Women’s Vellies – Tsonga

Our Women's Vellies - Tsonga suede shoes a modernised version of the original South African Veldskoen. Manufactured in sand suede with a tribal pattern design and tan leather trim. Interior of our Women's Vellies - Tsonga shoes, also fully lined with leather and fitted with fiber board insoles. Covered in latex foam and wrapped with leather for your comfort. As a matter of fact, our fiber board innersoles much more breathable and durable. Also lasting up to 10 years, as well as helping to prevent soles from splitting in half. Fitted with 100% genuine eco rubber soles for outstanding quality and good grip. Soles also hand-stitched into the bottom of the shoe. All soles can be replaced and recycled when needed. All NAVA Apparel shoes handmade by local South African craftsmen and women. Without their skills, our quality products wouldn't exist.

Veldskoen or vellies, Southern African walking shoes made from vegetable-tanned leather or soft rawhide uppers. Attached to a leather footbed and rubber sole without tacks or nails. The name comes from Afrikaans vel ("skin"), later assimilated with veld ("field"), and skoene ("shoes"). They were first made in the 17th century by the first Dutch settlers in South Africa. Their design also based on the traditional Khoisan footwear observed by settlers. The footwear was later embedded into the Afrikaaner psyche when velskoene were used as the footwear of the Great Trek.

Artist Inspiration: Tsonga, a Bantu language spoken by the Tsonga people. Mutually intelligible with Tswa and Ronga. As a matter of fact the name “Tsonga” also often used as a cover term for all three, sometimes referred to as Tswa-Ronga. Xitsonga language standardised for both academic and home use. Making it the base language for the Tsonga people. Although like with many other languages, there are various dialects within the Tsonga language group. 

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