Habibe Eren/ Duygu Erol

 

ANKARA - Burçak Tekin, who reflects her talent and creativity into the transparency of the glass in her shop located in Pilavoğlu Inn, reacts to the common view that glasswork is a "man's work". Burçak also defies the social gender roles by saying that "We are everywhere now!"

 

Historical Pilavoğlu Inn has stood in Altındağ county of Ankara since the 17th century. With its mudbrick walls and wooden structure, the Inn not only challenges the history but also it is very valuable for the women producers. Burçak owns a little shop in the Inn where the women work in cooperation and each shop has a different kind of production. Archeologist Burçak Tekin works as a glassworker in her shop that she opened after retirement. Glass working for 7 years, Burçak reflects her talent and creativity in to the transparency of the glass.

 

'People asked how I will dare'

 

The sign that says "We are creating, we exist" at the entrance of the Inn, indeed summarizes the stance of the women producers. Different from the other shops, in Burçak's shop she also has glass jewelries, glass trinkets and glass ornaments.  Burçak, who says that glass working is a highly tedious but a very delighting profession, talks about the process of her business by telling that a lot of people opposed against her when she first shared the idea of opening a shop with the people around her. "Because of the financial difficulties, lots of women can't attempt to open a business very easily. At first, people said 'How will you even dare to open a business in an economic environment like this?' No! Turkey was always like this and eventually if a woman has some savings she can be an entrepreneur. There will also be expenses if you stay at home. Here, at least we are producing.

 

'We don’t see each other as rivals.'

 

Stating that slowly people are starting to value hand work, Burçak says "Both foreign and domestic tourists especially visit to see the shops in here".  She says they are in solidarity with the women in the Inn and talks about their way of working as: "We never see the friends as rivals, there are so many things to cooperate. I'm working with the glass, another one works with wood, the other one designs jewelry... There are so many things to learn from each other."

 

"If I stayed at home, I couldn't have done these"

 

Using other accessories with glass while glass working, Burçak also combines silver with glass. Emphasizing the fact that glass working is a very challenging and a tedious occupation, Burçak explains that while making the glass, they shouldn’t be let to wait too long to avoid them from fracturing. Indicating that glass working has been seen as a "man's work", she defies the social gender roles by saying "We are everywhere now!" Finally, Burçak appealing to the women who doesn’t find the courage in themselves to be entrepreneurs says:

 

"There is nothing to be afraid of. Instead of staying at home doing chores, they can open a shop in a place like this and evaluate their efforts. Women shouldn’t be abstained about this. I’m so glad I had the courage; I wish I opened it before. Now everyone appreciates. At first my partner also questioned it but seeing my effort and persistence, he/she also started to support me. If I stayed at home, I couldn't have done these."