NEWS
A COMPETITION ENTITLED «A BEAUTIFUL FLOWER»
According to a Turkmen tradition: if passers-by encounter felt makers on their way they should have a look at a felt mat and say: “A beautiful pattern”. A usual reply to this is “A beautiful flower”. The Public Organizations Center has hosted an annual felting competition entitled ‘A Beautiful Flower’. The competition was organized by the Central Council of the Union of Women of Turkmenistan in partnership with trade-union organizations to mark the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s independence and 2021 designated as ‘Turkmenistan: A Land of Peace and Trust’.
Felt-making is an ancient folk craft that has always been very popular. But in the last few years, with the market supplied with enough carpets to satisfy customer needs, the demand for felt mats has declined. However, felt makers are not going to abandon their craft easily, and are now offering a wider selection of felt products. Souvenirs, such as toys, handbags and slippers are created today with the use of felting techniques. A small felt mat in front of a stove will be a welcome addition, offering extra comfort to anyone standing in the kitchen cooking. In other words, felted items have made their way into our homes reinvented in novel contexts.
The competition was held in a traditional setting that featured items closely related to this ancient eco-friendly craft, ranging from wool, which is washed, fluffed up, dyed and combed to a special mat made of reed, on which the wool and patterns are spread out and boiling water is poured over.
Renowned felt makers from across the country, including from the capital, were competing in the contest. The competition featured six teams, each made up of two felt makers: a skilled craftswoman and a young apprentice, who in turns shared the tricks of this ancient craft bequeathed to us by our grandmothers.
After the contestants shared their theoretical knowledge, revealing many secrets, a practical round of the competition began. Each team spread sheep’s wool on a reed mat, creating motifs of would-be felted cloth. Interestingly, combinations of colors were distinctly different for every velayat. For instance, felt mats from Balkan velayat are known for their blue hues, while the traditional colors for those from Lebap and Akhal velayats are yellow and red respectively… Those present at the competition had a chance to witness the whole felting process.
While the judges were making their decisions, the contestants proceeded to a creative round of the competition more reminiscent of a concert. They recited poems, sang songs, played the dutar, and performed extracts from epic poems. Looking at the dancing and singing felt makers, one could not help but wonder why they need to have these skills as well. And an answer came by itself: felted cloth is made to last for ages and that is why it should be created by skilled, talented and creative women highly endowed with spiritual gifts.
The judges chose Mary velayat-based felt makers Ayjahan Andalova and Enejan Kadyrova as the grand prize winners. The contestants from Dashoguz velayat and Ashgabat were named joint winners.
The competition entitled ‘A Beautiful Flower’ proved to be a colorful and spectacular event both for the craftswomen and all the attendees alike.
Tamara Glazunova