Most people here celebrate Ramazan, which the month of fasting (dawn-to-sunset) for Muslims. At the end of Ramazan is a three day-long national holiday called Şeker Bayramı ("bayram of sweets") or Ramazan Bayramı. Schools and government offices are closed during these days, as well as most businesses. It is traditional to wear new outfits during bayram, so parents buy new clothes for their children and the week before is a huge shopping week for people here. Right before bayram, most women are busy cleaning their homes for guests to arrive that week.
The first day of bayram, many people go to the mosque for a special bayram prayer. Families dress up and bayramlaş for the three day holiday, which is where families and friends visit each others' homes and wish each other a happy bayram. It is customary to bring chocolates and candy to your family, friends and neighbors. Children also go door to door during these three days for candy, much like Americans do at Halloween but without the costumes.
Most people serve baklava during these visits. Out of respect for those older than you, you greet them by kissing their right hand or touching it with your chin and then placing their hand to your forehead while wishing them bayram greetings. (The first couple of times we tried to do this, we messed up and got the order wrong...oops! But thankfully people were gracious and just laughed at us).
August was hot and most of our neighbors were either gone for the month on vacation or fasting, so we didn't get to meet many people. But over bayram, we finally got to meet a lot of our neighbors, which was really fun. Our sweet neighbors across the hall gave us plates of baklava and dolma, which were delicious!
No comments:
Post a Comment