The country that interest me the most currently is Turkey. Officially know as the Republic of Turkey, it is a Eurasian country which has land in two different continents – Asia and Europe, with most of its land lying in Asia. Being separated into two parts of the world does make a difference in how Turkish people spend their lives.
Before I get started, let me give you a brief write up on the statistics of Turkey. The country approximately holds home to 77 million people. Out of these people, 70-75% is Turkish, 18% are Kurdish and the other minorities make up the rest. One of the most unique aspects of Turkey is that its population is predominantly Muslims in contrast to its neighboring countries in Europe which are orthodoxies and Christians. 99.8% of the country is Muslims (mostly Sunni). I believe that with both land in Europe and Asia, the country has definitely one of the most interesting cultures in the world. With deep historical background and variations of roots, the Turkish people lives have been shaped by both their ancestors from Asia and Europe.
With much research, I can group the cultures in a certain pattern- one being modern and the other being rural. Major cities such as Istanbul are located in Mediterranean Europe. These cities are largely urbanized with large amount of tourists visiting every year. Other areas such as rural towns and villages are entirely the opposites as compared to the major cities. These two groups of people have different ways of lives and standard of living.
Settlement
Let us take a look at the settlement of the country. We will group them into Villages and City before we get started on how each go about living their daily lives.
City
In Turkey, there are very few large cities which are located in the country. The most famous metropolitan city in the country is probably Istanbul. It is also the main central where the country source of income arrives from. Other major cities include Izmir, Adana, Bursa and of course the capital, Ankara which plays a significant role in the country’s economic well-being.
In these cities, people or grouped into social classes in which individuals interact with each other based on it (but this phenomenon is not so prominent).
Many locals who reside in the city hold occupational jobs ranging from doctors all the way to bus drivers. These occupations are recognizable more so in city areas as compared to the rural side of the country.
These city people behave much like how Europeans around the Mediterranean region live.
Ankara, one of the major cities and capital of Turkey.
Villages
According to statistics in “Enjoy Turkey”, large majority of the population (54%) resides in the rural areas. In these places, agriculture is the main source of income and it has shaped the residents way of life.
Most jobs are centered on farming where locals earn their income. Therefore, we can see that city people and villagers have very different lives.
A small village in Turkey.
Brief Culture of Turkey
With rich history comes rich culture. This is the case for Turkey. The Ottoman Empire strongly shaped and influenced the country it is today.
Location and Geography
Turkey has a large proportion of its land located in Asia Minor and some located in Mediterranean Europe. Its neighboring countries are Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Iran on the east; and on the south by Iraq, Syria, and the Mediterranean.
According to the website “EveryCulture” Turkey has 4454 miles of coastline. Its terrain includes mountains, hills and valleys.
writtern @3:24 AM
Culture of Turkey
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Culture of Turkey
Culture contains both tangibles and intangibles. Intangibles includes stuff like beliefs and practices while tangibles usually includes physical objects.
Tangibles
Landscape and Geology
Mountain ranges are very common in Turkey. The most famous mountains are the Taurus and Pontic ranges found in Anatolia. These mountains are geologically considered young. This can be proven by the active faulting and folding which indicates that the mountains are still actively building themselves.
With 80 percent of Turkey lying in a tectonic zone, the country is susceptible to frequent earthquakes. The country lies directly between three major inter-continental plates – the Anatolian, Eurasian and Arabian plates.
(Above: Mount Ararat)
(Pamukkale, limestones hot springs in Turkey)
Flora and Fauna
Turkey has a lot to offer for folks who enjoys nature. The country is filled with rich ecosystem and a wide variety of animals ranging from birds to larger mammals can be found. The eastern provinces of Turkey are home to many large animals such as bears, jackal and wolfs.
To add on, the country has recorded 11,000 species of plants and flowers. This makes Turkey a biologically diverse country. All these varieties are due to the variation of habitats – from arid plants all the way till mountains and even temperate woodlands.
While travelling from Europe down to Asia, many can notice the unspoiled countryside which has been set aside by the government as national parks.
Architecture
Back in the days, the Turks in central Asia lived in tents and sun-dried brick shelters. When some of them migrated to modern day Turkey, they brought along these architectural influences with them to construct their homes in Anatolia.
During olden times in Turkey (all the way back till when people traded in the silk route), buildings were constructed for purposes instead of splendor. The solid exterior on the external of the building gave no hints or indications of how the internal parts of the buildings would look like. Also, brick caravanserais were common amongst the people.
During the Ottoman period, Turkish architecture started to change. It had more aesthetic value added to the buildings both internally and externally. Splendid and impressive mosques, palaces, mausoleums, medreses, baths, covered bazaars and even fountains were built. These Ottoman architecture usually used more slender, curved and complicated forms as compared to ancient time Turkey. What is seen outside in the Ottoman architecture is reflected to what is seen internally in the building.
(Topkapi Palace, Istanbul, showcases the Ottoman Architecture)
98% of the Turkish population is Muslim. Many people in urbanized areas believe that religion is the choice of an individual and that the political party should not have a say in it. However, even saying this, the Islamic religion has definitely influence the way the Turks live their lives. For example, many Turkish boys circumcise themselves due to the Islamic traditions.
Superstitions
Be it modern or traditional, many Turks still believe in superstitions. Although it it not legally correct to do stuff like casting a spell, doing magic or given large “potions” to sick people, many Turks still turn to such practices when they are desperate.
Evil Eye
The most common and widely known belief in Turkey is the “Evil Eye”. It is typical for a human being to feel jealous or envious of someone who processes the qualities that are desired by an individual. Therefore, it is believed that such feelings provoked may cause harm to the person who is being envied. As a result, when someone property or good news is not being praised with the word “Masallah” (May God Preserve), which is a protective word, many people equip themselves with his blue bead in the shape of an eye to ward off the bad luck effect.
(Evil eye bead in Turkey)
writtern @11:07 PM
The traditions of the place
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
The traditions of the place
The household
During the Ottoman period, the household was vibrant and filled with a lot of people. Sons had to stay with their parents even after marriage. Not only that, each men could have up to four wives. However, this is not the case today.
With the Turkish Republic established in 1923, all these were aborted and changed. Men were only allowed a monogamous marriage and newly wed could have their own homes without living with their parents. Despite the changed system, crowded households are still prevalent especially in the villages. For example, Turkey has one of the highest birth rates in the world. In Eastern Anatolia, 60% of the population is under 20 years old!
Marriage
Since birth, parents have already prepared for the child’s weddings. Mothers keep aside bed linen, kitchen and bathroom towels and even pretty napkins for their daughters. Fathers on the other hand, start saving a little each month to throw a wedding party for their sons. The girl’s family of marriage provide for bedroom and kitchen while the boy’s side provide for furniture for sitting and dining rooms.
Although marriage tradition varies from region to region, the bridal gown is usually white, similar to that in the West. Similarly to most western practices, the bride wears her veil and takes it out only after marriage vows are exchanged. During old times, when marriage was usually arranged, it usually is the first time a man sees the face of his wife. Nowadays, this part of the marriage is only kept part and parcel of the ritual but the villages might still hold such practice.
During the registration ceremony, it is believed that whoever steps on their spouse foot first will be the domineering one in the marriage. Therefore, many couples usually have their concentration span on finding the foot of their spouse rather than what is happening on the table itself.
In traditional regions, pinning a bank note on the bridal’s outfit is a common practice. However, in urbanized areas, gifts usually come as an item for practical uses in the newly wed homes.
Positions in the household
The foot stepping winner or loser does not apply to this context. The wife, no matter what, has an upper hand in the house. Turkish women usually place high regards to her home. The wife is usually the one who knows where to get daily items such as excess matches, sack of potatoes or even her husband’s socks! It is very typical if a Turkish husband does not know how to set the table or wash the dishes.
To add on, the culture still places the idea that if the man helps the wife out at home, he cannot be considered a “manly man”. However, there are still women who show evidence of their superiority. In culture shock turkey!, a visitor once recounted a Turkish women saying “He messes everything up and I have to do the job again after him, so I might as well do it myself.”
The Elderly
Newly weds usually have their homes all to themselves till their parents become old. Even though some homes are provided for the elderly, it is not looked upon positively by society if children were to place their parents in there. Instead, most Turkish people rather take care of their parents themselves.
In turkey, there are little community schemes and activities organized for the old folks. Therefore, most of them stay at home to help out their children with light house chores and most importantly, to provide love and moral support for their grandchild.
Birth
When a Turkish woman is pregnant, photographs of attractive actors and actresses are usually placed around the room as they hold the belief that looking at attractive individuals would help them conceive an attractive baby.
Another common belief in Turkey is that within 40 days of the baby’s birth, he or she is vulnerable to evil forces. Therefore, the wife usually stays at home for the first 40 days with visitors coming to see her. Common presents such as gold coins, clothes and toys are usually given to the mother during these visits.
Circumcision
Circumcision is the most common religious ritual that all Turkish boys have to go through. Other religious practices attending Friday mosques, fasting or being kosher can be ignored, but an uncircumcised Turkish boy is never heard of.
During the ages between 5 to 15 years old, there is a turning point into manhood. This is symbolized by their circumcision. Usually this ritual is done during the seasons which are warmer such as spring or late summer so that it would be more comfortable for them.
(In picture: Circumcision outfit worn for the after circumcision party)
writtern @4:09 AM
The indigeneous people - The Turk
The indigenous people
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.
writtern @3:56 AM
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Turkish Language
Speakers of Turkish
(This map shows where Turkic people usually reside in, note that most of them are in Central Asia, Khazakstan, Uzbekistan etc.)
The Turkish language belongs to the Turkic language family. There is approximately 125 million of Turkic speakers around the world. 65 million of these people can be found in Turkey, while the rest of these speakers can usually be found in the central Asian region or other foreign land which Turkish people migrate to.
How wide spread and common this language family is actually no surprise if people can recall Turkish history. One important historical fact is that: the Turks were originally from Central Asia before they migrated to Today’s Turkey. This also explains to us of the existence of Turkic speakers in today’s central Asian region. These speakers are usually from Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Another important fact that we must take into consideration is that during the Ottoman period, its rule extended from Central Asia all the way till Europe and the Middle East. Therefore, many Turkic people eventually settled down in these countries and still retained their linguistic properties of speaking Turkish.
How to communicate with the Turks
(The video above shows a Turkish girl speaking English)
In larger cities, foreigners need not worry as there are a significant number of Turkish people who can speak English, French and German. With this, many Turks would be happy to practice their linguistic skills with these foreigners.
If your first language is English, it is common to be approached by a passerby for a chat as they are eager to practice English with you.
However, bear in mind that it is also useful to learn a little of their language as they will be delighted that you made an effort to communicate with them.
The Turkish Language
(The above video teaches you how to recite some basic turkish words)
Turkish, like Finnish and Hungarian is an agglutinative language. This means when other words are added to the main word, the meaning of the word is changed. Let’s take the word Bayrak (flag) as an example. When the word “tar” adds to it, it becomes “Bayraktar” which means flag bearer. From here let’s add the word “Ogul” meaning son, to get the combination of the word “Bayraktaroglu” which means “the son of a flag bearer”. Easy isn’t it?
One may think that this in some way is similar to English. Like, adding words such as “care” and “less” together to form “careless”. However, the difference is that, using the method of agglutination, you can form one single sentence with just one word only.
Lets take glemiyorlardi as an example.
(As stated in culture shock Turkey)
Breaking gel-m-iyor-lar-di into pieces we have this:
Gel verb stem for “to come”
mi particle for negation
iyor particle for progressive tense
lar particle for third person plural
di particle for past tense
When we put all these words together, we have the sentence “They were not coming”, all in just one word! Saves a lot of your breath dosen't it?
However, the language is relatively hard for an English speaker to learn. This is due to the difference in terms of word order. English uses the word order in a sentence with: Subject + Verb + Object. Turkish, on the other hand uses the order of: Subject + Object + Verb. For example in an English sentence: I (subject) wrote (verb) a letter (object).For Turkish, it is Ben (I) (subject) mektup (letter) (object) yazdum (wrote) (verb). Therefore, at the same time, translating English to Turkish and vice versa is way more difficult as compared to translating French to English due to the difference in sentence structure.
Writing in Turkish is similar to writing in English. This is due to the fact that the Turks changed their language system to the Latin alphabet in the year of 1923. However, it is noticed that the alphabets “W” and “X” do not exist in their alphabet system at all. The reason being that they believe these alphabets are not really required in their pronunciation of their language. Therefore, they pronounce the alphabet “X” as in “ks” like “Taksi” which is the English equivalent of Taxi.
The education in Turkey is starts when a child is 7 years old. Their primary education journey usually has a lifespan of eight years. Children aged 7 years old enter primary school and graduates to high school after the eight years. Next, they enter high school, also known as lycee (similar to the pronunciation of high school in French), where it takes eleven years before they can enter university.
State schools, also known as public school, usually lack some financial funds and have created some form of inconvenience towards the students. Private schools on the other hand, are said to provide better facilities and tuition for students. However, enrolling in such schools is pricey and has a limited in take of students. Despite these factors, private schools are high on demand and intake examinations must be held to screen test the eligibility of potential students.
Towards the end of high school, students have to take yet another examination to determine if they could enter the universities. As the entrance to the universities is also limited, students usually attend outside tuition after school hours to prepare themselves for such exams.
Istanbul University Campus
Robert College, a prestigious private high school in Turkey.
