Mesut Uz, a 70-year-old artisan from Gaziantep, has been crafting zurnas (a traditional Turkish woodwind instrument) using traditional methods for 60 years, keeping the profession alive.
Gaziantep, located in the southeastern region of Türkiye, is known for its rich cultural heritage and craftsmanship, and Mesut Uz is a key figure in preserving one of its oldest traditions.
For 60 years, Mesut Uz has been producing zurnas by hand in Gaziantep’s Copper Bazaar. He continues to do his work with passion. Despite advancing technology, he still prefers handcrafting the instruments.
With the arrival of summer, which marks the beginning of wedding season, Uz stated that he has started working intensively. He said that he produces an average of 10 zurnas per day, but he is unable to train an apprentice.
The master lamented the younger generation’s lack of interest in such crafts and mentioned the difficulty in finding an apprentice to continue the craft.
The zurnas, which have been bringing joy to events with their sound for years, continue to come to life in the hands of Mesut Uz.
Explaining the zurna-making process, Uz said, “Zurnas are made from apricot wood. The trunks of apricot trees are generally obtained from Malatya or nearby regions. We use trees that do not bear fruit or have dried up. These trees are usually dried for a couple of years.”
“After that, we start processing them to make zurnas. Once the wood is dried, it is shaped. After shaping, the upper part is removed and molded. Then the inside is hollowed out, turned, holes are drilled and the tunings are adjusted.”
“The head of the zurna is made from boxwood. We call this part the ‘nezik.’ We also prepare this separately. Finally, we attach the reeds or the parts we call ‘metem’ to the zurna. The musician brings this part, plays it, and checks the tuning. If there’s anything wrong or missing, we fix it here. Then, everyone returns to their hometowns and plays their zurnas.”
With the wedding season underway, demand has increased. Uz said, “The wedding season has started. However, there isn’t much demand in Gaziantep. I’m not really involved with the local market here.”
“We mostly get requests from cities like Adana, Istanbul, Ankara, Kayseri, Maraş, Göksun and Osmaniye. In fact, we have customers from many parts of Türkiye. This is because the Gaziantep zurna does not match the ones made elsewhere.”
“For example, in Istanbul, there is the stage zurna, but ours is for the halay (a traditional folk dance), and this style is rarely found outside of Gaziantep. As long as the halay continues, as long as the wedding lasts, the zurna will live on. But one day, if the drum disappears, the zurna will also disappear.”
Regarding zurna prices, Uz shared, “You can find zurnas for TL 5,000 ($131.40), TL 10,000 or even TL 15,000. The price depends on the craftsmanship, materials and details of the zurna.”