THE SACRAL KELAGHAYI

The Azerbaijani Carpet Museum hosted a presentation of the book Kelaghayi dedicated to one of the most elegant and original women's scarves in the world. Maybe it was a coincidence but the presentation took place just on the first Tuesday before Novruz, Su Charshanbasi.

The philosophy of life

The pre-Novruz Tuesday suited he theme of the event combined with delicate silk kelaghayi decorated with whimsical bright and sometimes strict geometric patterns on them. The authors of the book are Professor Rena Ibrahimbayova, a member of the Artists' Union Jalil Tariverdiyev and the graduate of Parsons School in New York, Zahra Muller-Tariverdi.

The Minister of Culture and Tourism Abulfaz Garayev and his deputy Sevda Mammadaliyeva also attended the event.

In 2014, kelaghayi was included in the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity at the ninth session of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for Intangible Cultural Heritage. A video specially prepared for UNESCO opened that event telling the audience the story of kelaghayi and how it is made. Old and young masters talked about the process of its creation. The process is as follows: solutions for dyeing fabrics are mixed in big kettles, handkerchiefs are rinsed under the wind for drying, and then wooden stamps with patterns fall on kelaghayi leaving imprints with deep sense.

Kelaghayi is not just a scarf but a complete philosophy. Patterns, symbols intertwine on it, symbolizing the most different stages of life: from the creation of the universe to love and happiness. "I hope this book will be a guide for all who wish to learn the art of kelaghayi", noted in her speech Sevda Mammadaliyeva.

Unique work

Authors of the book, Rena Ibrahimbayova and Jalil Tariverdiyev, played a huge role in the preservation of heritage of kelaghayi. Rena-khanum is a unique person – she is a professor, an excellent specialist heading the Department of Gender Psychology at the university. She has made a considerable contribution to the creation of a number of laws of the country, in particular the Law on Protection of Children's Rights. It is interesting that it was her involvement in gender projects that led ultimately to the creation of this unique work. In 2000, as a participant of the UN project on gender development, she had to submit her project on craft production in the private sector, which would employ both men and women. Kelaghayi production fitted in perfectly.

"I remember the nineties, when we were travelling through the villages looking at the work of artists. Kelaghayi manufacturing had disappeared in Sheki almost completely. But it is important that we were able to restore everything." says Rena-khanum.

Since 2000, Rena-khanum and Jalil-bey began restoring the art from scratch. They were looking for the old masters. So, they ended up in the village of Baskal known for its unique technology of silk production and kelaghayi manufacturing. There were still living the old masters. Today, Baskal is the home of the Kelaghayi Museum. There are specialized silk centres in Baskal and Sheki. "Tourists often request that we take them to the Kelaghayi Museum. Foreign guests also want to know how kelaghayi is made”, says Rena-khanum.

The centre of sericulture

Kelaghayi’s history is closely linked with the history of sericulture in Azerbaijan. Our country was known as an important centre of art. Even in ancient sources, records of medieval travelers mention Azerbaijani silk and products made of it.

There are many attributes of clothing used to cover heads of women in the East, in particular in Azerbaijan: orpek, shawl, charshab, kelaghayi. Each of them has its own function. Kelaghayi has specific requirements: the handkerchief should be made entirely of silk, a special kelaghayi silk, be of a square shape and considerable size but not more than 160 cm. Kelaghayi is painted either completely or is made white with ornaments decorating only the rims. Ornaments consists of either vegetables or geometric figures. Applied decoration technique is called basma-nakhish.

In addition, kelaghayi bears a social function - even wearing it, and every day, and in case of any festive or tragic events, there is strict grading: depending on the age of the woman, events differ drawing, color, composition, even a way of tying. Kelaghayi is a democratic headdress; it is made for the rich and the poor women because of its ubiquity. They would also help to determine the age and social status of women, their place of origin and even their mood.

Kelaghayi industry is a multi-stage process that consists of the manufacture of silk, dies, drawing ornament (basma-nakhish) and, finally, staining the fabric. The painting is a very important process that could negate all the work carried out before. Since ancient times, dyers (boyagchi) were considered as the people close to God, and the room where they worked (kupkhana) was almost sacred.

Today, the kelaghayi masters are representatives of hereditary dynasties (kelaghayichi), often in the sixth, seventh generation, who can individually perform all stages of the process. Kelaghayi is a scarf of sacred significance. It holds not only the experience of generations but also a particle of the soul of its master.