Giveh-weaving craft still alive in Ilam Province
From the very beginning of life, human beings realized that in order to avoid the dangers of nature, they should use footwear and this was actually one of their most basic stages of thinking about survival.
Giveh is an Iranian traditional footwear made by craftspeople, using very simple and primitive tools. Giveh-bafi (giveh-weaving) has been common in the western province of Ilam for a long time. The production process of giveh is divided into three phases: 1. Making the sole, known as ajideh; 2. Weaving the upper part; 3. Sewing the upper part to the sole, chtn.ir reported.
These phases can be done either entirely by a craftsperson, or separately by three skilled workers. In the past, the sole of giveh was made from the skins of animals, such as cows, which required much patience and skill. However, presently, most givehs are manufactured using ready-made plastic soles.
For making giveh, cotton thread is used to prevent feet from sweating in the summer. Moreover, since some nomads live in areas which are rocky and hard to pass, they can wear givehs as a strong shoe. For weaving women’s givehs, manufacturers use colorful silk threads to diversify them and create beautiful designs.
Although manufacturing giveh still continues in parts of Ilam Province, due to the low final price of this footwear, getting involved in this field of handicraft production, which needs a lot of effort and time, is not economically viable, and this has created many problems for craftspeople.
Presently, a few people are engaged in giveh-weaving in the province, most of whom produce only custom-made shoes. They also sell part of their products in the local, provincial, and national exhibitions and some handicraft stores.
The craft of giveh-bafi displays a combination of male and female art, unlike embroidery, for example. Some craftspeople and experts believe that modern methods should be employed to preserve the art and prepare conditions for producers to sell their works to other parts of the country, and even export them to foreign countries.
Giveh is light, cool, durable and suitable for walking and daily use at work, university, and due to its beautiful and attractive designs, it is suitable for pairing with all kinds of fashionable clothes. Due to the presence of pores in the fabric, it has good ventilation, which prevents sweating and foot odor.