ABA

It is known that Aba weaving was widely practiced everywhere in the Ottoman period. It was woven in Gönen, Kepsut, Balya, İvrindi, and Dursunbey districts of Balıkesir province, Aydın, Kırklareli, Kutahya-Simav, Gaziantep, Afyonkarahisar, Amasya, Antalya, Bilecik-Bozuyuk, Çorum, Erzincan, Mersin-Mut, İstanbul, Konya-Bozkır, Mardin, and Şanlıurfa. Aba has been the symbol of dervishes and poverty in Sufism. During the Ottoman period, devshirme children were dressed in red aba clothes. It is known that aba weaving was widespread in İstanbul. Evliya Çelebi wrote that in the middle of the 17th century, there were 300 aba shops in İstanbul and 700 masters and apprentices worked there. In the population and settlement book numbered 1237 of the Prime Ministry Ottoman Archives, it was recorded that there was a “Balıkesir Abahane” registered to the Karasi shire. Especially Balıkesir Aba was woven on order to be used in the uniforms of the soldiers of Asâkir-i Mansûri Muhammediye Ottoman army established during the reign of Sultan Mahmud II. Aba wrestling, which has been going on for a long time, still continues in Gaziantep and Hatay. Aba is a thick fabric woven in plain weave using less twisted wool material warps and less twisted wool or mohair wefts. After it is woven, the fabric is crushed and felted with the help of water and pressure. It is used in winter and summer for being impervious to heat and humidity, and it does not restrict movements because it is loose and softer than felt and it fits the body. Abas have no patterns. Aba is woven with natural brown wool color, natural black wool color, and red threads. Gipon, salta (a type of short jacket), vest, robe, shalwar, pants, slippers, mest (a type of soft shoes), and raincoat are made from it. Today, the last representatives of Aba weaving are the aba weavers in Balıkesir-Gonen-Kocapınar village. However, they cannot weave because they cannot find enough and suitable materials.