AHLAT BASTONU SÜSLEMELERİ VE AHLAT BASTON USTASI ' REFA USTA

The handcrafts in Anatolia have become historical documents which reflect to the sensitivity of societies, religious beliefs, community relations and lives and turned into an art object. One of our handicrafts is a traditional bastonculuk. The cane (walking stick) was made early as a tool providing support for stand and walk of sick and the elderly people, but then gain a different dimension with the sense of adornment in the soul of the Turks. one of the most important places of bastonculuk art is Ahlat where town of Bitlis city. The aim of this research is to examine Ahlat cane (walking stick) and construction stages which also trying to maintain its presence today, motif ornament features used in Ahlat canes and to introduce Refa craftsman who is one of the last representatives of Ahlat cane masters. For this purpose, the cane masters in Ahlat district were interviewed, previously published written-visual resources were obtained, photographs of the product samples obtained as a result of field research and visual footprints until the construction of canes Ahlat cane production is still made although four workshops and the workshop of Refa craftsman is that of these workshops, which are at the most active production stage. The craftsman who contributed Geographical signs and domestic and foreign production of Ahlat canes has been included his life pasted with cane and also it is included in our study for young people who can gratify this profession.