Kurdish Museum keeps textile tradition alive

29 Jun '15

2 min read

The Kurdish Textile Museum (KTM), located at the historical site of the Erbil Citadel in Kurdistan region of Iraq, is keeping the textile tradition alive by being actively involved in the transfer of traditional skills to new generations.

“Textiles are the most important expression of Kurdish culture. The reorganised museum displays tell the full story of this tradition, including production, design, dyes and the different outputs of both settled and nomadic tribes,” Lolan Mustafa, KTM’s director told Fibre2Fashion.

The museum also contains exhibits that cover all aspects of daily life, including agricultural tools, clothing, kitchen products and furnishings – as well as the layout of a traditional house and a nomadic tent.

Talking about the active involvement of the museum in the transfer of traditional skills to new generations, Mustafa says, “The destruction of rural villages by the previous Iraqi regime ended weaving traditions, but the museum has employed older women from nomadic communities to train and pass on their skills to younger women.”

“In addition to weaving rugs, kilims and blankets, these older women also reproduce decorative screens used in nomadic tents, while a felt maker continues the tradition of the manufacture of felt rugs and felt clothing,” he adds.

The KTM reopened in April last year after a complete renovation of the building and reorganisation of displays. The renovation and revival project was 50 per cent funded by the Foreign Ministry of the German Federal Republic and the remaining 50 per cent by the Governorate of Erbil. The UK and Erbil offices of the Consultancy for Conservation and Development oversaw the redesign and completion of the museum’s restoration. (RKS)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk - India