Traditional handicrafts that are about to be forgotten are being brought back to society at Altınköy Open Air Museum. Craftsmen who come to Altınköy Open Air Museum from various provinces of Turkey come together with the people of Ankara to transfer the cultural past of Anatolia to the future. Tülay Genç, Silk Weaving State Artist and Cultural Heritage Bearer of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, living in Hatay, continues to heal her wounds with her art after the February 6 earthquake. “WE WANT TO REVIVE THIS CULTURAL HERITAGE FROM OUR ANCESTORS” Saying that he did not think of leaving his city even for a day after the earthquake, Genç stated that he decided to stay in Hatay, produce and get back on his feet. Saying, "I wanted to reawaken the silkworm," Genç comes to the Altınköy Open Air Museum in Altındağ twice a year and presents the silks woven with labor, dedication and patience to the people of Ankara. Tülay Genç also performs live to introduce visitors to thread drawing, an important stage of silk weaving. Tülay Genç, who has the title of "Intangible Cultural Heritage Carrier of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism", explained the journey of the silk cocoon from Hatay to Ankara to Altınköy Open Air Museum with the following words: "I live in Hatay. I was in the region when we experienced the big earthquake. It was as if the ground was separated from its place, it was a very scary night. I did not think of leaving Hatay for a day or going to other cities. Because we want to stand up again and return to our old days by producing in Hatay. After experiencing the earthquake on February 6, we never left the field. Despite this great disaster, I wanted to try to see if I could wake up and feed the silkworm. I woke up the silkworm on April 1, 2023 I started working at the Defne Cocoon House. After the earthquake, we continued our production with about 20 women. Cocoons are the symbol of rebirth. You keep them in a warm place and they wake up when they see heat. I wanted to wake up the eggs that were alive during the earthquake, and I fed them in April. The silkworm does not eat dusty, wet, stale leaves. Wherever there is a mulberry tree in Defne, we know where they are. We go to the banks of the Asi River, wash them and dry them one by one. In other words, it is quite difficult to maintain them... But we do all this with pleasure, we want to carry this cultural heritage from our ancestors to future generations and revive the hopes that were broken after the earthquake. In short, we want to get back on our feet by producing.” “VEYSEL TİRYAKİ VALUES ART AND ARTISTS VERY MUCH” Stating that Altındağ in Ankara, especially Altınköy Open Air Museum, has a very special place in her, Tülay Genç said, "Since I am an artist of the Ministry of Culture, our Altındağ Mayor, Mr. Veysel Tiryaki, invites me. We come here twice a year and exhibit our products. Artists from all over Turkey come to the art workshops in Altınköy on a rotating basis. Altındağ Mayor, Mr. Veysel Tiryaki, has been with us from the very beginning." Veysel President cares very much about art and artists. He asks questions about our work every day and tries to learn silkworm farming. This interest makes us very happy. We stay here when we open a stall in the art workshop, and staying around Altınköy feels like a holiday. Altındağ is like our brother... It welcomed us during the earthquake, it became our home, it became our shelter. That's why the capital Ankara and Altındağ hold a special place in my heart. "It is separate," he said. Tülay Genç invited everyone who wanted to get information about the silk cocoon's journey to hope, experience spinning the thread from the cocoon and see the beautiful silks up close, to Altınköy Open Air Museum.