The philosophy of craft Interview Aydamir Patokov

Master class of мasters of folk crafts Aydamir Patokov

"The philosophy of craft is simple. Everyone is able to learn it. But the main thing is a desire!"

Aydamir Patokov is master of folk arts and crafts (musical folk instruments, Circassian saddle); member of the Artistic and expert council on folk arts under the Ministry of culture of the Republic of Adyghea, founder of the Association of masters of folk arts and crafts of Adyghea.

- Folk arts and crafts are difficult or easy? What does it need to learn them? How did you become a Master yourself?

A. P.: Everything happens when the time comes. If you are not ready to start any movement, so it doesn’t happen. And if you are ready, it gets fast. Since my childhood, I’ve dreamed to make, to do something with my hands. It seemed to me the man should be able to do all.  As I grew up, I understood, talking, communicating with people, I could learn a lot. When I met Zamudin Guchev, I said: "I will begin to play shychepshyn not soon, but I am interested in its manufacture". And I began to make it. At first, I produced a small instrument, I still keep it. Then I found one pear tree and I’ve sawed off it a few days along per 10 cm, then I made one real shychepshyn which I offered to my great friend.
Then I learned how to do phachich - ratchets, ane - tripod table, kushe - cradle. I quickly made them. I saw, repeated and asked how details would be disposed. And when I learned all characteristics I corrected the made items. That means I looked how other masters did it, and then I found my own approach. In the end, Zamudin Guchev said to me: "You do well this and that. And now try to produce uane– saddle!" Then I answered to him: "Saddles are interesting. I will try to do them". And I began to manufacture the Circassian saddle.
It isn’t ashamed when we study and cannot to do, it's shameful when you don't want to learn. Without desire all seems difficult and heavy. And when we have a desire, we will learn everything, we will find all. We’ll find people who will show us and tell how to do it. And if they don’t show, it means they have nothing to share. A true Master, Master with a capital letter, always talks, always shares the secrets of his craft and he does it with heart.
After I started to try manufacturing Circassian saddles, I decided to address to other masters. At the time, there was a master Kasey from Hodz. But I visited him in inconvenient time, and I had to go to another master in Adyghekhabl in Karachay-Cherkessia. I observed him and made one saddle.  However, that wasn't insufficient,; all I saw wasn't incomplete for me. And the time, only two or three days were not enough, but I could not to pay more time in this moment.
Then they advised me to go to the most famous master Vyacheslav Mastafov living in Nalchik in Kabardino-Balkaria. When I came to him and asked what I need for learning his craft, he simply replied: "Nothing. If you want to do it, so do it!" At the time, I was genuinely surprised of this answer. That time, masters didn’t share their crafts with reluctance, and this eminent master so quickly agreed. So, my brother Asker and I became his apprentices.
In Nalchik, my brother and I, we’ve stayed for three weeks. And during that time, Vyacheslav Mastafov has showed all to us. Asker learned to sew padding (seat cushion), and I manufactured a tree (wooden base of the saddle). We didn’t spend this time in vain; we managed to make a lot of things. Well, we already learned the rest themselves gradually, we found our own approach and even we determined our own hand manner. I must say Mastafov was a strict mentor; he didn't like to talk in vain. If we asked him concrete questions about the craft, he specifically and directly answered.
Circassian saddlers had each their own hand manner in manufacturing of saddles, but they kept the traditions. Vyacheslav explained all the nuances and showed us all that was inherent to the Circassian saddle. The main thing is for making a wooden base, it is necessary to know horse constitution and its dimensions. But in general, if we consider all elements of our saddle, its height, width, hardness of material, if we take into account all that is necessary for it, we can conclude: in the past the Circassian craftsmen brought the Circassian saddle to perfection.
This was my way. But everyone has his own path. It seems to become Master is difficult. You need to work hard and to stop never learning secrets of the craft. Although, in fact, it isn’t difficult if you want with all your heart, if it cares you, if it likes you. In our life, we can learn all. We only need to try and have a desire.

- Is it necessary to know history and traditions of the people for making Adyghe folk art and crafts?
A. P.: Certainly. Without that, we will not do anything in traditional art. It is necessary to study literature, to consult with our elders, to learn by experience. But now you can see a lot of traditional items in the National museum, ask its experts who have read many books about it and continue to study new entries.
For me, it’s better to communicate with experienced craftsmen, those who make saddles and those who use them. This also relates to manufacturing of musical instruments, ane (tripod table), kushe (cradle) and other household items. So, speaking, communicating even at the household level, we learn a lot from each other. And no matter how we talk about the greatness of our people, about our ancient religion and unique culture, it’s impossible not to take into account the daily life which the Circassians led in the past. That is so-called our "household space" which shows our way of thinking, rationalism and esthetics of our people. One way or another, but all is connected with our way of life. Manufacturing a simple thing, a household item, we begin to understand with time the lost.

- In the ancient times, the Circassians considered the craft prestigious. How about today? Is it considered now honorable?
A. P.: As I have already said, first of all, we must take in consideration the desire of the person. If he has a desire, if he works and learns, then he becomes a master with time. Today, we live easier: we work for money and we live with it. And in the past it was not so much money, our ancestors wanted or not wanted, but they were lived making all themselves at homes with their own hands. The Circassians had in each family needlewomen who were doing a lot of things: they embroidered in gold, sewed clothing, wove haberdashery netting. In every family, the man was a carpenter and could make furniture, household items, cradle, tripod table and chairs to use, rarely for sale. Of course, there were masters – smiths and saddlers, known throughout the neighborhood. They've been talked and highly appreciated.
Today, there are shops and markets where we can buy with money everything, from a wooden bowl to a national suit. And therefore in our days only enthusiasts are doing crafts, not by necessity but by desire or even by vocation. And the craftsman who better and skillfully makes, he is a master. Why does it engage all today in folk art and crafts demanding a lot of time if they can buy everything with money? Why do they spend a precious time if everything is already available? They need only money. Thus, we have today a few masters, and traditional objects made with ancient technologies are expensive. But the people buy them and keep them as relics.
Sure, today there is no need for everyone to do simply so folk crafts. But they still have their own philosophy, their own strength. To become craftsman, you need to learn to listen masters, to understand that you're doing. Today. It’s important to preserve the ancient technologies, standards of folk culture objects and even to study scientifically and to describe in detail. Of course, this is for those who have such desire.
All Circassian had a lot of use. For example, there is our ane – tripod table.  No one people has the culture like ours. We have to admit the Adyghe table or ane is unique with its height and order of serving dishes. It has its own thoughtful philosophy. If we follow the rules at the Adyghe table, it will become clear. There is the same thing with kushe, Adyghe cradle, and lapetet, buskins. It also is related to weapons: dagger, sword, and to national clothing, belts. All the Adyghe cultural treasure has its own use, its own philosophy. But today there are few those who know about it, and a little of those who ask such questions.

- What are the peculiarities of life and work of contemporary craftsmen in Adyghea?
A. P.: In our time, learning of folk arts and crafts became available. And this is a great achievement! Today, we have in Adygea masters who teach gold embroidery, sewing of national clothes, woodwork and even blacksmithing. There are master classes for beginners; experienced craftswomen organize embroidery and sewing courses. There quite often are exhibitions of masters of folk arts and crafts both in Adyghea and in other cities of Russia.
In my opinion, if you work every day, you have any difficulties. But, first of all, it’s a desire. And if you have fast earnings as a main goal, your work will be more difficult.  But if you make crafts with desire, you will work with pleasure and you accordingly will earn.

- At the end of last year it was declared the Association of masters of folk arts and crafts would be created in Adyghea. What is it created for? And how does it help new and young masters?
A. P.:  The Association, as a structure, will help masters of folk arts and crafts to consolidate, to act and to work together, to exchange experience, to communicate more with each other. And one of the main tasks of the Association will be to share with people the basics of crafts, to attract their interest in that we, masters, are doing. In addition, it is difficult for one to understand everything, and the Association let us to increase our opportunities, to take into account contemporary methods of promotion, marketing and management. It will be possible to work with the public support.
The Association activity will include exchanges of experiences, advises and master classes of known masters to young beginners. The Association will allow us to create our own space. It will open the way to develop for masters. This concerns solution of economic and judicial issues. Some local artisans are old and need support, communication and even help. It is assumed the Association will support them, give them different opportunities. What will happen farther? The time will show!

- What's your master’s credo? What is you main principle in work?
A.P.: For myself. I took as a credo or work main principle, first of all, to try not to cut down trees. In fact, when we cut down a tree, we suffer, we scold yourself. For example, the boxtree of which I make phachich, ratchets. I have never cut down myself boxtrees that our ancestors considered sacred. But if I learned someone had such material, I acquired it. To make ratchets requires a wood with a diameter of 20 cm. And when I look at its slice, I saw it counts over 150 years. And there I make a few plates of it. Is this good? Does this cost it? Thus, I refused to cut down myrself or pay for the felling of trees, especially rare and relict. The tree has grown during one century and a half; so we let it continue to grow. But if a tree was broken or snatched because of bad weather, then I don’t refuse it. Sometimes the customer brings  material to me in the workshop.
For manufacturing of shychepshyn, I used Circassian walnut. Where do I take it? Sometimes, someone cuts down a tree, I come up and ask for a part of it, I promise to remove it myself. The place of branching of the trunk is suitable for making of pommel of saddle. I take a lot of material for myself from those who are producing furniture. I buy it and work with it. But to cut down the tree... Never! This is my principle. For trees of  pear, apple, apricot, I also try not to cut down them. However, if the term of tree has come, or they are going to cut down them, only in this condition I can take it.
They say the tree has a soul. But everything has the soul. Certainly, I don't talk with trees. Many people believe it mystical. But what does "talking with a tree" mean? It means to understand it. So, when I make a tree for saddle or shychepshyn, the structure of wood dictates its rules of treatment. I have to change somewhere a direction of the cutter, to strengthen somewhere the pressure, and to bypass somewhere the knot. Then I start to feel a nature of the material. In my opinion, this is a dialogue of the master with the wood.

- And the last. What advices and recommendations would you give to the young as an experienced master?

A.P:  First: if you decide to make the craft, do not delay, start quickly! If you begin quickly, you will soon do the real work. Second: it need to work more! To make it at once means only to learn that it is. But to do it ten times is to understand nature of craft. So the old masters said to me: "Make the first dozen items, and there you can understand something". Therefore, for start you need to make this first dozen. No matter what a smart lecture you listen, no matter what detailed information you read, without your hands, without manual work, nothing will get in your head, there will be no complete understanding.
I relatively quickly made my first saddle. And two months ago, I began to do my second saddle. So, in this time I start to ask myself a lot of questions. How did I make it the first time? How did I choose the material? How did I approach to that? Barely remembering, I already have done in my own risk. And it so happened I made the second saddle with more difficulty than the first. Therefore, first of all, it is necessary to work, constantly improve your skills. You have to make with a desire, and making to learn!
When you have understanding in your head, when you make deliberately, then you receive skills. But there are masters who don’t work for years, and then after some time they quickly make it. Thus, third: the mastery comes with a deep understanding, and it comes with a constant work. Sure, you don’t become a master with only one desire. And if you do without understanding, you will have any success. So, the boy is able to make once, without understanding, just repeating after the master. But after some time, he will not remember how to do it, because he repeated mechanically, and he didn’t understand anything. However, when you get to the essence, when you have understanding, everything already is making smoothly and in complex.
Every craft has its own philosophy. We have to know, to understand and to find our approach. We have to take into account forms, to understand why and for what. And for this purpose we have to study history of our people, to understand their rational thinking and to discover their art view of simple household items, and also to communicate constantly with the masters knowing traditions in the crafts. If we take examples of "ane "or" kushe", all Adyghe cultural objects were thoughtfully and esthetically made and had their functions. But it is very difficult to make them without understanding. For me, mastery in craft means an understanding of the philosophy of my people!

- Many thanks!

The interview is written by Fatima Teuchezh
Photo of Kazbek Kodzheshau

Maykop, Adyghea, Februar 2018