Rites and Ceremonies

Current Practices During Pregnancy

2008-12-31T07:51:00.000-08:00

It is somewhat interesting to see some practices still followed in Anatolia. Here are some I have found. A pregnant woman,

cannot look at a bear, monkey or camel;
do not eat fish, rabbit, trotter;
do not chew gum;
do not attend to a funeral and look at a corpse;
do not eat in secret.

And following are recommended to pregnant women:

watching the moon in admiration;
looking at beautiful people;
sniffing roses;
eating quinces, apples, plums and grapes.

Signs of Fertility in Women

2008-12-19T03:37:00.000-08:00

We continue to follow Meltem E. Santur's research on traditions of Hatay Turkmens. Although increasingly rare, following are still used by midwives of the Turkmen villages in Hatay. Women with,

thin blood vessels (Hidirbey, Paslikaya),
hard belly (Karsu),
ovarian veins not working (Paslikaya),
hard (Kuzuculu), higher (Paslikaya), narrow (Paslikaya), small (Senkoy) or contracted (Senkoy) uterus

are considered potentially infertile or will have difficulties in getting pregnant.

We can summarize the signs of fertility in women as,

curved veins (Hidirbey),
low uterus (Hıdirbey ),
swollen uterus when sick, caught cold (Hidirbey, Paslikaya, Senkoy),
entrance of uterus is closed (Karatas),
high uterus (Kuzuculu),
tangled veins (Kuzuculu),
uterus turns[1] (Paslikaya),
smoke[2] veins touching uterus, as such that if husband or wife smokes, pregnancy will not occur (Senkoy).

[1] Do not ask, I do not know.
[2] pure superstition

Pre Birth Ceremonies of Hatay Turcomans

2008-12-18T13:27:00.000-08:00

Change is the only constant and this is especially true for social life and culture. Many traditions slowly but surely evolve, change or die a slow death. Some, especially in closed communities, are more resilient than others.

In her research (for Ministry of Culture, 14-30 Jun 1999), Meltem E. Santur has noted her findings about traditions related to pre birth (before or after conception) among Turcoman[1] villages in the city of Hatay. The city was founded by Seleucus, one of Alexander's generals. With a recorded history of 2300 years, it was governed by Persians, Sassanids, Romans, Abbasids, Aksids, Selchuks, Mamluks and Ottomans. Turcomans settled in Hatay during the reign of Selchuks.

According to Turcomans, child is a prerequisite to marriage[2]. It is a mark of a healthy sexual life and proof of male fertility. When asked, few claim boys are preferred over girls but almost all ceremonies are geared to having a boy:

When the bride is getting of the vehicle (Hidirbey, Paslikaya, Yeditepe villages) about to step into her new home (Karatas, Kuzuculu, Terzihuyuk), she is given a a baby boy to carry with her[3].
A boy is placed inside the bride's bed, to play some time (Karsu, Paslıkaya).
On Supha Day (the virginity of the bride is celebrated, among women only), a midwife or a pregnant woman becomes the bridesmaid (Hidirbey).
Again on Supha Day, bride's veil is rolled by a cihld with a rolling pin (Hidirbey, Karatas).

[1]Turcomans, Turkmens: I am using the term loosely.
[2]I am aware of the peculiarity of the phrase but there really is no other way to describe how closely children are associated with marriage among the subject group.
[3]So much for romanticism :-)

Image: Ulku Ozel Akagunduz

A Warning

2008-12-17T11:17:00.000-08:00

This blog is an area where I post the materials I have collected on and off the net for various research projects. It keeps me organized and it might help a fellow researcher. The articles are written with the hope that they will be useful and in the worst case, to record a dying cultural practice. So, let me emphasize:

This site is about sociology and culture.
It is NOT an alternative medicine or similar site.
The rites, ceremonies, cures etc are here for their cultural value.
Some of them are definitely dangerous for you to follow.
If you have a health related problem or anything, your best option is seeing a doctor proper.