Iako većinu stanovništva Republike Turske čine muslimani, nije neobično vidjeti lampice, ukrase i okićena božićna drvca na javnim mjestima za Novu godinu. Što se tiče novogodišnjih proslava, načini proslave su mnogobrojni. Neke se aktivnosti mogu smatrati tradicijom, a neke se rade samo za zabavu. Prije spominjanja tih aktivnosti, napravit ćemo kratki povijesni presjek novogodišnjih proslava u Osmanskom Carstvu i u početcima novoosnovane Republike Turske.

U osmansko vrijeme koristili su islamski kalendar, poznat i pod nazivom hidžretski kalendar. Hidžretski kalendar temelji se na rotaciji Mjeseca oko Zemlje. Prvi dan prvog mjeseca (muharema) u hidžretskom kalendaru smatra se Novom islamskom godinom. Tokom ovog dana održavale su se službene proslave, pjesnici su slavili sultana, molili su za napredak. Zlatni novčići bili su bačeni okupljenima u ime sultana. Nije poznato kad je proslavljena prva Nova godina islamskog kalendara, ali poznato je kad je proslavljena prva Nova godina nalik onome kako se proslavljaju na Zapadu. To je bilo 1829. godine kada je engleski veleposlanik pozvao uvažene Osmanlije na svoju proslavu.

Kada je Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, osnivač Republike Turske, postao prvim predsjednikom Republike, uveo je mnogo zapadnih tradicija. Te su tradicije uključivale balove, zabave, umjetničke aktivnosti, kao na primjer izložbe, a i prihvaćanje gregorijanskog kalendara. Proslave su uglavnom održavane među elitom Republike Turske. Međutim, novogodišnje proslave održavane su i među ostalim pukom, a ne samo među elitom.

Prva proslava Nove godine koju su proslavili građani Republike Turske bila je 1926. godine. Iako Nova godina u to vrijeme nije bila nacionalni praznik, uglavnom je bila tokom vikenda,  i ljudi te novoosnovane Republike pokazivali su velik interes za slavlje. Svake godine do 1935. interes ljudi za slavljenjem Nove godine se povećavao, pa je 1935. godine tadašnji premijer Ismet Inonu proglasio Novu godinu nacionalnim praznikom. Od tada se Nova godina slavi kao nacionalni praznik u Turskoj i mnogo ljudi ju slavi.

Mladi ljudi proslavljaju Novu godinu u izlascima ili s prijateljima kod kuće. Ako izlaze van, jedu, piju i pjevaju sa svojim najdražima. Tradicija je početi brojati od 10 do 0, 10 sekundi prije ponoći. U Istanbulu se obično može vidjeti impresivan vatromet na Bosporu. Tog dana mnogi restorani i gostionice imaju posebne novogodišnje jelovnike. Nekad je također bilo vrlo popularno slaviti Novu godinu u velikim grupama na trgovima, ispijajući napitke, alkoholne ili bezalkoholne, i družeći se u centru grada. Većina ljudi novogodišnju noć proslavlja uz večeru s voljenima, obitelji i prijateljima. Uobičajena novogodišnja večera s obitelji uključuje crveno meso, ponekad puricu, različite vrste predjela koja se razlikuju ovisno o regiji, grickalice, voće, i naravno, rakiju. Obitelji također igraju bingo. Poprilično je uobičajeno gostovanje trbušnih plesačica u restoranima, gostionicama, a čak i na državnoj televiziji, kao na primjer na Turskoj radioteleviziji (TRT). Nema informacija o tome slave li Romi u Turskoj Novu godinu na drugačiji način, tako da Romi uglavnom slave Novu godinu na više-manje jednak način kao što je opisano.

Usponom konzervativne Vlade u zadnjih 19 godina, rakija, pa čak i proslava Nove godine više nisu tako uobičajeni. Zbog vjerske politike Vlade mnogo je muslimanskih obitelji počelo smatrati proslavu Nove godine nevjerničkom aktivnostiu. Stanovnici Republike Turske više ne mogu tako otvoreno slaviti Novu godinu kao što su nekad mogli. Obitelji koje su nekad pile rakiju danas ju više ne piju ili ju potajno piju. Proslave na gradskim trgovima više ne postoje, kao ni trbušne plesačice u restoranima ili na televiziji. Iako Vlada govori da proslava Nove godine nije primjerena za muslimane, mladi ljudi ju proslavljaju u velikim grupama prijatelja i u općinama kojima upravlja oporbena stranka i u kojima se postavljaju ukrasi. Predsjednik Erdogan svake godine drži novogodišnji govor u kojem najviše govori o djelima koje je učinila njegova Vlada u prethodnoj godini.

Čak i prije nego su Turci prešli na Islam postojala je verzija Djeda Božićnjaka u turskoj mitologiji, iako je ta mitologija mnogo starija od Djeda Božićnjaka. Bio je poznat pod nazivom „Ayaz Ata“ i vjerovalo se da je on uzrok hladnom vremenu tokom zime. Vjerovalo se da se on pojavi nakon što donese zimu i onda pomaže beskućnicima i onima koji su u potrebi.

Ljudi iz Turske slavili su Novu godinu prije nego što su prešli na Islam, a slave ju i godinama nakon što je započela konzervativna politika „musliman ne može slaviti Novu godinu“. Proslava Nove godine proslava je prvog dana gregorijanskog kalendara, koji je službeni kalendar koji je u upotrebi u Turskoj. Pripadnici svih kultura mogu proslaviti Novu godinu, želeći najbolje za sebe i za svoje voljene. Želimo Turskoj i svim ostalim zemljama sretnu Novu godinu!

 

Photo by Oguz Ali Hanecioglu 

 

Even though majority of population in Turkey Republic is Muslim, it is not uncommon to see lights, ornaments, and decorated trees in public places for New Year. When it comes celebrations for the New Year, there are lots of different activities. Some of the activities can be considered as traditions and some are just “fun”. Before mentioning those activities, we will mention the brief history of New Year celebrations in Ottoman Empire and in the beginning of the newfound Turkish Republic.

In Ottoman time, they used Islamic calendar, also known as Hijri calendar. Hijri calendar is based on the rotation of the moon around the Earth. The first day of the first month -Muharram- in Hijri calendar is considered the Hijri New Year. During this day, there would be official celebrations, poets praising the Sultan, wishing, and praying for prosperity. Gold coins would be dispersed to the public in the name of the Sultan. It is not known when the first Hijri New Year was celebrated, but, the first western like New Year was celebrated in 1829, when an English ambassador invited the notable Ottomans to their celebrations.

When Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic became the first president of the Republic, he brought lots of western traditions. These traditions included balls, parties, artistic activities like exhibitions and accepting the Gregorian calendar. These activities were usually celebrated among the elite of Turkey Republic; however, the New Year celebrations were able to reach more than just the elite.

The very first New Year that was celebrated by Turkey Republic citizens was in 1926. Even though New Year was not a national holiday at the time, it happened to be during weekend and the people of this new-found republic showed a lot of interest towards celebrating. Each year until 1935, people’s interest towards celebrating the New Year increased, so, the prime minister at the time, Ismet Inonu, declared the New Year a national holiday. Ever since, New Year is celebrated as a national holiday in Turkey by a lot of people.

When young people are celebrating New Year, they might go out or celebrate it with their friends at home. If they go out, they will eat, drink, dance and sing with their loved ones. It is a tradition to start counting from 10 to 0 when it is midnight. Usually in Istanbul, there is an impressive firework show at the Bosporus. At that day, lots of restaurants and pubs have special New Year menus. Also, it used to be quite popular to celebrate the New Year in big groups in squares, drinking beverages, alcoholic or non-alcoholic and hanging out in the city center. For most people, New Year is a celebration night where you have dinner with your family, friends and loved ones. For a family that celebrates New Year, a typical dinner night would include red meat, sometimes turkey, different types of appetizers that may change from region to region, mix trails, fruits and of course, raki. Families would also play bingo. It was quite common to have belly dancers in restaurants, pub and even in state channels like Turkish Radio Television (TRT). It is not reported that Roma people of Turkey celebrate the New Year in a different way, so, generally Roma who celebrate New Year, celebrates it more or less like its described.

With the rise of conservative Government, in the last 19 years, raki and even the celebration of the New Year is not that common among families anymore. Due to the religious policies of the Government, lots of Muslim families started seeing the celebration of the New Year as an “infidel activity”. People of Turkish Republic are not able to celebrate New Year as openly as they used to do. Families that used to drink raki are not drinking or drinking secretly. Celebrations in the squares are no longer existing, like the belly dancers in restaurants and televisions. Even though the government is saying that celebrating New Year is not appropriate for Muslims, young people are celebrating it in their large friend groups and municipalities that are governed by the opposition parties are putting up decorations. Also, President Erdogan gives a speech in New Year annually, mostly talking about the deeds his Government did in the past year.

Even before Turkish people were converted into Islam, there was a version of Santa Claus in Turkic Mythology, though, the mythology surrounding him is much older than Santa Claus. He was known as “Ayaz Ata”, and he was believed to be the reason for cold weather during winter. He was believed to appear after he brought winter and helped homeless and those who are in need.

So, people of Turkey celebrated New Year before they converted into Islam, and they still celebrate it after years of conservative policies stating, “a Muslim cannot celebrate New Year”. Celebration of New Year is celebrating the first day of the Gregorian calendar, which is the official calendar that is being used in Turkey. Anyone from any culture can welcome the New Year, wishing for the best for themselves and their loved ones. We wish Turkey and all the other countries a happy New Year!

Photo by Pelin Kalkan