Indigenous Knowledge of Making Traditional Footwear in the Village of Korit

Salimpour Abkenar, Samera; AnvariMoghaddam, Amir

doi:10.22054/qjik.2025.87535.1471

Indigenous Knowledge of Making Traditional Footwear in the Village of Korit

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Samera Salimpour Abkenar ¹

Amir AnvariMoghaddam ²

¹ Traditional Arts Group, Research Institute of Cultural, Heritage and Tourism (RICHT)

² Handicraft Studies and Research Expert, General Directorate of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism of South Khorasan, Birjand, Iran.

https://doi.org/10.22054/qjik.2025.87535.1471

Abstract

The skill of making footwear (or giveh weaving) is one of the traditional and authentic Iranian arts. Although this art has already been forgotten in most places, however, it can still be related to as a cultural and social symbol. Tabas town and its surrounding villages were once considered one of the most important centers for making footwear (or Giveh) in South Khorasan Province. This footwear was widely used for long walks in occupations such as agriculture, herding, and nomadic life due to its lightness, flexibility, strength, and comfort. The aim of this study, in addition to preserving the foundations of Iranian culture and art, is to introduce a practical, step-by-step method of the traditional art of footwear making in the village of Korit. The main question of this study is "How does the traditional Korit footwear manufacturing method relate to the natural and locally produced raw materials of the region?" This is written in a descriptive-analytical manner and based on library documents, field observations, and interviews with master craftsmen in Tabas town and Korit village. The results show that the skill of footwear making refers to the "spirit of cooperation" between the men and women of the Korit village.

Keywords

Traditional footwear (or Giveh)

Korit Village

Tabas Town

South Khorasan

Subjects