Archival Replica of the Defender's of Manitoba wooden clogs.

TPU Plastic. Made in the USA.

Allow 2-3 weeks for production before shipping.

Replica of the ornamental wooden battle shoes worn by the Assiniboia old masters of Manitoba. Regarded in popular imaginations as the ‘Austria-Hungary of the New World’, the civic culture of Manitoba stood radically apart from the Rest of Canada from federation in 1870 until 1916. Ruled by the old trading aristocracy of Rupert’s Land since the 17th century, the early colonies in what would become Manitoba were populated by a unique admixture of retired company adventurers, Swiss Protestants, Orkney settlers and Métis.

Threatened by Canadian Club Orangemen from the east and American annexation from the south, the jewel of Rupert’s Land negotiated entry into Canadian confederation in 1870, on the condition of robust language provisions that would shelter the distinct heterogeneous culture of the region. These protections allowed for a multilingual bureaucracy and native language instruction in schools, serving as a beacon for Europe’s dispossessed. The immediate years following confederation saw a flood of immigrant Mennonites, Hutterites, Finns, Ukrainians and Icelanders, as well as French and Anglo Canadians, seeking their fortune in the multi-ethnic former kingdom.

When, in 1885, the fledgling province was threatened by messianic American agent Louis Riel, the aristocrats of the Red River mounted a defense. Unable to immediately rely on conventional Canadian soldiers owing to the failure to develop the Canadian Pacific Railway, the Manitoban Militia raised units of defenders for a series of battles that would mark the final conflict fought by the veterans of Rupert’s Legion. These clogs, while ceremonial in nature, were de rigueur for the elites of Manitoba.

Crafted by pacifist Mennonite shoe-men they depict the Thunderbird, adopted symbol of Prince Rupert, are adorned with a triple maple leaf representing English, French and Low German civilizational influences and are studded with beaver teeth, a Métis influence and common component of indigenous knife craft in areas where metal trade goods were scarce. Seemingly designed to slice an opponent with a short kick, it’s unclear if these shoes were ever worn into battle, but they took a place of pride for the ruling war council of Manitoba consisting of Métis, retired company men, Orangemen and Forest Swiss [Suisses des bois] that defended confederation from the annexation plots of America and its agent, the perfidious Riel.

LMX Unlimited has recreated these shoes in soft plastic, drawing this forgotten artifact into contemporary focus.