TRADITIONAL HAND WEAVING EDUCATION IN TURKEY

Abstract

Yoruk and Turkmen tribes from the Central Asia Nomadic Oghuz community came to settle in Anatolia. Oghuz culture that settled in Anatolia generally dealt with nomads and animal husbandry. Animal products are the main products that make up weaving. For this reason, weaving in nomadic societies has been a folk art. The masterpieces of the nomads’ cultural and visual identities in local, national and universal values have been traditional hand weavings. The nomads, who do not have the means of communication, transportation and formal education, have created a more creative, free, healthy and vibrant verbal and visual culture without falling into the conservatism of settled societies. The importance of traditional weaving art cannot be underestimated in this formation.

Traditional hand weaving was formerly family art in society. There is no difference between exhibiting carpets and rugs woven for dowry in rural areas in Anatolia in the village and exhibiting the works of people who have received fine arts education in a gallery.The paintings of the Yoruk and Turkmen have been the carpets, kilims and weavings they weaved. However, the artistic value of rural textiles was not realized until it was discovered by foreigners. In this period, local folk arts were never mentioned in the art fields of our country. In addition, traditional hand weavings are considered as commercial goods that are bought cheaply from rural areas and sold dearly to foreigners.

Many of which was done in the traditional order period were the traditional hand weaving samples of the Turkish nation in local, national and universal dimensions. But at the same time, they carried traces specific to marks, motifs and colours belonging to their tribe. For this reason, they have become a source of artistic pride of the Turks.

In order to provide the artistic development of traditional hand weaving education in our country, associate degree, undergraduate and graduate programs have been opened in universities. In these programs, theoretical and practical training is given to young generations about traditional hand weaving, which will make up for the lack of museums and collections in our country.

In this article, transitions between traditional hand weaving, which was a family art in the past, at the academic level in today will be determined and question what needs to be done. Information will be given about how to continue traditional hand weaving.