YAŞAYAN MİRAS VE KÜLTÜREL ETKİNLİKLER GENEL MÜDÜRLÜĞÜ
Ara

Traditional Craftsmanship and Performing of Mey

INVENTORY INFORMATION:

Name of the Element                         : Traditional Craftsmanship and Performing of Mey
Other Names of the Element            : Balaban, Duduk   
Inventory Number of the Element  :  01.0113
Date of the Registration                    :   12.03.2020
ICH Domains of the Element            :

  • Performing arts
  • Social practices, rituals and festive events
  • Knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe
  • Traditional craftsmanship

Provinces Submitted Inventory Form for the Element: Kars

INFORMATION ABOUT THE ELEMENT:
Brief Description about Element:

Mey is a woodwind instrument, which has been performed for centuries in Turkey. Mey consists of three parts namely body, reed and clip. Body has 7 holes on frontside and one hole on backside. There is wide and flattered double reed on the mouth side of body. On reed there is a clip used for chording. There are three different traditional sizes of mey called "ana" (the largest), orta (middle) and cura (the smallest). Apart from the traditional sizes, various mey forms can be found in different tunes today.
Mey is usually performed solo. When performing with a group, percussion or another mey accompany. It is preferred for indoor performing.The sound range of mey is limited to one octave; therefore, it is not possible to perform all modes of Turkish Folk Music with mey. It is very important to dominate lips, breath and fingers properly during mey performing. The pitch is varied through a combination of lip pressure and the uncovering of the finger holes. Tunes should be played continuously which requires circular breathing. Therefore a person who wants to be a master in mey performing has to develop his/herself in a long period of time.
The raw material used for mey production is various tree types, which are grown under certain climatic conditions. Mey craftspeople should have an advanced knowledge of nature related toplants, trees and climate. There are different types of tree used in production of Mey. In Turkey, craftspeople who produce mey, mostly prefer plum and apricot trees for making body part, however locust, walnut, mulberry and rose trees are also used. Reed, which gives the characteristic sound of mey, is made of cattail. Clip is made of various trees, reeds and wooden rods. The element has various social and cultural aspects connected with social practices, social memory and cultural identity. Mey is also take part in minstrelsy tradition as an instrument.  It is performed in indoor place activities like traditional sohbet meetings, minstrel gatherings, engagement, wedding ceremonies and festive events.
The knowledge, skills and techniques of craftsmanship and performance of the element are transmitted in an informal way within family members of craftspeople and mey performers through word of mouth, observation and participation.Traditional knowledge, skills and techniques, which are evolved through centuries also transmitted through master-apprentice relationship to the younger generations in mey ateliers.The element is transmitted by formal and non-formal way of education. In universities and high schools; traditional music conservatories, institutions and student music communities give lectures, courses and organise workshops

Geographical Location of the Element:

The element is mostly performed in eastern part of Turkey in the cities such as Kars, Erzurum, Bayburt, Erzincan, Artvin. However it was spreaded all parts of Turkey, in the cities such as İstanbul, Ankara, Manisa and Hatay, with the development of mass media, the increase in the number of institutions offering musical education, the growth of traditional music conservatories and professional groups or individual performers.

Related Group and Communities:

Mey performers are known as "Mey Çalgıcıları" (Mey Players), Manufacturers of mey known as "Mey Zaanatkarları" (Mey Craftspeople) and also by means of mey is consist of 3 parts which are ensured mastership seperately in "Gövde Yapımı Zanaatkarları" (Body Making Craftsmanspeople), "Kamış Yapımı Zanaatkarları" (Reed Making Craftsmanspeople) and "Kıskaç Yapımı Zanaatkarları" (Clip Making Craftsmanspeople) are related groups and communities of the element.

Safeguarding Plan for the Element:

A national action plan will be prepared with the participation of bearers, practitioners, groups and communities.

Safeguarding Measures Proposed

•   Ministry of Culture and Tourism in cooperation with Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) and related groups, communities and individuals will shoot documentary film.

•   Compiled oral expressions performed with mey, which are in the archive of Folk Culture Documentation and Information Center will be published in audio format in online music platforms, CD, LP etc.

•   An anthology book will be publish including mey playing methods, all the compilations lyrics, notes, knowledge and skills of mey crafting.

•   Workshops on mey craftmanship will be organised in all parts of the country gathering with old masters and young masters/apprentices.

•   Elective courses will be opened for traditional music conservatory students in universities.

•   In primary and high schools, gatherings will be organised by Ministry of Education in cooperation with Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Children and youth will meet mey performers and craftspeople in various activities.

List of Publications Related to the Element :

ATA KARAHASANOĞLU, Songül, “Mey Gövde ve Kamış Yapımı”, Folklor Edebiyat, Cilt: VIII, Sayı: XXXII, ss. 205-213.

ATA KARAHASANOĞLU, Songül, “Mey”, The Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments, Vol: 1, A-Cyndustries, Ed. Laurence Libin, Oxford University Press, 2014, s. 456.

ATA KARAHASANOĞLU, Songül, “The Rise of a Folk Instrument in Turkish Popular Music”, Made in Turkey Studies in Popular Music, ed. Ali C. Gedik, Taylor and Francis, 2018, ss. 193-206.

ATA KARAHASANOĞLU, Songül, SKOOD, Gabriel, “Innovative Neglect: Contextual Divergence and the Development of Mey in Turkey”, The Galpin Society Journal, LXIV, ss. 201-208.

ÇAKMAK, Gürkan, Nefesli Halk Çalgılarımızdan “Mey”in Enstrumantasyonu, Yayımlanmamış Yüksek Lisans Tezi, Haliç Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, İstanbul, 2006.

DOĞAN, Can, “Farklı Kültürlerde Mey Çalgısı ve İcracıları”, İnsan ve Toplum Bilimleri Araştırmaları Dergisi, 2009, 8 (2), ss. 1239-1260.

GÜLER, Adem, Mey Açışında Kullanılabilecek Ezgi Motifleri Örnekleri, Fırat Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, Yayımlanmamış Yüksek Lisans Tezi, Elazığ, 2015.

ŞAHİN, Hasan Hüseyin, “Mey Enstrümanının Yapısal ve Teknik Özelliklerine İlişkin Uzman Görüşleri”, Online Journal of Music Sciences, 2018, 3 (2), ss. 63-80.