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important fact: “the inner and outer part of the centerof the door needs to be replaced once in abouta hundred years. This can be possible since we makethe center and the frame separately. Anyone whowants to do this can look at the pedigree. Also, thedoor comes with a spare lock. It is thus possible tofind the same lock when we need to change it even100 years later.”Raises 4th Generation Masters of KundekâriWe had already mentioned that the star or polygonshaped pieces which are carved in the male and femaleway are attached to one another without glue ornails in kundekâri. Based on this information, we askMr. Tufekci how many pieces a door can have. Mr.Tufekci informs us that a door contains at least 220pieces. Stating that this number can be 300, or even500, Mr. Tufekci reminds that the pulpit he made forthe Theology Mosque in Rize contains 7000 pieces.We also ask him how long it takes to finish a doorwith so many pieces. “In about 2 months, if 2 peopleare working on it.” He says. By the way, we shouldmention that Mr. Tufekci runs his workshop with his2 sons. Actually, one of the sons is a captain, andthe other one Works in the automotive business. Yetthey have not gone against family traditions, bothchoosing the art of the father and the grandfather.Beginning to teach this art to the youth about 5years ago, Mr. Tufekci now transfers all his knowledgeto his sons: “The youth is not patient to learn.They have already left the courses. So, what I do isteach the art to my sons.”In other words, Mr. Tufekci (55) entrusted this artwith his sons so they can keep it alive during the nextgenerations. Wanting to introduce this art to largermasses, Mr. Tufekci sent many petitions to the Ministryof Culture and Tourism for a kundekâri class tobe launched in universities, but he has received nopositive responses so far. Stating that there is moreinterest in Kundekâri abroad, Mr. Tufekci tells thathe took 11 kundekâri doors to a wood expo in Germanyin 1996, and 9 of them were sold on the veryfirst day of the expo. He also made a kundekâri doorfor the Sultan Suleyman Mosque in London. Thedoor has his signiture. Also, Mr. Tufekci and his sonsare making another door for a new mosque that isbeing built in Bursa.Although he says that his art attracts more interestabroad, certainly most of his Works are still inTurkey. Except for the pulpit of the Rize TheologyMosque, the door of the Cyprus Embasy, the doorsof the Maltepe Merkez Mosque, the doors of theEsenyurt and Yavuz Selim Mosques, and the interiorand exterior environments of many other mosquescarry this art to future generations via Mr. Tufekci.He and his sons are also in charge of the maintenanceof each work they produce. Stating that theyfollow up on the work during the first 5 years, Mr.Tufekci says that the maintenance they carry out forthe first 2 years is free of charge.Towards the end of our interview, we express ourwillingness to see the workshop where they producesuch beautiful Works of art. As we are walkingdown the Street, we gladly smell the friendly andwarm smell of wood. We can not help but think thatit should be this warm smell which encouraged Mr.Tufekci to leave his desk at school and sit before theworkbench at a very early age. The father and 2 sonssit again at the work bench to do the last retouches ofa kundekâri door. We thus thank them for the pleasantinterview, and leave the workshop with the reliefthat our traditional art will be kept alive in safe hands.29