Mehmet Meta: one of the masters of shoe craftsmanship on Kuzey Kıpre

Mehmet Meta, one of the few shoe makers in Northern Cyprus whose skills have remained unchanged. He began his career as a fashion designer and became one of the master shoe makers. He was always attached to his profession, to which he gave his whole life. He worries that shoe manufacturing is disappearing in the country. He made many efforts, offered his ideas and projects to various organizations, and tried to promote new enterprises, but did not achieve positive results.

Mehmet Mehta says the art of craftsmanship should be taught in vocational schools. He says that in addition to repairing shoes, he fulfills orders for a variety of shoes, including those designed for diabetics. It also strengthens the soles and heels of old shoes, turning them into new models. Meta notes that in recent years, the demand for tango and salsa shoes for dancers has increased significantly compared to regular shoes.

Mehmet Mehta spoke about his journey into the world of shoe making to TAK: "I started shoe making at the age of 12." "In 1969-1970, when I finished elementary school, I started working in the Kaf shoe factory, which was next to the municipality market in Lefkosh through my family. Later, Kaf merged with a modern shoe factory and AYKO was created. My passion for shoes has continued ever since." He says that a year after he started his career he moved on to machine work, and three years later he learned how to make shoes. He says that apart from modeling and making shoes, he also developed in other fields such as modeling and shoe making.

Mehmet Mehta says shoemaking is a matter of craftsmanship and while they worked together, they also dabbled in modeling. He started his own business in 1980 and has been in business for 43 years.

Mehmet Mehta wants shoe-making to be taught in schools. He says there are no shoemakers and repairers in the country. He says he has also tried to bring attention to folk shoe making and has presented projects to train shoemakers, but has been unable to do so even in art school. He says athletic shoes, which have become popular in recent years, are bad for foot health because they spread the foot. He also explains that good shoes should be made of leather, have no odor on the foot, and have a soft sole. He says heels should be stable and not shift sideways when you push on the center of gravity with your finger.