Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Intellect, cilt.6, sa.3, ss.329-349, 2020 (Hakemli Dergi)
This study examines the
types of shoes that were worn in the 1970s in Hakkâri – a city and province in
Turkey close to the Turkish–Iraqi border – and its surroundings, linking them
to social statues, choice, taste, as well as economic power and the original
cultural heritage of the local community. The findings detailed herein are
based on samples taken from fieldwork conducted in 32 localities. Severe winter
conditions have an important place among the factors that shape the social life
of the local people of Hakkâri. In winter, they used to wear snowshoes called
‘leken’ to walk comfortably on snow of 2 m depth. Unlike various types of shoes
worn today, there were three types of shoes worn in Hakkâri and its
surroundings in the past in addition to snowshoes. The first is the one made of
goat hair called ‘reşik’; the second is called ‘lastik’, which has a tyre sole
and has knitted sides made of goat’s hair yarn; the third is a shoe called
‘kalik’, all made of cattle skin. The characteristics of these shoes have close
relations with the material, colour and shape of shoes and the class and status
of the people who wore them as well as with traditions and culture of the
community. As well as exploring the material and other features of these shoes,
similar shoes, redesigned and made in other nearby provinces, are compared and
discussed. This study is significant in that these traditional handi- crafts
are at the risk of vanishing as are other handicrafts in other parts of the world
due to the influence of technology and industrialization. By considering
thetraditional methods of shoe making in Hakkâri and contextualizing this
amongst the practices of other nearby provinces, this study aims to contribute
to the promotion of the culture and art of the region and add to the limited
literature in this field.