The indigeneous people - The Turk
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
The indigenous people
The Turks
The Turks
The original people of Turkey were the Turks. Their ancestry can be traced back to Central Asia, where Islam was their religion. Despite this, the Turks have been trying to modernize themselves for the pass 200 years, using Western Europe as a role model.
During the modernization of the country by Ataturk, the civil and penal code was changed to be similar to that of Switzerland. The education system was restructured to model that of the French ones. Although traditions were abolished partially and replaced with certain European aspects to a degree, there were no legal restrictions or laws to forbid people from wearing traditional clothing or changing their traditional furniture home styles. However, European fashion became such a huge hit in the country that many people in Turkey came to accept it and changed according to European standards in terms of Fashion and Furniture.
Today, many Turks consider themselves both Europeans and Asians at the same time, like the geography and location of their country, which is also placed strategically in both Europe and Asia.
However, most Turks today are contented with their present situation where it adds color to their lives and daily rituals. They have embraced both oriental and western culture which can be seen even in their homes. For example, in most city homes in turkey, there are two types of toilet; the western one and the Asian one. Western represented by the typical bowl which we can sit on comfortably and oriental meaning the “squat toilet”. (In the picture: Famous Turkish singer, Tarkan)
Characteristics
It may be rude to generalize or stereotype a whole population based on their race. However, let’s face it; people from certain countries might share the same characteristics with one another. Like how most Singaporeans can be “Kiasu”, most Turks can also share the same common principles be it from rural or urban Turkey.
Patriotism
Most Turks in Turkey are very patriotic. Many children in school start of the day with chanting like: “I am a Turk, I am correct and hardworking. I am ready to sacrifice my existence for the existence of Turkey.”
Such feelings are common to find amongst the Turks and are created by clever leaders. As a result, many Turks hold their country’s flag with high regards. Therefore, they cannot really understand when other countries commercialize their flags by featuring it on bags, water bottles and other merchandises. (In the picture: Turks singing the national anthem)
Pride and Prejudice
The Turks are self-opinionated and are very competitive. Therefore, working in a team seems to be a difficult task for them. Turks take pride in being appreciated for their efforts and works. Therefore, any ridicule is taken as an offence and embarrassment for them. For example, when an English speaker and 2 Turks get together, the 2 Turks will mainly speak in Turkish as they would not like to be made fun of if they made any mistakes in English.
The Stare
The Turks have a habit of staring. Be it they are amazed, they find you intriguing or they like you, they will stare. This differentiates them from European where Turks cannot understand why European can roam down the streets without looking at each other and rather look at billboards and advertisements.
Men and Women – The differences
In Turkey, there is an emphasis placed on gender. The emphasis is placed on terms such as “a womanly woman” and “a manly man”. However, it is slowly changing into today’s modern world. The characteristics of a womanly woman are being an introverted, quiet and shy but yet a good housewife. There is no obligation of wearing a traditional headscarf but suggestive, skimpy clothing are definitely a no-no! Her position in society is to be a good wife which has a strong sense of family.
A “manly man” is categorized as someone who is courageous, loud and does not hesitate to be involved in something he believes in. He cannot really reveal his emotions and has the typical stereotype that he smokes and drinks a lot.
However, as most woman are well educated in the urbanized areas, women nowadays are emerging themselves in society were being a “womanly woman” is not a necessary. For example, the comic section of a Turkish newspaper once reported “Good girls go to Paradise, but bad girls go anywhere they like.” Despite the changes, the “manly man” is still placed highly in society.
