An Interview with Mehmet Emin Güngör
Mehmet Emin Güngör, one of the living masters of the traditional craft of kazaz (silk and silver thread jewelry and ornament making), which has deep roots in Şanlıurfa, shared the experiences and memories he has accumulated over his 78-year career. Born in 1942, Güngör began practicing this traditional art at a young age and continues to keep it alive to this day. “I started making kazaz in 1947,” said Güngör, noting that he took his first steps into the craft at the kazaz market in Şanlıurfa. At that time, there were about 50 shops in the market, each employing 2–3 people. Recalling his apprentice days, the master shared: “In the morning, when we opened the shops, we would first sweep and water the front. If our master wanted tea, we would take care of that too.”
Describing his learning process, Güngör said, “After 5–6 months, we started to understand things a bit. When our master went to the restroom or for ablution, I would secretly try to do the work he was doing. Before he returned, I would undo it so he wouldn’t see.”
He recounted the moment his master, Muhammed İpekçi, caught him working one day and praised his effort. From that day on, Güngör officially stepped into the profession. Explaining the subtleties of the craft, Güngör said, “When I make a tassel from this, I feel like I’ve built an airplane,” expressing his passion for his work. Emphasizing that making kazaz requires precision and patience, he added, “If there is a master of the craft, you must serve him in order to learn,” highlighting the importance of the master-apprentice relationship. Güngör also gave examples of kazaz products: “We make hair ties that women use to braid their hair. A triple braid is made, and it is tied between colorful cords from the back. Sixty or seventy years ago, little girls who had just learned to walk would cry saying ‘I want Guli,’ after seeing it on their mothers.” Mentioning other products like Zaza tassels and combining (a traditional Turkish string instrument) tassels, Güngör added that they also used to make tassels for school flags. “We also make tassels for the saz. A saz without a tassel is not acceptable to us,” he said, pointing to the cultural importance of his craft.
