South African Bata 'Takkie' Hockey Sneakers

Nothing goes better together than South Africa and hockey shoes? No, not ice hockey, field hockey. Typically played on grass or hard packed dirt, field hockey is substantially different from ice hockey (obviously.) As you can imagine, countries around the equator can't find ice to save their lives, but field hockey remains a popular pastime especially in the warmer commonwealth (or ex-commonwealth countries.) With the commercialization of synthetic rubber and the advent of new shoe manufacturing methods post WWII, all varieties of 'field hockey' shoes exploded in popularity. Brands like Converse, Palladium, and Chuck Taylor were nothing short of a worldwide phenomenon. So, hockey shoes were light weight, cool, athletic, and ideal for moving quickly. That sounds like it could come in handy. The formative years of recent Central & Sub-Saharan African Culture occurred during the Bush War & Border wars — Conflicts which dominated South Africa and Zimbabwe (Formerly Rhodesia) during