JINHA

AMED - Mud tandoors, which have been made by women's labor, have become a cultural value in Kurdistan. Çiçek Ataş said that the process of making the tandoor is a job onerous. Çiçek stated that the bread cooked in the tandoors is healthier and more delicious.

Tandoor which is made of mud collected from waterfront is the source of living for some people and it is an extra job to provide their needs. Women shape the tandoors. Making tandoor is a job onerous. Women have to wake up early morning to make the tandoors. Women pointed out that the culture of tandoors is almost extinct. Çiçek Ataş is one of these women. Çiçek said that the bread cooked in the tandoors is healthier and more delicious. However, the people don't prefer the tandoor to live confortable. Çiçek said, "Houses were made of mud in the past. However, mud houses don't exist anymore. Mud houses are healthier. The bread cooked in the tandoors is healthier and more delicious.

"We begin to make tandoors with the coming of spring. The people collect mud from waterfront. We buy the mud from them. We add salt, straw and goat hair to the mud. We dry the mud by putting the mud under the sun. We begin to make the tandoors by damping the mud. We begin to make the tandoors in spring and end them in the autumn. I mean that we work four months each year. We sell our tandoor 100 lira or more. We sell two tandoors in a day or sometimes 20 in a day. We cannot sell them this year due to on going war in Kurdistan."

Çiçek began to make tandoors when she was 13 years old. She has continued to make the tandoors for 20 years. Çiçek said, "We start to work in the morning and continue until night. I have 12 children and make the tandoors for a living. I was forced to marry when I was 13 years old. I have made the tandoors since I was married. I don't remember when I got children and what I have lived until now.

"The people are fond of their comfort. Making the tandoors and cooking bread in tandoors are difficult. However, the tandoors are healthier."

(ea/dc/mg/gd)