Investigation and production stages of damal doll with traditional clothes

Societies have shaped the customs, traditions and customs they need in their internal structures according to their own needs. However, these values change in time according to the changes in the environment and living conditions. When the traditional women's clothes of Damal region are considered in this context, they are no longer preferred because they cannot keep up with the dynamics of daily life. However, although Damal women have removed their clothes from their clothes, they continue to keep these clothes, to which they are emotionally attached, alive by wearing them on cloth, wooden and plastic dolls. The form, motifs and accessories of the clothes worn on dolls establish a connection with Turkmen traditions and beliefs rooted in Central Asia and play the role of an important cultural transmitter. Although they are no longer used on a daily basis today, these traditional dresses are kept alive in Damal dolls made for tourism and promotional purposes. Damal dolls are made both by women living in Damal district centre and villages and in Damal Doll House affiliated to Ardahan Public Education Centre. In addition to contributing to the promotion of the region, Damal doll making has started to be a business branch that provides income for the women of the region. In the study, the production stages of the Damal doll, the motifs and accessories on the doll were examined and compared with traditional Damal women's clothing. In addition, field research was carried out in Damal districts and villages for traditional Damal women's clothing, and the information and visuals obtained were recorded and presented in the study. With this documentation, it is aimed to transfer traditional Damal women's clothing to future generations in the correct form. In the first part of the study, the definition of traditional dressed dolls was made, and the culture, beliefs and traditions that are the basis for making traditional dressed dolls were mentioned. In the second part, Damal district and the history of making Damal dolls with traditional clothes were explained in order to understand the culture and tradition to which the Damal doll belongs more clearly. The importance of Damal doll with traditional clothes, which is a local value, in terms of both tourism and promotion is emphasised. In the third chapter, traditional Damal women's clothes are introduced and the importance of the clothes for Turkmen women is mentioned. At the end of the chapter, the stages of making Damal doll with traditional clothes are explained.