Video: Shoemakers of the World · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

Today's videos focus on the artisans around the world still making shoes by hand.  From Mexico to Japan: we'll take a look at how different shoes, slippers and sandals are made.
We start our journey with Mexico. The Rarámuri indian's name is said to mean those who run fast, and that has sparked the attention of runners who believe that by walking in the traditional Tarahumara's shoes, the huaraches, they may be able to tap onto their speed and resistance.
This previous video showed us a Tarahumara indian tying on his traditional huaraches: this next video shows a new incarnation of the huarache as readapted by the barefoot running page InvisibleShoe.
The Japanese also have their traditional sandals. These next videos show how to make zōri [jp], waraji(1 and 2)  and geta sandals (starts at 2:28) respectively:
The wooden clogs or klompen have been part of Dutch identity and image for years. Here, we see how they are traditionally made using hand tools:
This short note shows us one of 4 traditional Peranakan beaded slippers makers of Singapore:
But not only traditional designs are made by hand as we can see in this next video. In Sri Lanka, traditional cobbling skills are put to work making modern shoes:
And last but not least, a specialized shoe that is dreamed about by many little girls all over the world: the pointe ballerina shoe.