Wooden Studded Shoe Art as an Element of Cultural Heritage (Arapgir-Malatya)

Abstract

Culture is the sum of a society's material and spiritual values. For societies to preserve their cultural heritage and pass it on to future generations, they must first be aware of their cultural values. The preservation and sustainability of cultural heritage can be achieved by identifying the individuals who keep these values alive, consulting with them, and recording the information they convey. Turkey has a vibrant cultural heritage, one element of which is traditional shoemaking. Handmade shoes, which were once widely produced and used, have been replaced by factory-produced shoes due to advancements in technology. Today, traditional wooden-studded shoe production in the district of Arapgir is carried out by a single master craftsman, as far as can be ascertained. This study examines wooden-studded shoes, which constitute an element of cultural heritage, analyzing their current status, structural characteristics, and production processes. Recommendations are made for their preservation as an element of cultural heritage and for ensuring their sustainability by passing them on to future generations. A qualitative research method was employed in preparing the study, and data were obtained through interviews and on-site observations. Interviews were conducted with Mehmet Erol Hakan, the sole master craftsman continuing this tradition, and the stages of wooden-studded shoe production were documented with photographs. To pass on and preserve cultural heritage for future generations, recommendations have been formulated by synthesizing the views of representatives in this activity with information from national and international literature.