Male kisY is a traditional winter fur footwear of the Forest NEnets people, it protects its owner even from the most severe frosts when the temperature goes below –50°С. Kisy boots fit the Nenets way of life and climate perfectly, men wear them when driving teams of reindeers, hunting or carrying out any other activity outside in cold air.

KisY boots are high, covering the whole leg and cut at the top slantwise. The bootleg is made of four to seven strips of kAmus, fur taken from reindeer legs. This footwear consists of calfskin stockings sewn with fur inside and kisy itself made of kamus with fur out. Pile is cut out with a sharp knife. Boots are made similar for the both feet, they are formed right and left after they start being worn.

The sole is usually made of pieces of kAmus with pile from around a reindeer hoof, the direction of pile set opposite to the direction of movement. The NEnets choose this type of fell for a good reason as its pile is the most durable. Reindeer legs hair is elastic and twisted in the spiral, that is why snow doesn’t stick to it and the boots don’t slip.

But the most important is that kisY boots are waterproof. This quality is achieved by preliminary fells smoking. Before sewing the boots, the NEnets put details together in pairs with fur inside, tack them down and hang over the fire. Long smoking makes fells dense and waterproof, the one who wears boots made of material like this can walk even in deep snow, his footwear still serving well.

Male kisy may be decorated with contrasting strips of fur, ribbons or colorful cloth. Female version may also have beads. Male footwear differs from a female one with height and the way it is worn: men tie kisy below the knee with special ribbons woven of wool of different colors. Women only tie their boots up with belts.

Zinaida Pyak, a Dyanki-Koy camp resident, provided the museum with the displayed kisy.