I think it's sad that the Turkish women you met, Linda, didn't seem to know how to do the handcrafts themselves. Didn't their mothers teach them or their grandmothers? That means that they sold you their precious heritage if they can't reproduce the pieces or pass it on to the next generation...
I hope it is clear from my write-up about the experience that I feel the same way... This is a very complicated issue, and one I have thought about a lot. They no longer *need* to make socks or bands, and even if they knew how, they can probably buy machine-made items more cheaply, maybe for less than the raw materials to make them. I saw children being carried on their mothers' backs, but the children were all old enough to hang on by themselves, so don't know if any kind of bands are still used for this purpose.
Do they value handcrafts? I don't know....
It seems to me that the cycle of change, as history progresses, is:
1. People used to make things because it was part of their culture, they had to, they knew how, they had the time. 2. Technology introduces something which is cheaper to buy, culture changes or erodes, people stop making things. 3. As educational and economic situation improves, people start appreciating things and start making them again either as a hobby or to sell.
I would welcome thoughts about this topic, either on the list if it's considered appropriate, or e-mail me privately.
Take care, Linda
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Linda Hendrickson, Portland, Oregon USA Tablet Weaving & Ply-Splitting Workshops, Books, & Supplies E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web site: www.lindahendrickson.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
