THE POSITION OF TURKISH WOMEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2318, 4 August 1898, Page 50

THE POSITION OF TURKISH WOMEN.

j Turki.vh houses are as a rule very extcn- ; sive, and often contain 20 or 30 more or less spacious halls and chambers, but very rarely dees one family alone inhabit an entire house. The father usually cedes a wing or a set of apartments to "each one of his j children on marriage, and often two or three ( brothers with their wives and families live j in one house, each one occupying a separate , part of it. A real Turkish residence is always divided into two distinct- portions, ! the one generally an exact but perhaps less , handsome copy of the othev — the first called | " Rehmltck," gentlemen's p:ut ; the set.ond j the- "Haremliuk," or ladies' part, j Tlipse two portions, although having a J distinct entrance and exit, communiLate imernnlly with each other. From the outside they appear rigorou>ly shut oft". This arrangement naturally involves the I need of a sd of servants of both sexes. The | ina«tor of the hou.se resides in the Selamlick. ( whcie he receives his callers and entertains j liis guests. The Inrern is occupied by the ; ladies, with their companions, maids^ and ' slaves. There the}' receive their friends and visitor*, but a stranger is not likely to get ■ aceci* to the harem. It is rigidly closed off. , The gates of the gardens and courtyards are , furnished with heavy chains, the doors are 1 cure fully baa-red, and the wiud.ytts covered j with a kind of wooden trellis-work (in Turkey called kafes) which the o\e cannot penetrate. Behind there latticed" windows i the average Turkish woman or servant is i content to sit in a crouching attitude, gazing i from morning till night on the garden, ' street, or water. A knock at the door of the harem causes the greatest peiturbation, for there seems to be no end of unchaining and unbarring of ! gates and doors. Often even before that a [ voice iti first heard from some to]) window demanding the business of the caller. Every newcomer is treated with the greatest ,ius- | picion by the dooikeeper (hapondji). This j post is generally held by a litllo wrinkled old vonian, entirely wrapped up in shrouds | and co\ers, so that, on opening the door ' .slightly, one perceives nothing but a hooked ! nose and a, pair oi penetrating eyes. If her j mistrust were at all roused she would slam ! tue door to at once. j The condition of these places depends j entirely upon the financial position of the j owner. I have seen vestibules of rich j pashas nio.-t mignlficcn!.!)' arranged with inlaid floors, marble slab? and staircases, aviaries, fountains, plants, etc., while the j entrances of poorer individuals were in a ■ filthy condition. The Turk decs not display great artistic taste i;i furnishing his [house. His love for bright colours prevails ! everywhere. His saloons arc generally a j copy of the French, in a less eieganb and j graceful degree. ■ J In the harem chairs are often dispensed ! with, and in their place aie hard and uricom- j fortable straight divans or mattresses spread t on the floor, on which the Turkish w^man ; j loves to crouch, smoking her cigarettes, and drinking her favourite black coffee. r ! he \ > value and beauty of Turkish carpets and Per- j ! sian rugs is sufficiently known. Here they j are not only used as floor coverings, but often j as a substitute for wali-papers. We, how- ; ever, would prefer our more simple paper- \ hangings. ! A Turkish woman's authority is limited j to the lmemlirk. There she naturally reigns J supreme, £'iid holds her sway without meet- . ing opposition. But no sooner does her | husband enter than her whole conduct I changes, and she becomes once more as sub- | ' missive as ever. On perceiving her hu&baud &ke immediately rise», and remains standing j until he is seated. His authority and j supremacy she recognises evcryn here. If , a princess in her own right be niaiiied to J a man of much lower degree, she will never i address him otherwise than " Effendim " My Lord— (Bey Effendi or Pallia Effendi). At meals, too, she would never sit down j herself before he had taken his place. '1 ho j place of honour at the head of the table is j his. She occupies the seat to his right hand, unless any older relative is present, j for whom she has to make room. He is always the first to get served, and even his j wife will wait upon him at table and compete with the servants to satisfy his wants, i | A Turkish dinner cont-l&ts of numerous j ' dishes, which are each handed ivuikl sepa- I ralely, and ala Russe. Cicuorally the meal : commences with olives, then soup, one or ! more kinds of iith, beurek (a kind of light puff pastry filled with cheese), entrees, meat (boiled or roast), two or three vegnLiblc, poultry, pilaw (a dish of rice, vdiich is ; always served at the end of every va&A), sweets, pastry, and dessert. The plates arc carefully changed after each course. j Only' in the" better class houses are table . linen and dinner napkins known, or knives and forks used. I have often lunched cr dined at places v»here were ladies from the country who probably had never made ti-e of knife or fork, fur they took their food with j theL- hands only. The hostess, however, j would never, by word or look, shew the \ slightest displeasure or contempb. Indeed, j the conduct of a Turkish lady toward strangers or guests is perfect, and even wo civilised Europeans could take many a lesson from her in this retpect. Before and after a meal all are obliged to wash their hands at a marble fountain or tap, generally builb in the dining room. Servants stand ready at either side with embroidered towels, and often this ablution is finished with a sprinkling of roscwater. The Turk, generally, in the morning only takes his little " nutshell " with strong black coffee, and looks upon our substantial early repast as most barbaric. A very amusing scene for a stranger to witness is when the ladies of the harem are seated with their guests or callers, and the husband, entirely ignorant of the presence of these fair visitors, suddenly enters the harem. The confusion then caused is indescribable. Everyone seizes the nearest object — a tablecloth, antimacassar, curtain, etc. — and covers her face with it. Some time ago I called upon a distinguished Turkish lady. As she had just risen \

from the midday meal lunch was served to me in an adjoining room. Suddenly the two young Circassian slaves who waited upon me disappeared under tho table, dishes as "nell. The cause of this alarm was an inno-cent-looking lad who entered; probably by mistake, with a letter for the Selanilick. This fear of the opposite se:c is" not so much the result of the icligious customs as of tho cruelty of the mistress, who, if she knew that her slave had dared to exhii7,t her face to a man, would severely puni&h her with slick or -fillip. The condition of Tmkisli female servants is most deplorable. — Constantinople'correspondent of Modern .Society.)