Traditionally, the indigenous peoples of the North sewed boots from leather, fur, and rovduga — soft reindeer suede. Wool, cloth, and felt were used as additional materials. The boots usually had soft soles and also served as stockings. Men’s and women’s boots differed in décor and assembly methods.
Nyriki — also known as niry, nyary, and kokut nir — are Khanty summer boots made of reindeer or elk skin. In order to separate the pile from the skin, the skin was soaked in water for a long time, then the pile was scraped off, and the dressing began. Each craftswoman had her own birch bark templates. Soft leather was carefully cut with a sharp knife on a large board — not a single piece was to be wasted. Resourceful homemakers kept small pieces of materials in special bags and made sure to use them in sewing clothes or children’s toys.
Boots were sewn using strong and durable threads made by hand from reindeer back tendons. Well-dried tendons were carefully cut into thin fibers and then twisted into a thread in one direction from one end to the other. The thread was passed between the lips to moisten and fasten. Each thread had a length of up to half a meter. They were not thicker than small factory-woven threads but were characterized by great strength and elasticity.
The top of the nyriki boots is sewn from rovduga suede with one seam. Two straps are sewn at the top, which are used to fasten the boots to the belt so that they do not slip while walking. Under the knee, there can be additional straps made of colored woven threads or grass. A wedge is inserted at the instep, usually one of a contrasting color, for decorative purposes. The sole is made of thick leather, with gatherings at the toe. A thin ribbon is threaded along the sole and tied at the instep to make the boot fit tighter.
From the age of five, boys and girls in the North would usually start wearing different clothes and footwear. However, the design of nyriki boots was the same for boys and girls. Wet clothes and boots were never dried by fire or in the sun — it makes them warp, lose their shape, and become brittle and rough. Northerners dry their leather boots and clothes in the shade.
