Last week the first episode of The Repair Shop new series started, and viewers had the chance to watched a Turkish Cypriot farther and daughter duo visited the warehouse to have Mehmet’s Saz repaired.
Mehmet and his daughter Ozlem took in a treasured saz, a traditional Turkish instrument with a poignant history. Mehmet acquired the saz as a teenager, just before the eruption of tensions between the Greek and Turkish communities in Cyprus in the 1960s.
Despite the turmoil of the time, Mehmet found comfort in playing the saz, using its music to ease stress and provide moments of respite from the chaos of war. A constant companion throughout his life, the instrument followed Mehmet to his new life in England where it suffered damage, including a significant crack that threatens its integrity.
Expert luthier Julyan Wallis took on the task of repairing the saz, recognising the instrument’s significance to Mehmet and his family. With meticulous care and skill, Julyan sets about mending the crack and addressing other issues, including a broken friction peg, ensuring that the saz will continue to serve as a cherished memento for generations to come.
Mehmet said having the saz repaired was like being reunited with his ‘friend’ , while Ozlem hopes the repaired saz will help encourage her father who has arthritis to slow pick it up again.
The episode is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.