Culture and society of Turkey

The culture of Turkey is a unique combination of traditions and modern trends, due to its strategic location at the intersection of Europe and Asia. The country is rich in historical heritage that dates back to the times of ancient civilizations such as the Hittite Kingdom, Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. Modern Turkey embodies the traditions and worldview of various peoples such as Kurds, Circassians, Arabs, Tatars, Greeks and Albanians. This community of cultures gives the country a special depth, dynamism and uniqueness.

Greetings play an important role in social interaction in Turkey.

• Men who are strangers to each other tend to resort to a more formal handshake. If there are friendly or family relations between Turkish men, then when they meet, they usually exchange kisses on the cheek and hugs.
• There are special rules of etiquette regarding women in Turkey. It is customary to greet women from afar, avoiding close and even more physical contact. According to local customs, if a woman extends her hand to a man when greeting or getting to know him, this can be interpreted as a woman's willingness to get to know him more closely.
• Men should also not sit next to a woman in public places and transport if there are empty seats around. Women, in turn, should take places only next to other women.

The commitment of Turkish residents to respect the norms of local etiquette extends to foreign visitors to the country. Tourists unfamiliar with traditional norms often find themselves in awkward situations.

Caring for people and maintaining warm relations with them is an integral feature of the Turkish way of life. This also applies to relations with neighbors. There is even a Turkish proverb: "You will not be able to sleep peacefully if your neighbor is starving."

If one of the neighbors is sick, it is necessary to bring him a bowl of hot homemade soup. To inquire about his health simply by phone is considered extremely rude. It is also impolite to return empty dishes. In response to any treat, before returning the dishes, it is customary to put something from your food in it.

People in Turkey are distinguished by their sincere love and tenderness for children. Treating or even hugging someone else's child on the street is considered completely normal and natural. As for landscaping, children's playgrounds are equipped everywhere, and in local cafes and restaurants you will always find a special children's menu and high chairs for kids.  

Stray animals are also treated with great love and care in the country. In parks and on the streets of the city, you can find a large number of drinkers and feeders, as well as feeding machines that give food to cats and dogs in exchange for plastic bottles.

Hospitality is the hallmark of Turkish society. The locals are famous for their warm and responsive attitude towards visitors. They strive to make the meeting unforgettable by showing sincere interest and doing everything possible to make the guests feel at home. To refuse an invitation to visit in Turkey is considered unethical, it may be perceived as disrespect or even an insult. Therefore, it is necessary to have a weighty, valid reason for refusal.

In Turkish culture, even the shortest visit lasts at least two hours. When entering a Turkish house, shoes should be left at the entrance, you can wear replaceable guest shoes offered by the owners. Meetings are invariably accompanied by friendly conversations and an abundance of treats, which the hosts are happy to offer to guests. If the visit is delayed, you will certainly be offered to stay the night.

During the meal, according to tradition, a large common plate with food is placed on a low table, and the hosts and their guests sit around on comfortable pillows. According to tradition and religious customs, food should be served in turn with the right hand or with a common spoon. Food should be consumed slowly. Special praise for the hosts is if the guest has finished everything on the plate. During a conversation, a conversation at the table can only begin with the permission of the owner of the house. The participation of guests in table songs and dances is welcome and is an integral part of a joint meal.

If you are invited to a restaurant, the bill is paid by the person who made the invitations to you. As a thank you, you can make a gift or send joint photos from the meeting, but it's better to do it at another convenient time.

Turkish national cuisine is one of the most diverse and well-known in the world, combining Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Anatolian culinary traditions. From juicy kebabs and fragrant meze to exquisite baklava and refreshing ayran, the national dishes of Turkey demonstrate the richness of tastes and culinary skills of this country.

Traditional Turkish feasts are characterized by an abundance of dishes and drinks. Locals are happy to gather in large companies - with family, friends or neighbors, talk for a long time and slowly enjoy treats.

Turkish breakfast usually consists of a varied set of snacks (meze), including: olives, cheeses, sausages, local omelets, fresh pastries, jam or honey. An integral element of the Turkish breakfast is fragrant Turkish tea, which is served almost everywhere.

Lunch traditionally starts quite late, when all family members gather at the table. Dinner often becomes an occasion for inviting guests, and in this case the time of the meal is negotiated in advance.

Among the most popular dishes it is worth noting: dolma, lentil soup, Turkish salad “Piyaz”, pilaf with hamsa “Hamsi pilav”, Turkish pizza “Lahmakun”, “Imam bayaldy” or halves of stuffed eggplant, “Balyk ekmek” - a bun with fried fish resembling a hot dog, stuffed mussels “Mussel dolma.”

The list of traditional Turkish drinks includes: chilled fermented milk drink Ayran, traditional Turkish coffee, Sorbet or Salep - a soft drink based on flour from yarrow tubers and milk, sweet refreshing drink Şıra based on unfermented grape juice, aniseed vodka Raki - a popular alcoholic drink in Turkey.

To truly understand the Turkish culture and mentality of this people, it is worth diving into the world of Turkish folk dances. There are about 4,000 types of dances in Turkey, which are performed at various festive events, during national and religious holidays.

Each Turkish district is famous for its special traditional type of dance. For example, the traditional dance of Central and Southern Anatolia is Halay, Zeybek can be found in the Aegean region and Western Anatolia, Horon - in the Black Sea, Bar - in Eastern Anatolia, and Trakia is famous for a dance called Hora.

The dances reflect both everyday life and the stories of heroism and love imprinted in the national memory. Dances imitating the movements of birds and animals are very common, which adds another layer of depth and expressiveness to this rich dance tradition.

Modern methods of parenting in Turkey differ significantly from traditional approaches. If earlier sons received more educational opportunities, while it was considered sufficient for girls to finish primary school in order to later marry and devote themselves to a family, then in modern Turkey parents try to provide their sons and daughters with equal access to education.

Despite the changes, some of the traditional features of parenting have been preserved. For example, until the age of 12, boys are raised by their mother, and then their upbringing passes into the hands of the men of the family. The girls remain under the care of their mother until marriage.

In traditional Turkish society, preschool education is often carried out in the family, under the supervision of a mother or close relatives. Children are not always sent to kindergarten. Children go to primary school at 5.5 years old, and parents can be fined for failing to show up without a valid reason.

In Turkish schools, students do not write test papers and do not answer at the blackboard. There are no diaries in the usual sense. Knowledge is tested with the help of test tasks, and in order to move to the next class, you need to score a certain number of points.

Turkey has official public holidays, as well as many traditional folk festivals and festivals.

Holidays are important for the cultural life of Turkey, being an integral part of its national identity. They reflect both the secular and religious traditions of the country.

Traditionally, Turkey celebrates the main public holidays: New Year, Sovereignty and Children's Day, Labor and Solidarity Day, Youth and Sports Day, Victory Day and Republic Day.

Along with them, traditional folk holidays are also widely celebrated in Turkey, such as: “Eid al-Fitr” - the feast of thanksgiving, “Eid al-Adha” - the feast of sacrifice, as well as the equally important holiday “Novruz" - the ancient Persian-Turkic New Year, marking the arrival of spring.

The culture and way of life in Turkey are distinguished by an amazing combination of Islamic, national and European elements, which makes it a unique example of regional cultural integration.