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CULTURE
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It is always impossible to picture all the many aspects in such a large country. We have chosen just some that we hope interest you and perhaps make you want to find out more yourselves. |
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Turkey has been called "the cradle of civilization" and by travelling through this historic land, tourists will discover exactly what is meant by this phrase. The first city ever settled in the world with comparatively modern organizational systems such as agriculture, animal husbandry, and trading, was a Neolithic city Catalhoyuk, in central Turkey, dating back to 6,500 BC. From the days of Catalhöyük up to the present, Turkey boasts a rich culture that through the centuries has made a lasting impression on modern civilization. The legacy of all those admirable cultures make Turkey a paradise of information and cultural wealth. Hattis, Hittites, Carians, Lelegians Phrygians, Urartians, Lycians, Lydians, Ionians, Persians, Macedonians, Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks, and Ottomans have all made important contributions to Anatolian history, and ancient sites and ruins scattered throughout the country give proof of each civilization's unique distinction. When you travel by car, within half an hour you can meet to an ancient city, remaining from those civilizations. Even in the ancient times, this fascinating country was respected by those ancient people, therefore it has been called as ANATOLIA, which means in ancient Greek, ''The lands, where the sun rises from '' as many vital initial ideas came into existence from her fertile lap. No doubt, people always have been proud of breathing on this amazing peninsula, combining different cultures, customs and traditions, and she, once again started to offer her hospitality to new cultures & people, by introducing a new law permitting foreigners to buy houses, who deserve to meet her affectionate and fertile lands. Turkey also has a very fascinating recent history. Upon the decline of the Ottoman Empire, a young man named Mustafa Kemal, who was a soldier by occupation but in character, a great visionary, took the defeat of World War I and turned it into a shining victory by liberating Turkey from all foreign invaders. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk founded the Republic of Turkey on October 29, 1923. He led his country into peace and stability, with tremendous economic growth and complete, modernization. Through decades of change and growth, Turkey still boasts this success, living by its adopted motto of "Peace at Home, Peace in the World." RELIGION 99% of the population is muslim, but the country is governed by laik (parallel to european laws). Though people have great respect for their religion it is not a strict one. They are free to follow it as they want, and live their life in the manner they choose, it is more like a tradition. For instance even religious festivals like Ramadan, though not all people fast they visit and partake in other traditions that go along with it and in their own way celebrate the festival. Islam has been estabished on 5 fundamental principles which are : 1- There is no deity save God ( Allah ) and Muhammed is his servant and his Appostle. 2- Prayers ( Salavat ). Prayers are considered the pillar of religion and are most superior of all types of worship. A Muslim must perform prayers 5 times a day. Morning (sunrise), noon, afternoon, sunset and night. The Muezzin will call people to pray at these times. Before entering a Mosque (Cami) shoes are removed and ritual washing is carried out. Firstly your hands, than mouth, nose, face, right arm than left, head, ears, neck than the right and left foot. Prayers are carried out facing towards Mecca. If you unable to attend the Mosque the prayers can be said anywhere but always facing towards Mecca. Women also attend the Mosque but they are set apart from the men usually upstairs or seperated by a curtain. Their heads must be covered and only hands, feet exposed. 3- Fasting is self-denial of eating and drinking from dawn to sunset for one lunar month of Ramadan (Ramazan). It is done to show self-discipline of the body and to remind themselves of the people lees fortunate. To ensure you eat before dawn men will patrol the streets pounding a large drum to wake you up.At the end of Ramadan known as Sugar Holiday,sweets are given out,like our Easter celebration. 4- Legal Alms ( Zakat ). It is the duty of every Muslim to give annually to the poor a percentage of his wealth. 5- Pilgrimage ( Hadj ). Is for every adult, wise, strong and rich to go to Mecca once in his life. Poor or unwell people are not obliged to go. TURKISH PEOPLE Towars the end of the eleventh century the Turanian people (now known as the Turkish) migrated from the Central Asia westwards into Asia Minor. They invaded the country the Turks imposed there religion, Islam and the Turkish language upon the Romans and Christians who resided here before them. The Turkish people obey old laws and customs, forgotten in the busy world of western Europe. They are a hospitable, generous race who take care of their elders. They have a warm and friendly nature and have a genuine want to do everything they can to assist you. They are also a very proud, respectful race and will take offence if yuo smear the name of their past leader Atatürk, or Turkey and its inhabitants. You may find yourself being addressed as "abi"(brother), "Abla" (sister), "Amca" (uncle), or "Teyze" (aunt), please do not take offence, this is a mark of respect. If you visit a Turkish home you will be asked to remove your shoes. Shaking hands and a kiss on either side of the cheek is customary. When an older person enters the room it is normal to stand as a sign of respect. It is still a practise in Turkey for men to be conscripted for military service. TURKEY TODAY It is a lot different to that of 50 years ago. After the election, Ataturk brought about many changes, he abolished all Persian and Arabic words, changed the alphabet to that of the Latin scripts. Islam was declared a religion and a not lifestyle, hence the fez was banned and women had the freedom to dress as they wished. Although Turkey possesses relics from the 12th to 16th Centuries, you will notice an abundance of school children and young people everywhere, these are regarded as Turkey's future. They benefit from a superb education which is equivalent to that of European countries. Turkey has been enjoying an 'Industrial Revolution', so to speak, with highways being built businesses thriving and lucrative tourist resorts springing up in every corner. Perhaps, though, one thing remains the same and that is the people themselves. Although the media and movies, like 'Midnight Express' portrey a rather poor image of Turkish people, you will find that this is not so. The most outstanding feature you will probably notice is their genuine friendliness and eagerness to get to know all foreigners they have the ability to never forget a face and their hospitality can never be faulted. So, whether you are visiting the Mosque or a Turkish home, you will always be made to feel welcome. Turkish women are a source of great interest to westerners - many have imagines of them dressed in black shrouds who spend their days cooking, claning and generally skiving for their husbands and sons. How wrong can we be, however, as poligamy is now illegal in Turkey, hence women enjoy a normal married life and whilst they may not have the upper hand, they have come a long way from the times of their grandmothers. You will also find Turkish women out enjoying themselves and working as doctors, nurses, lawyers and journalists.
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TURKISH CARPETS
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Carpet weaving has long traditions in Turkey. Turkish carpets are of excellent quality and design and are rivalled only by Persian carpets. This page will look at the carpet weaving tradition among the peoples of Turkey and Central Asia: how the carpets are made, what determines their value, and some of the historical and cultural context within which this folk art has blossomed. Carpets have traditionally been produced throughout Turkey, Persia and the Central Asian regions of Turkestan and the Caucasus. Carpets are usually so unique that the tribe, region and village of origin can be identified without much trouble. The designs, colors, and overall quality of the carpets can be very different. Likewise, there are clear differences of function, design and quality between tribal, village and production center carpets. A distinction needs to be made between a carpet and a kilim. Although both are handmade, the latter is flat woven rather than knotted, relatively smaller and much more likely to be used in a variety of functions in the home.
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Marco Polo noted the fine quality of Turkish carpets in his writings in 1271. A large number of Turkish and Persian carpets were being sent to Europe as early as the 16th century. The increased trade relations with Europe and the strong western orientation of some of the Ottoman emperors clearly influenced some production and designs. Still, carpet weaving has been around a very long time and is an established tradition in the fabric of life in the carpet producing areas of Turkey, Persia, Turkestan and the Caucasus. The 1949 discovery of the Pazryk carpets established that carpet weaving has existed in the area at least since the 4th century BC. Historically, the Turks moved to present day Anatolia from Central Asia, their carpet weaving traditions following them westward to Turkey and Persia, where they ultimately reached their highest expression. Similarly, influences from the Far East reached Europe primarily through Constantinople, which was the gateway to Europe as well being the final stop in the so called Silk Route, the long trade route that ran from China through Central Asia to Anatolia.
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The steps for weaving a carpet are written below:
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