Pomak Weaving Tradition, a Brief History

Abstract

This article presents the story of hand-woven Pomak fabric and the associated traditions, which have been transmitted from mother to daughter and father to son. The research relates to certain applications of traditional, social, and cultural mechanisms reflecting traits that have been lost and forgotten in many spheres of Turkish life. Since underlying the cultural unification of the Turkish nation is a variety of diverging cultural identities, traditions, languages, and living styles, the existence of sub-cultures each forming part of the whole permits a more inclusive approach to social cohesion and the idea of national cultural unity. Beneath a very similar style of modern-day living, Turkey's ethnic cultures have formed their unique presence through the long process of historical development. Ethnic minority groups, which differ widely in their folkways and customs, having different traditional modes of production and life styles, as displayed in dress and traditions, crafts, adornments, diet, folk dances, marriage, and funerals, have managed to preserve their traditions.The arts and crafts of ethnic cultures have a splendid legacy, among which hand-weaving has survived as a way of life in Pomakian villages, where every hand-weaving loom still works in the old way, and where the ancient craft of weaving is continued despite modern yarn preparing and dyeing techniques. This skill has survived without much diffusion because of the isolation of Pomak villages in south-eastern Europe (Thrace) over a long period, before their migration to Turkey. Yet the skill and craft of the weaver and the persistence of Pomak villagers, who refuse to let this craft die, contributed much to this preservation since they have been settled in Turkey. Today, although hand-woven Pomak fabrics are not found tailored into stylish garments of the type sold in fashionable boutiques, the craft and associated traditions are still set alive in many Pomak homes in modern Turkey.To conduct this research, many villages in the mountainous parts of Biga county of Çanakkale in Turkey such as Elmalı, Işıkeli, Kaynarca, Ilıcabaşı, Yolindi, Arabaalan, and Camialan were visited. We selected Çanakkale because of the vast number of Pomak villages and their eagerness to participate in this research. Besides, we had previously conducted research into the preservation of their traditions. A questionnaire of twenty questions and an observation form were administered to the villagers in order to document the hand-weaving tradition of Pomaks.