 

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