Balochi culture has a unique impression, not only in Pakistan but also in other countries. Balochi cultural and traditional dresses, shoes and embroideries are very famous throughout the world because of their splendid beauty and richness of colors.
The traditional Balochi shoes which have been the representatives and proud of Baloch for centuries, are now on the verge of collapsing because of our lost interest towards them.
The unique Balochi handmade scandals with numerous cuts and designs have an intrinsic value in Balochi culture, but unfroturnetly, we can find them hardly ever worn by people due to modern footwears available in markets.
Niyaz Baloch, the owner of only shop of Balochi shoes of Turbat city, laments, “The love of public is totally lost in their cultural shoes nowadays. In this crowded market we can get a few people buying Balochi shoes. Even during Eid occasions, the number of people buying traditional shoes do not exceed than twenty-five a day.”
He further groaned, “Several shoemakers have left shoemaking and are working on other places. For, they could not earn a proper living. Before some years there were three or four shops of Balochi shoes in Turbat, but now only my one remains.”
Looking at a dismal response and interest from the Baloch towards Balochi shoes results in the fading away of our culture in no time. If we, as Baloch, do not pay attention to promoting our culture, who else will do it for us?
Therefore, it is our everyone’s individual responsibility to preserve our culture because extinction of a culture is the extinction of a nation. In fact, culture is
The lifeblood of a vibrant society. A culture preserves and enhances a nation’s sense of place.
In this Eid, let’s contribute to our culture by purchasing Balochi handmade shoes which will not only be a promotion of our culture, but also an economical support and encouragement to needful shoemakers who have served their life promoting our traditional shoes by making various designs of handmade shoes.
