Sayı 11- Ocak/Mart 2013 - Antalya Rehberler Odası

Those Who Give Sound to the Earth,The Rhythm of Music: “GOBLET DRUM”Ismet OZTURK, Tour GuideYears ago, while I was havingdinner with some foreignguests at “Bizim Ev (OurHouse)” restaurant in Avanos,I noticed that the chefwas cleaning a catfish, butafter skinning the fish, he wasputting the skin to one side,not throwing it away. WhenI asked why he was savingthe skins, he told me that afriend of his made musical instruments,such as the gobletdrum, the tambourine etc. withcatfish skin.I could not believe what I heard,and so I asked him who thisman was. I pursued and tracedthe man. When I found theworkshop I was looking for, Ifound the person was MehmetKorukcu, one of the best mastersof the craft of pottery that Iever knew. We had a pleasantand deep conversation aboutthe matter, while sipping thetea Mehmet brewed over thewood-fire. He told me a greatdeal about this matter and thethings he told, the informationhe gave, were extremely interestingand valuable…And they did a little show forme. Then they told me howthese two people had cometogether and made the worldclassquality and quite unique“Udu Dram” the goblet drum,and spoke about exactly howthey had developed it.Mehmet Korukcu is a masterof pottery from Avanos,born in1966. He startedworking inthe pottery atthe age of tenand he hasbeen immersed in earth andmud ever since. Of course aconsiderable time, 30-35 yearspassed, before he reached hispresent level of quality andcraftsmanship.Then one day, M. Emin Bolatcame to Avanos. Mr. Bolatis a master of rhythm, andhere is his story:One day, theyentered thestudio forsound recordingwith ArifSag inIs-tan-bul. Whliethey weretalking with ArifSag, he said he could not get agood tune, that he had been toall the regions of Turkey wherethe goblet drum was madefrom a clay pot (Iznik, Menemenand Samandag), butcould not find a right one, thatthe products looked in generalmore like a vase than adrum, and he could not get thesound he was looking for andneeded from them. And ArifSag said, “Did you go toAvanos?”… He said,“No.” “Also go there,and find Mehmet,”he said. “WouldI stop looking?”said Emin, “I immediatelygotout of the studio,bought a ticket,and I was in Avanosthe next morning.”He asked for Mehmet,and found… The life storiesof both resemble each other;both started their lifeworkswhen they were children.