Traditional Woven Bags from Hakkâri Province

Abstract

Until the 1970s, when village roads were just beginning to open in the rural areas of Hakkâri, carrying was mainly reliant on animal and human power. Sacks, some types of saddlebags, sacks and ‘têr’ were used for carrying loads by horse or mule while bags, some types of saddlebag and ‘parzun’ were used for carrying goods using manpower. Traditional ethnographic artifacts from thirty-two settlements in Hakkâri province were investigated within the scope of this field study. Besides decoration and material, we can see various types of woven bags in terms of function. Namely, they can be listed as shepherds’ (farmhands) bags, shepherds’ salt bags, wheat seed bags, scythe sharpening tools bags, women’s back packs, women’s shoulder bags and ornamental bags. There are around six thousand certificated and approximately four thousand with no certificate weavers in Hakkâri province; however, there have been almost no attempts to motivate them to make weavings in response to today’s consumers’ desires and demands. The aim of this study is to contribute to the scientific studies carried out in the field and to promote the economy of the locals while protecting traditional crafts of the region thus preserving the art works of Hakkâri province for future generations.