Comments on: Nike Develops Sneaker Exclusively For Native Americans, Helps Their Health

By: Jessica

Jessica — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 17:13:37 +0000

Wow, way to set us back a few centuries there, Chrokeekid. People have been targeting racial features for products for ages, but when a company does it for health-beneficial reasons that’s when we get pissed? Nike is hardly making money on this, they’re selling these practically at cost, plus we’re not exactly in the ‘majority’ of their customers…or the country for that matter. I have to applaud Nike for doing this for us. When I first heard about these I was really shocked to learn that someone was cashing in on our racial differences. However, I decided to give them a try. (And 40 dollars really isn’t that expensive when you look at how much shoes are normally.) I have to say, I am pleased with these shoes. I had a hard time finding shoes that fit, but these fit really well. I’m not really one who buys a shoe based on it’s looks, but they didn’t do too horrible with these. I was so afraid I’d get them in the mail and they would have “NATIVE AMERICAN” written in woodsy script all over them or some other nonsense. Nike is targeting a major issue with Native Americans in the only way they know how: making shoes.

By: Jess

Jess — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:58:07 +0000

I think you can contact most Native American Diabetes programs online and request a pair. I live off the reservation as well, so I actually drove back to the rez and ordered some from the Diabetes program we have there. Hope this helps!

By: Chrokeekid

Chrokeekid — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 21:34:06 +0000

I am a Native American of the Cherokee Tribe this is very dissapointing to see that nike is putting our race for SALE!!!!!! Even thought they rep us they are horriable some Tribes such as the Absentee Shawnee’s because they have six toes. Also these seems odd to me because Nike to me is saying buy or shoes because there better than the pecies of shit you get normal! I dont need help from the white’s that already took many things from us and now how we dress? I am Glad to say that i will and will never be buying this product. Also i would like to point out the colors of the shoe they are very tacky pick our earth tones people, these shoes probably wern’t made by our people anyways. “It dose not take many words to speak the truth” Cheif Joseph.
Chesaquah

By: Nichi woman

Nichi woman — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 21:16:54 +0000

Hey this is a real good idea and it’s true my feet are pretty wide and i wanted a shoe that would be useful for running ect staying active my moccasins keep busting holes. It’s perfectly fine to be different pretty darn boring in this world if we where all the same, sharing the love, from a native american gal thanks NIKE

By: Julia castro

Julia castro — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 21:14:36 +0000

Bone anthropologist have noted that native americans have an extra ridge of bone along the out side of their foot. I am a quarter native american and people always comment on my weird shaped feet. I think its wonderful for a company to finally address our unique foot shape that only native americans have. Ever wonder if someone is really native american? Look at thier feet.

By: debi

debi — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 02:48:52 +0000

I have native american background. I am female with larger than average feet. I wear shoes that don’t fit properly. I wear size ten. I need the larger and wider sizes which are very hard to find. I hope these will be offered to the people that do not reside on the reservation. Why are others making it a racial issue? I’m not obese. I have the larger type foot. I’m very glad these will be available. I hope they will be available to me.

By: Raven Deadwood

Raven Deadwood — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 01:10:58 +0000

I am so glad that finally my feet can fit into a sneaker and regardless of what they call it. If the shoe fits wear it. Miigwetch

By: Marc Dumont

Marc Dumont — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 17:22:04 +0000

What tribes are your shoes going to be at. Are any of them going to belcourt ND.

By: Nike Sux

Nike Sux — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 04:39:33 +0000

Why don’t they make a shoe for black people? And then one for white people. And then one for Chinese people?

Racists.

By: lauriann

lauriann — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 19:06:57 +0000

and we are the ones that got all the money all the time u just gotta find the right type of native there are a bunch of rich natives and there are some that are poor but u DP make it sound like all the natives are poor and they aint got no food are some shit are even a home what u need to do is get a life and quit talkn ur shit and move on because it aint like u can change thier mind about maken a shoe just for native americans so why waist ur time talkn shit u just jealous anyways so whatever

By: lauriann

lauriann — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 18:59:41 +0000

well im a native myself and im all good wit any type of show i dont need no certain kind and everyone else i know whos native is all good too so all of yous dont even know whats up so dont say shit if u dont know shit

By: DP

DP — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 19:24:26 +0000

I think its stupid that they design a shoe specifically for native american people and they actually researched their feet. Why didn’t they research their income so they would know that not many Native Americans can afford a pair of shoes at 40 dollars. If Nike really wanted to look good, why didn’t they donate the shoes to Native Americans who need them? I’m sure they could afford to give.

By: DL

DL — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 11:20:31 +0000

Interesting! My family deals with this challenge of extra wide feet. We also have the extra challenge of extra digits. Would be nice if we could try these.
Extraordinary I’d say.

By: The King

The King — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 18:56:24 +0000

I am of Native ancestry and my feet are at least two sizes too wide for regular shoes and I buy shoes that are 1/2 a size to big to compensate. I heard the gentlemen who created these shoes on NPR yesterday and he said that Native people with diabetes is something like 3 times the rate of the rest of the US. His belief was that anything that could help people be more active would help and how can you knock nike for providing the shoes at cost? I just wish I could get a pair without being on a reservation.

By: Michael

Michael — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 06:37:06 +0000

The plural of “anecdote” is not “data”.
Nike claims they’ve got research showing Native Americans have wider/taller feet. That not every Native American doesn’t have ‘large’ feet doesn’t mean that as a population it isn’t true, just that there’s variation like all of humanity has.
Morphic differences themselves are hardly controversial: Other populations have characteristic physical features (long limbs/round faces/a bump on the skull), apparently this extends in some cases to foot size & shape.
I suppose some could take exception to the stereotypical motifs on the shoes. However I’m betting Nike has some reliable marketing data supporting a consumer preference for similar styles in the Native American communities.
Frankly it seems to me that attempting to better serve populations is an admirable thing and recognizes that one-size-fits-all is rarely true. Or, does anyone actually prefer the old Band-Aid “flesh” color?

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 01:55:50 +0000

I honestly do not know what to think about this………exploitation, commercialism or are they really trying to fullfill a need? I know many natives who need a good running shoe or support shoe and all to often can not find one wide enough…….so for some natives this will fullfill that need.

By: Doug Aamoth

Doug Aamoth — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 01:44:40 +0000

Agreed. If anything, this might end up hurting Nike’s image more than it helps.

By: Leslie

Leslie — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 01:03:29 +0000

Some Native Americans think the shoe is racist since Nike claims Native Americans have wider feet then other races. I’m Native American myself and I don’t have any health problems; im not obese, dont have diabetes, and my foot is definitely not 3 sizes larger then the average person. . . . . . . .. I myself would have to agree with other Native Americans who have discussed the issue. I do find the show somewhat racist. Different races inquire different health problems, why just make a show for Native Americans? Every race has obesity. . . . . .

By: Aaron

Aaron — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 00:49:36 +0000

Just accept people as who they are and to let them be.
As you learn about yourself in the process.

By: Whatevah

Whatevah — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 22:25:34 +0000

What’s all the hoopla over Nike’s design for Native Americans? Before designing for that group, they designed for White Americans. I really do wish that White people would stop thinking of other groups as “other.” White people are “others” too.