Turkish woman honored for reviving Hatay’s rare yellow silk

HATAY

A Turkish woman who dedicated her life to saving one of Anatolia’s rarest silk traditions has been honored with the country’s highest cultural distinction, the “Living Human Treasure” award, from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Emel Duman, 59, received the award for her tireless efforts to revive and preserve “Hatay Sarısı,” an endangered rellow silk produced by a native silkworm breed unique to Türkiye’s southern Hatay province.

Living in the rural Bozlu neighborhood of Yayladağı district, Duman learned sericulture from her grandmother and has spent decades passing the craft on to future generations.

Her work took on renewed urgency after the devastating earthquakes of February 2023, which destroyed her home in the Defne district and wiped out 95 percent of her silkworm eggs.

Despite the loss, she managed to protect the remaining stock and gradually rebuild the population, ensuring the survival of the rare breed.

Hatay Sarısı is one of the only three geographically registered local silkworm breeds in Türkiye and is considered endemic.

While 97 percent of global silk production comes from white cocoon, yellow cocoons account for just three percent worldwide, making Hatay Sarısı exceptionally rare.

Production had effectively disappeared after state incentives were withdrawn in the 1970s, and the breed was long believed to be extinct.

Duman spent seven years searching across Katay before rediscovering the silkworms in the care of an elderly man who had kept them out of compassion rather than commercial interest.

Working alongside scientific experts and with the support of Hatay Governor’s Office, she helped secure a geographical indication for Hatay Sarısı.

From cocoon to fabric, the process remains entirely handmade and labor-intensive.

The silk is transformed into yarn and woven into scarves, shawls, textiles and accessories prized for their quality and authenticity. Prices range from approximately 1,500 to 10,000 Turkish Liras (around $35 – $230).

For Duman, the award is recognition not only of personal perseverance, but of a cultural legacy rescued from oblivion.