The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-06-16
Turkish Women and Weddings.

We find the following in letter from
correspondent in Turkey to the New
York Observer:
Young brides occupy the most servile
position in the house. Their hardest
masters, however, are not the "crueli
men, but the older women of the house
hold. Housekeeping requires but little
time, yet they are seldom idle. Sewing,
spinning, knitting, tending baby, COW,
and garden, are their chief occupations.
NIodesty is a cardinal virtue among
them. And they have their own meth
DDS of manifesting it. 1t is very i'm
proper, for young women especially, to
have the mouth or end of the nose visi-
BILE. These organs are therefore covered
with a gaily figured handkerchief, which
is also wrapped around the head and
neck.
When a man comes in sight, tue in
stiuctive motion of the hand is to the
nose, to see if the covering is in its
proper place, or to give it a pull up.
KoOrlish women don't trouble their
mouths and noses in this way. Turkish
women, in the presence of men, gener-
ally cover the whole face, having only
"loOk-out" for one eye There is also
the habit of dodging the face behind
things to avoid being seen, the motion
being that of one trying to shun blow
in the face, or a missile thrown at the
head. Many of the women have luxu-
RANT hair, of which they are very
proud; but to be caught with the head
uncovered and hair exposed to view, Oc-
casiOns a terrible shock, hasty scrab-
BILE for covering, or precipitate flight,
with a readiness to fall over or into any,
] . . l. l.
of them, for beauty's sake, paint their
cheeks red, their eyelids black, and
their hands yellow; and some are quite
! fair-loOking without these embellish-
ments.
| As a rule, the women are rigidly re-
| ligious; but their religion does not in
| terfere much with their daily walk and
conversation. Lying, stealing, and
swearing are the accomplishments most
| perfectly aud universally acquired.
! To their credit it may properly be
| said that for "manners" they are mod
els in some respects to many women of
more enlightened lands. They never
giggle nor laugh hOisterously in mixed
company, but uniformly preserve an air
of quiet, respectful reserve. Marriage
is an important item among the women
of Van. The special season for cOnjugal
unions is just before Lent, as during
that long fast no such ceremonies are al
| lowed among Christians. Marriages and
drums are inseparable. For weeks be-
fore the fast it is one incessaut drum
beat all over the city. A wedding lasts
three days and nights, and during all
that time, for each welded pair, some
poor drum-head must take it. The
drum is accompanied by kind of fife,
which makes a tremulous, squeaky
noise, not unlike the Scotch bagpipes.
This prolonged orchestral demonstra-
tion gives tone to the occasion, and also
marks time for the feet of all the mas
culines who, by the joy Of the occasion
or the wine, are melted to dance. The
prelude and details of Van wedding
are substantially the Oriental affairs so
often described, without moonlight
walks, soft words, perfumed notes, or
any such thing. 1t is simply a business
matter, celebrated in the church with
a long service and long candles, and at
the house of the husband with long
drumming.