In 1937, Albert-Michel Sioui opened a handicraft store from his family home on the Huron-Wyandot (Wendat) first nation reserve of Wendake, Quebec (about 20 kilometers north of Quebec City.) He called his shop Kabir Kouba, which means a river with a thousand curves.
The moccasins he sold, made from cowhide, sheepskin, sealskin, or moose hide, were popular with visitors who bought them as slippers. The following year he founded his family run company as the St. Charles Falls Manufacturing to produce a line of moccasins under the trademark name Kabir Kouba. His son Marcel Sioui eventually took over the family business which remains in business today.
Curious if there is a way to buy Kabir Kouba products today? The internet presence is minuscule. I still own a pair of Kabir Kouba moccasins Marcel Sioui gave me when I was a kid, but my favorite pair is long gone as I wore them out many years ago. He was an exceptional individual who helped my family out immensely many years ago. Today life is great, I have my own daughter, and I feel an urge to keep his spirit present.
Wow – talk about a loyal customer! I suspect he probably only sells to the trade now, so you would have to find who carries the Kabir Kouba line in their shop. However, you could try contacting the reserve. Sorry I can’t help any more than that – I had problems finding contemporary information about the company too.
Jonathan
I bought a pair of Kabir Kouba deerskin moccasins for my husband when were visiting Canada years ago and he loves them. It is now time to replace them and I need assistance finding a vendor to purchase a new pair. Do you know of any company selling this product?
Thank you in advance for any assistance you can provide.
This is the company that now makes Kabir mocs. The name has changed but it is supposed to be the same manufacture: https://www.moccasinscanada.com/products/mens-moccasin-slippers-sheepskin-lined