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This article sheds light on previously overlooked perceptions of Latvian traditional footwear and demonstrates how both the material of the footwear and the way of obtaining it determined whether shoes were considered sacred and pure or sinful and unlucky. An analysis of folklore texts and the results of a contemporary survey show that wooden shoes made of bast were looked upon as sacred and pure, as opposed to leather which was considered impure. Bast shoes are the cheapest to make, yet historical records from central Latvia show that they were worn for weddings. Peasants did this to ensure success for the couple, suggesting that the choice of footwear was determined by some mythological meaning and not only by practical or financial considerations. Though some new developments can be observed, many modern Latvians tend to sympathize with the perceptions documented a century ago. This allows for estimates of the significance of these perceptions in previous centuries.

In this text I will suggest new ways of studying and using the Polish Ethnographic Atlas archives. The archives contain the largest collection of Polish ethnographic field records. The records, made at the time of research, provide new opportunities for contemporary interpretation. Drawing inspiration from the theories of social memory, and micro-history, the collections can bring a great deal of new and interesting information. They allow looking at the processes taking place in the rural culture from a different perspective, and they also enable the perception of its dynamics and complexity. It is possible to identify the causes of their appearance, duration and abandonment. This analysis will focus on the functioning of two artefacts: maciejówka caps and wooden shoes. Narratives about various meanings added to everyday objects, in a broader perspective indicate different ways of remembering the past. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]