Weaving lyeliks and Four Samples (Example of cayan Tribe of Konya/Eregli/cayhan Town)


SAY N.

MILLI FOLKLOR, no.114, pp.88-99, 2017 (AHCI) identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Publication Date: 2017
  • Journal Name: MILLI FOLKLOR
  • Journal Indexes: Arts and Humanities Citation Index (AHCI), Scopus, TR DİZİN (ULAKBİM)
  • Page Numbers: pp.88-99
  • Gazi University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

According to the belief of Sky God (Gok Tengri), all creatures are created with invisible light, energy, power, and knowledge. Energy is shared among those created and the sum of the energy that is shared constitutes rays. These rays are called "iye" and materials loaded with these rays, they believe, are called "iyelik" colloquially. Spirit emerges from iyes. Spirit revives the body. It is probably why; people believe that iyeliks carry the spirit of the relatives who passed away. Weavings with kirkit are found in all the areas that our ancestors lived in. These materials having different color, motif and bezik design reflects, so to say, by conserving on their surface, the social, economic, cultural, religious structures of their community as well. For this reason, the merging of these two names 'bearing important content "iyelik weaving" is of particular importance and is also important as a cultural heritage. Nowadays, materials produced in different forms such as "uzerlik" seed, knitted panels, ceramic, glass, metal and fabric, are used widely as "nazarhk" (materials that are believed to eliminate the effect of instantaneous rays from the eye). Even though some Turkish tribes have been holding on to the tradition of weaving iyeliks, the tradition is on its way to sinking into oblivion. In 2006, at our field research in Konya/Eregli/cayhan region, we encountered weavings used as iyeliks, on the walls of a house of the Turkish tribe named cayan-Cagan living in the region. Their photos were taken. Weaving with four kirkit is chosen as the subject of study and cataloged for presentation. Their arrangement, technic, fiber type, welt-warp density, size, color and burning behavior are examined. Their originality was attempted to determine in comparison with today's"nazarlik. Written sources related to iyeliks that have a very special place in Turkish culture and belief are limited and in our research, texts in regard to "weaving iyeliks" have not been found. It is our hope that this study will be a source for further studies in the future.