BABY CARRIER (BA’), 20TH CENTURY, DAYAK PEOPLE, KALIMANTAN, BORNEO, INDONESIA, RATTAN, WOOD, COTTON, BEADS, BONE, SHELL. ART GALLERY OF NEW SOUTH WALES, SYDNEY. GIFT OF PETER COURT AND FAMILY IN MEMORY OF DEE COURT 2008. PHOTO: FELICITY JENKINS – TAASA Review September 2021

I was reminded at the time of a pair of children’s shoes (okobo or pokkuri) from Japan in the collection of the Powerhouse Museum.

These tiny wooden shoes from the 1930s or 40s feature butterflies in golden lacquer and have bells tied into their hollow soles.

The bells would have tinkled charmingly as children played but, importantly, the sound also frightened away malevolent spirits (Komatsu 2017). With children so precious and mortality rates high in many parts of the world, especially historically, talismanic elements and designs have long been incorporated into children’s garments...