The Turkish Culture and Turkish people

The Turks were originally a tribal and nomadic people coming from the area of mid-Central Asia living in tents and moving across the country with the seasons. It is said that this nomadic existence has created two fundamental typical features of Turkish culture: hospitality towards others and a sense of close family bonds.

Nomadic people often had to rely on the hospitality of strangers. This has left an impression on the Turkish people of one of excellent hospitality towards not only family, friends and neighbours, but also strangers. A foreigner might often find themselves eating with a Turkish family, sitting at the head of the family, and being treated with great respect. This is a warm and genuine offer. Turkish people are often inquisitive about foreign cultures but are largely respectful of all foreign cultures which again comes from their Turkish history and nomadic background.

The relationship and bond to the family is great in Turkish culture and a great deal of respect remains for the elders within a family or community. The family itself is a vital part of the average Turk’s daily life with the elders of often taking care of the young children. In turn, the children grow up and eventually take care of the elders. Financially and emotionally, the parents and grandparents within a family will support their children. When the children grow up, they become responsible in turn for the emotional and financial support of their parents and grandparents.

Turkey has a relatively high young population with over thirty percent of the people under the age of twenty-four years. In Turkish society, men are able to marry at the age of seventeen and women at the age of fifteen. The number of traditional religious marriages and modern civil marriages are roughly equal throughout the country.

The Turkish culture is that of an Islamic culture which means that the larger part of the country are practising Muslims although many aspects of the culture are non-practising or not influenced by religion, this is known as secular culture. Islamic culture is very different from many western cultures such as Britain and America, their laws are different and the Turkish people have a different view of life. This is a wonderful opportunity to experience and immerse you in an entirely new culture that is not based on Christianity.

Women have a very different part to play in Islamic Turkey’s culture. Women take part in the world inside their homes, whilst men mainly exist in the world outside of the home. Although in the cities many women are able to lead less restricted lives, in the countryside, particularly in agrarian areas, women are required to work the land and still remain ‘covered’.