The Last Papaq Maker in Sheki

An Azerbaijani saying has it that “a man is not a man without his papaq” - without his hat that is. In Azerbaijan the papaq - traditionally made of lamb or karakul’s fur - is not simply just headgear, but rather a symbol of honor and dignity, though in the digital age the traditional hat has slowly lost its significance. And so the craft of making them has been fading. Aqil Karimov is one of the handful of hat-makers left and he is determined to keep the tradition alive. Link to the article: http://bit.ly/2ggJv4G Author: Sheyda Allahverdiyeva http://bit.ly/2gDrZIp