Turkish Traditions...
Folk Traditions...
Folk music, the lively Turkish folk music, which originated on the steppes of Asia, is in comple te contrast to the
refined Turkish classical music of the Ottoman court. Until recently, folk music was not written down, and the traditions
have been kept alive by the "asiklar" (troubadours). Distinct from the folk music is the Ottoman military music, now
performed by the "mehter takimi" (Janissary Band) in Istanbul, which originated in Central Asia, and is played with
kettle drums, clarinets, cymbals, and bells.
The mystical music of the Whirling Dervishes ("Mevleviler") is dominated by the haunting sound of the reed pipe or "ney",
and can be heard in Konya during the Mevlana Festival in December.
Not Christian or Jew or Muslim, not Hindu, Buddhist, Sufi, or Zen. Not any religion or cultural system.
I am not from the East or the West, not out of the ocean or up from the ground, not natural or ethereal, not
composed of elements at all.
I do not exist, am not an entity in this world or the next, did not descend from Adam and Eve or any origin story.
My place is placeless, a trace of the traceless. Neither body or soul.
I belong to the beloved, have seen the two worlds as one and that one call to and know, first, last, outer, inner, only
that breath breathing human being.
Mevlana Jelauddin RUMI...
Folk dances each region in Türkiye has its own special folk dance and costume, and the best known of these are listed
below.
( a ) "Horon" : This Black Sea dance is performed by men only, dressed in black with silver trimmings. The dancers link
arms and quiver to the vibrations of the "kemence" (a primitive kind of violin).
( b ) "Kasik Oyunu" : The Spoon Dance is performed from Konya to Silifke and consists of gaily dressed male and female
dancers clicking out the dance rhythm with a pair of wooden spoons in each hand.
( c ) "Kilic Kalkan" : The Sword and Shield Dance of Bursa represents the ottoman conquest of the city. It is performed
by men only, dressed in early Ottoman battle dress, who dance to the sound of clashing swords and shields, without
music.
( d ) "Zeybek" : In this Aegean dance, colourfully dressed male dancers, called "efe", symbolize courage and
heroism.
Folk Heroes...
( a ) Nasrettin Hoca : A 13 th century humorist and sage from Aksehir. His witticisms are known throughout
Türkiye and are often used to make a point.
( b ) Karagöz : Another jester, said to have lived in Bursa in the 14 th century and now immortalized as
a shadow puppet. Karagöz is a rough man of the people, who uses his ribald wit to get the better of his pompous friend,
Hacivat. The puppets are made from gaily painted, translucent animal skin and are projected onto a white screen.
( c ) Yunus Emre : The 13 th century philosoper poet is one of Türkiye's national treasures. His basic
theme was universal love, friendship, brotherliness and divine justice. His simplistic and pure writing brings out
a deep meaning to his readers and although he lived over 700 years ago his work is still timely and thought
provoking.
A poet from Yunus Emre ;
Knowledge is to understand
To understand who you are.
If you know not who you are
What's the use of learning ?
The aim in learning is
To understand God's Truth.
Because without knowledge
It is wasted hard labour.
Do not say : I know it all,
I am obedient to my God.
If you know not who God is
That is sheer idle talk.
Twenty-eight syllables
You read from end to end.
You name the first "alpha"
What can it possibly mean ?
Yunus Emre says also
Let me receive what I need.
The best possible thing
Is to find perfect peace.
Yunus Emre ( 1238 - 1320 )
( Translated by Taner Baybars )
( d ) Köroglu : A 15 th century folk poet, Köroglu was a role model for his contemporaries and a hero of his
time. His adventures have been recounted for centuries with prestige and vigor and perhaps now with more interest than
ever. Köroglu was one of the first people to pioneer the ideal of unconditional help for the poor and down trodden. He
was also a great warrior against the confines of government control and harassment.
Traditional Sports...
( a ) Yagli Güres : "Grease wrestling" is the Turkish national sport and every year, in July, wrestling championships are
held in Kirkpinar, outside Edirne. The contest is made more difficult by the fact that the wrestlers smear themselves with
oil.
( b ) Cirit Oyunu : The "javelin game" of daredevil horsemanship is a sport where wooden javelins are thrown at horsemen
of the opposing team to gain points. The game is played mainly in Eastern Türkiye.
( c ) Also, in Selcuk, in the Aegean Region you can watch camel fights (in January), and at Artvin Kafkasor a different
sort of bullfight (in June).
Popular Customs...
Hospitality is one of the cornerstones of the Turkish way of life. Following Koranic tenets and his naturally friendly
instincts, the Turk is a most gracious and generous host. Even the poorest peasant feels bound to honour his guest
("misafir") in the best possible manner. Hospitality is taken to such lengths that a foreigner often feels he is suffering
from an overdose of it after being plied with food and drinks for hours and being unable to refuse anything lest he hurt
his host's feelings. In addition to ensuring his guest's material well being, the Turk makes every effort to converse, no
matter what linguistic barriers might exist. While most middle class urban dwelling Turks speak at least one European
language, even the uneducated bravely struggle to make themselves understood, and with remarkable success.
Turkish coffee houses even the smallest Turkish village has its coffee house or "kahvehane" where men can talk, sip
coffee, and play the national game of backgammon ("tavla").
In Istanbul especially, men can still be seen smoking their hubble bubble pipes ("nargile") in these coffee houses.
Turkish baths owing to the emphasis placed on cleanliness in Turkish society, there have been public bath houses ("hamam")
in Türkiye since medieval times. There are separate baths for men and women, or, when there is only one bath house in the
town, different days or times of day are allocated to men and women. After entering the "hamam" and leaving one's clothes
in a cubicle, one proceeds, wrapped in a towel ("pestemal") to the "gobektasi", a large heated stone where one perspires
and is rubbed down by a bath attendant. If the heat proves too much, one can retire to a cooler room for a while. This
method of bathing is most refreshing and many of the old marble baths are very interesting, architecturally.
Turkish Cuisine, Eating Out...
Would someone come to Türkiye just to eat out ? Yes, he would. Turkish food is famous throughout the world. The
painstaking preparation of the simple, but fresh ingredients brings out the richness of their flavours in a way that
never fails to delight. The range is enormous, from a number of soups to an astonishing variety of meze (hors d'oeuvre),
followed by meat and fish dishes. Then pause awhile to contemplate the famous Turkish sweets and pastries before finishing
with a Turkish coffee. All Turkish food is prepared from fresh ingredients. The country produces a wide variety of fruits
and vegetables, and being surrounded on three sides by sea, the range of fish to be found is also considerable.
Among alcoholic drinks are the light Turkish beer, excellent wines, and the national drink, "raki" (an anisette), which
clouds when water is added giving it the popular name of "lion's milk". The drinking of raki is a rite in itself, and it
is traditionally accompanied by a variety of "meze" (hors d'oeuvre). Along with the world famous Turkish coffee. Wherever
you go, coffee or tea will be offered to you. Bottled drinking water and mineral water are easily found everywhere. Tap
water is drinkable. Especially in the big cities like Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir, you can also find restaurants which
feature Chinese, Russian, Japanese, Korean, French, Swiss, German and Italian cuisines.
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