TURKEY
Turkey
Welcoming Spring
Hıdrellez Feast
Hıdrellez is one of the seasonal holidays celebrated in the Turkish world. The day of Hıdırellez, called Ruz-ı Hızır (the day of Hızır), is celebrated as the day Hızır and İlyas met on earth.
HIDIRELLEZ TRADITIONS
The people resort to various remedies in Hıdrallez, where the nature is awakened when the winter ends, in order to reach peace and make various wishes. The people of Anatolia prefer to wear white clothes and go to the green and watery countryside before sunrise and have fun. Celebrations are held in greenery, wooded areas, on the water's edge, next to a shrine or yacht. For this reason, such places are called Hıdırlık.
The green places considered to be visited by Hızır are gathered flowers, games are played, and the first lamb of spring is cut and eaten. If the collected flowers are boiled and drunk, you will be good for diseases; It is believed that a person who washes with this water for forty days will become younger and more beautiful.
Slaughtering lamb for "Khidr Hakkı" is a general custom seen everywhere the Khidr tradition is spread. A separate ceremony is held in Diyarbakır under the name of Cigaret. There is a belief that by eating this fresh lamb of spring, bodies will gain health and vitality.
On the eve of Khidr's day, food containers, warehouses and money bags are left open because of the rumor that Khidr's hand is full of things that touch. Those who want a house, vineyard or garden can make a small model of what they want anywhere; Those who want gold and similar jewelry believe that they can get their wishes by wearing the tree leaves on their arms or necks.
In some parts of Anatolia, it is customary to give alms, fast and sacrifice so that the prayers and requests made on the Day of Hıdrellez are accepted. Sacrifices and offerings should be for the "right of Hızır" because all these preparations are aimed at meeting Hızır.
Khidr bat
In some places, there is the Khidr Stick tradition, which is believed to be a cure for diseases and pains. It is believed that if this stick is hit on painful places, the pain will pass.
Baht opening ceremonies
In Hıdrellez, baht opening ceremonies are quite common. Young girls and women who want to open fortune and fortune are asked to throw their belongings such as rings and earrings into the pot, and water is added to the pot and its mouth is closed. The closed pot is kept under a rosewood overnight. The next day, the women gathered together and began to uncover the pot and take out the objects, accompanied by mani. This ceremony is called "making a fortune" in Istanbul and its surroundings, "happy" in Denizli and its surroundings, "mantıfar" in Yörük and Turkmen, "throwing a ring to the mountain" in Balıkesir and its surroundings, "making intentions" in Edirne and its surroundings, "drawing mania" in Erzurum.
Yogurt brewing tradition
In Yörük villages in the Tavsanli district of Kütahya, yoghurt yeast for one year is obtained from Hıdırellez and dew grains collected from the plants in nature during the period between the morning prayer and dawn during the 2 days following this day.
Yogurt is made without adding yeast in Trabzon-Şalpazarı District. A wooden spoon is put into the milk at the temperature of fermenting, with besmala. The yeast obtained in this way is used for one year and replaced again the next year.
HOW TO WISH HIDIRELLEZ NIGHT?
On Thursday, May 5, the time of evening adhan is the time to make wishes on the rose tree. Coins are hung on the rose branches. (In the past, money was sewn into the pouch and buried under the rose.) Or an open wallet is left. Wishes can be written and hung on a piece of paper or drawn under the rose tree in shape. Those who want a house can draw a picture of a car who wants a car. You can create this with small stones or with soil.
The money and wishes hung on the evening of Hıdırellez are collected back early on Friday morning, May 6, 2016. The money is put in the wallet and it is not spent during the year. Hıdırellez money does not show a person scarcity and lack of money during that year.
Yogurt is made without adding yeast in Trabzon-Şalpazarı District. A wooden spoon is put into the milk at the temperature of fermenting, with besmala. The yeast obtained in this way is used for one year and replaced again the next year.
NEVRUZ FEAST
HISTORY AND MEANING OF NEVRUZ
The tradition of Nevruz dates back to the days just before the end of the last Ice Age in history, that is, 15,000 years ago. The legendary Persian King Jamshid represents the Indo-Persians' transition from hunting to animal husbandry and settled life. In those times, the seasons were more vital to the life of human beings than they are today, and everything related to life was closely related to the four seasons. The spring that came after a difficult winter meant mother nature awakening from her sleep with flowers, greening plants and the calving of cattle, a great opportunity and the revival of abundance for human beings. It is said that at such a time it was King Cemşid who started these Nevruz celebrations.
WHAT IS NEVRUZ? WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
Another Nevruz came, heralding the arrival of spring. Nevruz will be celebrated with enthusiasm in many countries. In some countries, Nevruz means new year in a sense. What are the historical origins of Nevruz, which is celebrated as the dates come when winter will be withdrawn and the effects of spring will be fully manifested? Why is Nevruz celebrated in which countries? Here are the details ...
First mentioned in written form in Persian sources in the 2nd century, Nevruz represents the first day of the year according to the Iranian and Bahai calendars. In today's Iran, it is celebrated as a festivity, although it does not have an Islamic origin. Some communities celebrate this holiday on March 21, while others celebrate on March 22 or 23, representing the start of spring in the Northern hemisphere. It is also a holy day for Zoroastrianism, as well as for Bahais, and is celebrated as a holiday. It is believed that the Newroz holiday is based on the Legend of the Blacksmith Kawa in Kurdish and Iranian mythology. It is also celebrated in the Anatolian and Central Asian Turkic peoples, in the sense of the Göktürks leaving Ergenekon and as the arrival of spring.
In 2010, the United Nations General Assembly declared this Persian origin festival, which has been celebrated for 3000 years, as the World Nevruz Festival. The United Nations Spiritual Heritage Preservation Board, which convened between 28 September and 2 October 2009 in Abu Dhabi, included the Neuro in the World Intangible Heritage List. Starting from 2010, the United Nations General Assembly recognizes March 21st as the "World Nevruz Day".
NAME ORIGIN OF NEVRUZ
The original of the word comes from the old Persian: nava, meaning new, and daylight / day combined. It means "new day / daylight" and is still used in the same meaning in today's Persian (nev: new + ruz: day; meaning "new day")
The words Ruz (Persian), Roç (Beluç), Roc (Zazaki), Roz (Sorani) or Roj (Kurmanji), which means Day in Iranian languages, come from the Proto-Iranian "Rauch". This is based on the root * Leuk-, which means Light in the old Indo-European language. From the oldest form, Luç in Russian, Licht in German, Leukos in Greek, Lux in Latin, Light in English and Luy in Armenian were also formed. In Proto-Iranian a little sound delay like in Russian has emerged and also the sound L 'has changed to 'R.
In the language of Avesta, which is the old Iranian language, it was essentially Light in the time of Raôçah. Rochish is used in the old Indian-arian language (the language group existing in North India today).
Records with the term Nevruz for the first time in history, M.S. These are the records of the Persian Empire in the 2nd century, but there is information that different nations living under the Persian Empire much earlier (around 648 and 330 BC) brought gifts to the Persian Shah on Nevruz day.
WHERE IS NEVRUZ CELEBRATED?
Nevruz is also celebrated in other Turkish states and communities. Among these, it is known as Novruz in Azerbaijan, Nawrız in Kazakhstan, Nooruz in Kyrgyzstan, March nine in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as Navrez in Crimean Turks, and Mevris in Western Thrace Turks.
Its spelling in Persian is Nouruz. Celebrated as Navrız meyrami in Kazakhstan, a Turkish-origin state, Nevruz is called Sultan Nevruz in Albania.
Nevruz traditions in Turkey
Burying a letter of wish at the bottom of a rose seedling is another very common belief about Nevruz in Anatolia. Whatever the person wishes in the letter of wish; children, brides, cars, houses, money, etc., are thrown into the water by drawing pictures or writing what they want to happen, or they are secretly buried at the bottom of the rose. It is believed that these desired wishes will come true with heart cleansing. In Nevruz, known as "Mart Yarn" in Toras Turkmens in the Mersin-Silifke region, cloth is tied to the trees, climbed to the plateaus, lambs or goats are cut and distributed to the guests. Among Tahtacı Turkmens, on the other hand, cemeteries are visited by going to the plateaus with the belief that "the mountains will receive guests after March 9". Sultan Navruz in Gaziantep and its surroundings is a beautiful girl and migrates from west to east in the night that connects March 21 to March 22, according to another belief, she is a dervish flying in the form of a bird. Young boys and girls gathered in a house around Kars and send a little boy to get water. The child brings a bucket of water without speaking or looking back. Many colored threads and needles are thrown into the bucket.
It is believed that the owners of threads and needles that merge with each other will marry each other. Around Tunceli, on Nevruz day, men rub their foreheads and go to water resources. It is believed that the wishes of those who wash these lands with spring water will be accepted. In the entertainment called Sultan Nevruz in Edirne, old mats are burned and jumped over, saying "March in, fleas out". In Giresun, the water brought from the surrounding rivers is sprinkled on the animals by getting up early in the morning on Nevruz.
What about Easter?
Although the majority of Turkish citizens are Muslim, there are around 200,000- 320,000 Orthodox Christian citizens in Turkey. There are also 398 active churches. Although the Muslim citizens do not celebrate easter, there are some bakeries in Turkey which sell sweet yeast breat called "Paskalya Coregi" meaning Easter Scone. Muslims also buy and eat it, but they do not celebrate Easter.
In some major cities like Istanbul, Izmir, Ankara and Antalya, the Easter is slowly being popular but not in a religious sense. The international stores also design the face of their store with an Easter theme. Moreover, Christians in Turkey celebrate easter, they have rabbits with baskets, painted eggs, special breads.
Some restaurants in Turkey also offer special dinners in Easter. You can also find special Easter candies in patisseries in Turkey.
Resources: Nevruz nedir? Nevruz Bayramı ne zaman, nerede ve neden kutlanır? - Son dakika haberleri (sozcu.com.tr) , Nevruz gelenekleri, rivayetleri, yemekleri...Nevruza dair herşey (gidahatti.com)