Turan Bahadur
If leather was once the source of ancestral life, now it has become a symbol of Kazakh culture in a modern style. According to our hero, art is inherent in the blood of nomads. His ancestors made a living selling leather clothes after moving from Altai to Afghanistan. In Kashmir, the production and sale of leather clothing has been suspended. Let's go back to history a little bit.
Turan Bahadur with Turkish President Recep Erdogan
If we talk about East Turkestan and Altai, this causes special feelings among Kazakhs. These sacred lands, which have become the object of the political situation, are the homeland of the majority of Kazakhs living in Turkey today. The Kazakhs, forced to leave their lands, crossed the Himalayas on foot, lived in India and Pakistan, survived famine and disease, and finally settled in Turkey. Unfortunately, not all of those who set off safely reached their destination. Nevertheless, in different parts of Turkey, you can meet descendants of Kazakhs who migrated from this region. Among them there are those who are still engaged in the generic profession and preserve their culture and traditions.
However, many elderly people who witnessed migration have already passed away. Their descendants now live in the Zeytinburnu districts of Istanbul and Kemalpasha Izmir. At first, most Kazakhs came to the village of Salikhli in Izmir. In addition, there is a village "Altai" near the city of "Nowhere", where small Kazakhs live. If you are looking for Kazakhs in Turkey, you will find them in these regions.
Turan Bahadur was born in Turkey. He has a small leather shop in Zeytinburnu, and a factory in the Alzhoir district. Receives an order for at least one hundred items of clothing per day. The factory has a wide range of leather products, but the vast majority are interested in hats - "tymaks".
A profession that originally started in Kashmir for survival, today holds a special place in the fashion and art industry. For the Kazakhs, who were engaged in cattle breeding in East Turkestan, the processing of livestock wool is not alien. However, the Turks have also made progress in this matter. Even if you look into history, it turns out that modern leather processing technologies originated in Istanbul during the time of the noble Sultan Fatih. To win the war, the Sultan built many factories for sewing leather clothes. There were special masters. Subsequent sultans continued the tradition of their ancestors and supplied the army with leather clothing and leather weapons. The same tradition has continued from generation to generation. Proof of this is the Harbiye Military Museum in Istanbul, which contains antique leather goods, clothing and weapons. So how did Turan Bahadur succeed in this business in Turkey, where there is a high rate and quality of leather processing? How did he interest the Turkish film industry?
The series "Dede Korkut hikayeleri". Headdresses sewn by Turan Bahadur.
"Kazakhs and Turks are tribesmen. Ancient history, the food they ate, the clothes they wore... that is, they have a lot in common. But over the years, there are moments in the course of history when one moves forward and the other is behind. Since childhood, I grew up observing the peculiarities of my ancestors' work in the leather business. I have worked with masters who have mastered various methods. As a result, my work progressed, and most importantly, I wanted to create something national and modern without losing its historical value. Perhaps this was the reason for the contribution to the Turkish film industry," says master Turan Bahadur. Now he teaches children his profession and the art of leather.
The series "Delli Dumrul"
The series "Direniş Karatay"
For the first time, we got an order from the TV series "Dede Korkut hikayeleri". Then, special clothes were sewn for the actors of such famous films as "Delli Dumrul", "Kuruluş Osman", "Direniş Karatay", "Hürküş" and others. For example, the leather jackets of the pilots from the last film were created by Turan Bahadur.In addition, singers, including Alperren Kekili, famous in Turkey, order their stage costumes from the master of Turan. "Sometimes I see an order made by ordinary people in some kind of TV series. No matter how they try to trick us, we immediately recognize our work," Turan Bahadur laughs during the conversation.
Nowadays, in Turkish films, one can also find patterns of clothing typical of the ancient Turks. Over time, orders from other film companies began to arrive. In recent years, the demand for leather goods has increased not only in Turkey, but also around the world. Today Bahadur has clients in the USA, the United Arab Emirates, Russia, Canada, Australia, Ukraine and other European countries.
Author: Serikgul SULTANKAZI.
