SOME TURKISH WOMEN

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 146, 17 December 1927, Page 16

SOME TURKISH WOMEN

THEIR FIRST BALL

Konia, the/ ancient Asiatic town of winding alleys, minarets, mosques, and (until recently) dancing dervishes, was to become modern by the Turkish Gov eminent's order. And as the first step towards westernisation, and complete modernity, the city must hold a balL

Easy to order, but not so easy to obey (writes Grace Ellison in the '' London Daily Mail"). The people of Konia not merely did not dance; most of them had never seen a city where ballroom dancing was permitted. And so. as a first step, everything and every one, connected with a ball, from the dressmaker and coiffeur to the music and fancy bread, had to be brought from Constantinople.

But at last the difficulties were overcome. Thanks to a generous response to an appeal for cushions, carpets, flags, and almond blossom, an ugly suite of rooms in a primitive hotel was converted into an oriental garden; the lights were brilliant; many of the women made their dresses themselves from designs in the fashion magazine; and friends acted as hair cutters.

But on the day of the ball, despite this lead, many women had not the courage to show themselves, except with high necks, sleeves, and turbans. Others dared not separate themselves from their fur coats, and still others refused to dance except with their husbands. How interesting it was to see these women arrive with their prejudices and drop them one by one for ever I But of all the ball arrangements that which most interested me was crossexamination by a high Government official of all those husbands who came without their wives. "Where is your wife?" "She is tired," was the answer. "I saw her with you this afternoon The young officer would have been dismissed had not his superior known the real reason —that the wife had no evening dress. The reason for the interrogation was that many men were quite willing to attend the ball and leave their wives at home. This selfishness was discouraged. When my friend and I arrived at the ball the women were all in one room, the harem, and'the men in another, the solamlik. They themselves had taken their places guided by the customs of the past. They spoke in" whispers, loked uncomfortable, and waited . . . The military band began to play. Chilliness, shyness, self-consciousness, all vanished; there was only one desire —to keep back the daylight which was the signal for the ball to finish. The last time I stayed with my friend tho customs of the country denied even her, the Grand Vizier's daughter, the privilege of making the acquaintance of our Ambassador.

"Now," she said, "all the terrible restrictions of bygone days have gone. Our great ruler has given us our right to our share in life. Can you wonder that we venerate him?"