Meeting Announcement:

Nomads in Anatolia – Their Life and Their Textiles: Encounters with a Vanishing Culture

with

Dr. Harald Böhmer

at

Pioneer Hall

1642 43^rd Avenue East, Seattle

In the Madison Park neighborhood

Thursday, September 25th, 2008, 6:30 PM

The lifestyles and textiles of the nomadic peoples of Anatolia evolved over many generations, beginning with the first migration of the Turkmen tribes from Central Asia into the landmass of Asia Minor in the 14th century. These people created a variety of woven objects for both daily and ceremonial use, including many kinds of portable housing, as well as bags for storing and transporting their possessions and bedding. This way of life persisted for centuries – even into the late 20^th century, camel trains were a still a common sight in some areas of Turkey.

For many years, Dr. Harald Böhmer, along with his late colleague, ethnographer and photographer Josephine Powell, traveled with and studied these nomads, extensively collecting and photographing their textiles. In conjunction with his book, “The Nomads of Anatolia,” Dr. Böhmer’s talk, will cover specific tribes and give an overview of their daily lives and the specific textiles that they created and used, including kilims, bags, bands, and felts. He will also discuss their current settled situations, and the future of nomadism in Anatolia.

A native of Germany, Dr. Harald Böhmer is a renowned international expert in natural dyes, and was instrumental in creating the revival of naturally-dyed weaving production in the 1980s in Turkey, which he then helped spread to other parts of the world. He has written more than 30 articles and publications, including three books in English: Rugs of the Nomads and Peasants in Anatolia (in cooperation with Werner Brüggemann); KOEKBOYA - Natural Dyes and Textiles, (in cooperation with Nevin Enez, Recep Karadag and Charlotte Kwon); and Nomads in Anatolia - their Life and their Textiles - Encounters with a Vanishing Culture (in cooperation with Josephine Powell and Serife Atlihan).

Meeting Schedule:

6:30 Mix and mingle. Announcements.

7:00 Dr. Harald Böhmer: Nomads in Anatolia - their Life and their Textiles: Encounters with a Vanishing Culture

8:00 Show and tell – Dr. Böhmer invites STARS members to bring examples of natural-dyed nomadic Turkish kilims, carpets, trappings and textiles for show & tell.

Please note: This meeting is free to members, $5 at the door for guests.

Meeting Location and Directions:

Pioneer Hall is the home of the Pioneer Association of the State of Washington. See the map below. Parking is available on nearby streets.

From I-5 or 405, take 520 toward the University of Washington. From the Eastside, exit at Lake Washington Blvd and turn left off the bridge and right into the Arboretum. From I-5, take the first exit from 520, Montlake Boulevard. Go straight through the light, following the main road until you take a right into the Arboretum. Go through the Arboretum, turning left at the light, at Madison Street. Go about a mile, and turn right on E. Blaine Street. Go two blocks. Pioneer Hall is straight ahead.