In the modern world, animal herding is becoming less and less economically viable and urban lifestyles more and more attractive. Sheep’s wool is getting harder to come by, and the raw plant materials and knowledge of how to transform them into brilliant dyes are diminishing with each generation. Will this spell the end of the world-renowned Sivas carpet? Two different groups of women are involved in ensuring that the region’s centuries-old tradition of carpet weaving is not lost to the future. In the village of Yakupoğlu, women sit outside with their neighbors, carding, spinning, and dyeing wool that they will transform into colorful carpets for the dowry chests of their daughters. At the same time, in the Minimum Security Women’s Prison, another group of women sit together in a room full of massive looms, learning from each other traditional weaving skills as part of state-led efforts to revive the Sivas carpet, once an iconic symbol of the city. Turgay Kural’s camera follows both groups of women as they go about their daily lives.

Turgay Kural
Born in Malatya in 1984, Turgay Kural began his studies at the Erciyes University Department of Radio, Television and Cinema in 2006. After receiving his BA in 2010 and MA in 2013, Kural started a career as a journalist and representative of the local and national press. He has also worked on award-winning documentaries as both a director and cameraman.