-Geography
-Gastronomy
-Traditional
Costumes
-Music and Dance
PRESENTATION OF BULGARIA
1. Geography: Bulgaria is a country situated in south-eastern Europe, bordering Romania,
Serbia , the Republic of Macedonia, Greece, Turkey and theBlack sea. Its northern border with
Romania follows the Danube river. The land area of Bulgaria is 110,550 square kilometres
(42,680 sq mi). Bulgaria has about 540 rivers, but most have short lengths and low water-levels.
Bulgaria has an unusually variable climate. Average precipitation in Bulgaria is about 630
millimetres (24.8 in) per year. Temperatures in Sofia average −2 °C (28.4 °F) in January and
about 20 °C (68.0 °F) in August. The relief of Bulgaria is varied. In the relatively small territory
of the country there are extensive lowlands, plains, hills, low and high mountains, many valleys
and deep gorges.
2.Bulgarian national costume:
Bulgarian national costume is a folk costume. Every region has its own design of a national
costume (nosia), with different types of clothing items traditional for each of the
ethnographic regions of the country. Costume or fancy dress is the distinctive style of dress
of a particular people, class, or period. National costume is often a source of national pride.
Bulgarian folk costumes consist of pants, shirts, vests for mens, dresses and aprons for
womens.
Female costumes, compared with males are more volume and more colorful. Basic colors
are white, orange, red, green and blue. Required parts are apron, pinafore and gown. Each
region has typical costume.
3. Bulgarian cuisine:
Banitsa (banica and banitza) is a traditional Bulgarian food prepared by layering a mixture of
whisked eggs and pieces of cheese between filo pastry and then baking it in an
oven.Traditionally, lucky charms are put into the pastry on certain occasions, particularly on
New Year's Eve and Christmas. These charms may be coins or small symbolic objects (e.g., a
small piece of a dogwood branch with a bud, symbolizing health or longevity). More recently,
people have started writing happy wishes on small pieces of paper and wrapping them in tin
foil. Wishes may include happiness, health, or success throughout the new year.
Traditionally, banitsa is made with homemade or commercially made pastry sheets that are
prepared from a baker's hard dough including flour, eggs, and water. The traditional filling is
made of crushed white cheese (sirene,feta cheese), yogurt, and eggs. Vegetable fillings include
spinach, sorrel, nettles, leeks, onions, or sauerkraut. In some regions of Bulgaria, a filling with
rice is made. There are also meat fillings with minced meat, onions, and mushrooms . Sweet
fillings with apples (similar to apple pie or strudel) or pumpkin with sugar, walnuts and
cinnamon exist as well. In some regions, only the walnuts, sugar, and cinnamon are used. The
apple variant is called shtrudel, and the pumpkin variant is tikvenik
4. Bulgarian national music and dance:
The typical music of Bulgaria includes folk music and other forms. Folk music revolved
around holidays like Christmas, New Year's Day, midsummer, and the Feast of St.Lazarus,
Nestinarstvo rites, in which villagers fell into a trance and danced on hot coals. Music was
also a part of more personal celebrations such as weddings. Bulgarian music uses
instruments like bagpipe (gaida) and a large drum (tupan).
One of the most distinctive features of Balkan folk dance music is the complexity of its
rhythms in comparison to Western music. Although it uses Western meters such as 2/4,
3/4, and 4/4. Typical Bulgarian folk dances are rachenitsa , paidushko horo and pravo
horo, which can either be standard 4/4 or 6/8.
DENMARK
Rold Skov is a forest in Himmerland, Denmark. At 8,000 ha (hectara1ha=10.000 square meter), it
is the second largest forest in the country, after the Silkeborg Forests.
The Little Mermaid (Danish: Den lille havfrue) is a bronze statue depicting a mermaid. The
sculpture is displayed on a rock by the waterside in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark.
.
Grenen is a long sandbar at the north of Jylland, where two seas meet.
Grenen is often considered the northmost land area of Denmark.
Grenen was named for its shape like a tree-branch, reaching out from the mainland.
In Denmark we have national costumes inspired from the year 1700 and 1800. The costumes
are in many different colors, depending on which part of the country you are from, and which
traditions you have. We wear them when we dance our traditional dances.
In Greenland they have their own national costumes made from sealskin and glass beads.
These are some of the popular dishes from Denmark. The top picture shows the Danish national
dish, roast pork with potatoes. In the pictures below, there are open sandwiches and “boiled meat
balls in curry”. The bottom images show meatballs and a completely traditional Danish hot dog.
Folkdance is Denmark’s traditional dance, and it is actually only danced in clubs all around the
country. We don’t have special occasions were we dance folkdance. But it is a cozy dance, and
it brings people together. Musicians play traditional instruments as the violin and the accordion.
Hungary
Official name: Hungary
Form of state: Republic
Its area: 93 030 km² (1% of Europe)
Population: 9 896 000 person (2014)
Capital city: Budapest
Big cities: Debrecen, Szeged, Pécs, Győr, Miskolc
Official language: Hungarian
Currency: Forint
GDP: 19 800 US dollar/person (2014)
Its membership in international organizations: EU (2004), NATO, ENSZ (UN), OECD…
LOCATION: Hungary lies in the middle of Europe, in the
Carpathian Basin.
TOPOGRAPHY: 2% of its area is above 300 m and 98% is
below 300 m. Its highest point: Kékes (1014 m).
5 out of the 6 big regions are in the countries next to
Hungary, so the border doesn’t separate, but links us with
our neighbours.
HIDROGRAPHY: Hungary is rich in freshwater and thermal water as well. Its area
belongs to the catchment basin of the River Danube. Rivers: Danube, Tisza, Rába,
Dráva, Bodrog, Maros, Körös. Big lakes: Balaton (The biggest lake of Central-Europe),
Lake Fertő (Its larger part is in Austria), Lake Tisza (man-made reservoir).
CLIMATE: Continental, but also oceanic from west, and the effects of the arctic climate
from north and the Mediterranean from south influences it as well. There are 4 seasons,
each lasts for 3 months. The average of the years’ temperature: 8-11 ˚C. (The hottest
month is July: 18-22˚C, the coldest month is January: 0--4 ˚C) Number of the sunny
hours: 1750-2200. The average of the years’ rainfall: 500-900 mm.
NATURAL VEGETATION: can be found only on 10% of its whole area. On hills and
mountains: deciduous forest; On lowlands: forest-steppe. Because of the different effects of the
climate, Hungary is a “meeting point” of the Atlantic, continental and Mediterranean kind of
plants, and there are many species of animals as well. Because of the good soil, 70% of its area is
cultivated agricultural area. The natural attraction of Hungary: mineral water, thermal water,
Lake Balaton, 10 National parks, rich wildlife, 22 wine region (eg. Tokaj)
Hungarian national costume
I, The meaning of “national costume”:
- In ethnography the clothes whose primary material was made by the folk, or by craftsmen,
but based on the taste of the folk are called national costume.
- Today what we call national costume is the dressing of the rural peasantry that was formed
in the middle of the 19th century.
II, The changes of the Hungarian national costume during the ages:
- The Hungarians arrived in the Carpathian basin from Asia by
896 after a long wandering. That time they wore the clothes of
the population of the Asian steppes.
- Their clothes in the middle-ages were influenced by the nations
in the Carpathian basin: Turks, Slavs and Germans.
- Today’s national costumes were formed by the 19th century.
III, The most important basic materials of the national costumes:
- linen canvas, hemp canvas, wool, cloth (felt), leather
IV, The important types of clothing are different in every ethnographic area, varies by sex,
age and occupation. Nowadays they are only worn on festival days. Here are some of them:
Kalotaszeg’s clothing, Sióagárd’s clothing
Palóc clothing
Kalocsa’s clothing
Széki Clothing
V,The future of national costume:
Some old motives often appear in the collection of some Hungarian fashion designers.
National cuisine
In Hungary, people usually have large breakfast.
Hungarian breakfast is generally an open sandwich with
fresh bread or a toast, butter, cheese or different cream
cheese, cottage cheese, cold cuts such as ham, a spicy
cheese spread made with sheep milk cheese called
körözött, véres hurka (similar to black pudding), liver pâté (called májkrém or kenőmájas),
bacon, salami, or different Hungarian sausages called kolbász. Even eggs, (fried, scrambled or
boiled), French toast called bundáskenyér and vegetables (including peppers, bell peppers,
tomatoes, radish, scallion and cucumber) are part of the Hungarian breakfast. Sometimes
breakfast is a cup of milk, tea or coffee with pastries, a bun, a kifli or a strudel with jam or
honey, or cereal, such as muesli and perhaps fruit. Children can have rice pudding (tejberizs)
or Semolina Cream (tejbegríz) for breakfast topped with cocoa powder and sugar or with fruit
syrup. Hot drinks are preferred for breakfast.
Lunch is the main meal of the day, usually with several
courses. Cold or hot appetizers may be served sometimes (for
example fish, egg or liver), then soup. Soup plays a very
significant part of Hungarian diet. There is a huge offer in the
preparation of soups. Goulash is the most popular. Soup is
followed by a main dish. The main dish includes meat and
salad with potato or rice, which precedes the dessert. Fruit
may follow them. In Hungary, pancakes are served as a main dish, not for breakfast. Salad is
always served with meat dishes, made of lettuce with tomatoes, cucumbers and onion or a
simple thin sliced cucumber salad in vinaigrette. Salads such as Salade Olivier or potato salad
are made of boiled potatoes, vegetables, hard-boiled eggs, mushrooms, fried or boiled meat or
fish, in vinaigrette, aspic or mayonnaise. These salads are eaten as appetizers or even as a
main course.
Some people and children eat a light meal in the afternoon, called uzsonna, usually an open
sandwich, pastry, slice of cake or fruit. Dinner is a far less significant meal than lunch. It may
be similar to breakfast, usually an open sandwich, yoghurt or hot dog sausage with a bun,
more seldom a cake, pancakes (palacsinta), and it consists of only one course.
Music in Hungary
9th century: Folk music of the Hungarians arriving from the East is a relative of the folk
music of Turk people in Inner Asia. Samans accompanied the religious ceremonies of
Hungarian tribes with drums and songs.
10-12th centuries: When Hungarians converted into Christianity gregorians and WesternEuropean music became popular. The first written music paper dates back to a codex from
12th century.
13-15th centuries: Secular and religious music was flourishing. Gleemen and choirs were
employed in royal palaces who sang in one part then in more parts.
16-17th centuries: The time of historic songs and lyrics, and dance music accompanied with
instruments.
18-19th centuries: A new typical Hungarian dance music, so called Verbunk appeared
which was accepted by different social groups widely. It was the time when Ferenc Liszt lived
and worked who was the first world-known Hungarian composer.The Music Academy was
established and concert life began.
20th century: Collection and record of folk songs started. As a result of this, the Music
Institute of MTA registers 150,000 Hungarian folk songs today. 2 of our great composers took
part in the collection of folk songs: Kodály Zoltán and Bartók Béla. Their work fed upon folk
traditions. Kodály worked on the musical education of young people, creation of the Kodály
method and establishment of the choir movement.
21st century: There are a lot of styles of music living together at the same time: classical,
dance music, jazz, pop, rock, hip-hop, metarl, dixiland, electronic music, folk…There are a lot
of famous Hungarian performers ( Omega, Benkó Dixiland band, 100-member- Gypsy Band,
Sebestyén Márta, Rost Andrea…) We have popular music festivals like Budapest Spring
Festival, Miskolci Opera Festival, Sziget Festival.
Ferenc Liszt
Zoltán Kodály
Béla Bartók
Academy of Music
100 Tagú Cigányzenekar
Folk Dance in Hungary:
1, Definition: Rhytmic movements accompanied with songs and instruments, which can be
symbolic, playful, or entertaining.
2, History: In the middle ages cycle dances, cotillions, death- dances were typical, in the next
era individual and pair dances. Types of these: csárdás, karikázó, legényes, shepherd dance,
verbunkos. In the 20th century not only the folk songs but also folk dances were collected.
Today we know approximately 30 dance dialects from different regions.
3, Sustainability: Nowadays there are a lot of professional folk dance groups together with
amateur groups.The curriculum of several primary schools contains folk dance training
sessions where pupils get to know the folk traditions of our ancestors. The unique Hungarian
folk-dance Workshop Movement started 50 years ago, which became part of the UNESCO
Cultural Heritage list in 2011.
Geographical features of Poland
National flag:
top - white,
bottom – red;
National
emblem: White
eagle in
a crown against
a red background
Country’s full name: The Republic of Poland;
Population: 38,511,824
Capital and the largest city: Warsaw
Anthem: Mazurek Dąbrowskiego
Coastline: 440 km
Highest point: Rysy at 2,449 m above sea level;
Lowest point: Raczki Elblaskie at 2 m below sea level;
Poland is situated at the very heart of Central Europe
sharing borders with Russia in the north; Lithuania,
Belarus and Ukraine in the east; the Czech Republic
and Slovakia in the south and Germany in the west. To
the north, Poland is bordered by the Baltic Sea and to
the south by the Sudeten Mountains (Sudety) and the
Carpathian
Mountains
(Karpaty).
The
country
occupies an area of 312,685 square km, which makes
it the ninth largest country in Europe and the 69th
largest in the world.
The natural landscape of Poland can be divided into three groups: lowlands, highlands and
mountains. The lowlands, however, cover as much as 91 % of the whole territory. Therefore,
an average height is 173m above sea level. That is why Poland seems to be an unbroken plain
spreading from the Baltic Sea to the uplands and the mountains in the south. The plains are
threaded by several large rivers, of whom the longest one is the Vistula (1047 km). Poland also
contains over 9300 lakes, predominantly in the north of the country. However, many scenic
lakes are also hidden in the mountains.
The Baltic Sea
Dunes in Slowinski NP
Mazurian Lakes
The Tatra Mountains
Polish folk costumes
Poland is a country with rich and diverse folklore. On the territory of present-day Poland there
are some sixty folkloric regions, each with their own distinctive costumes.
Before the turn of the 20th century folk costumes
were worn daily by most peasants. Rougher clothing
was worn to work while more elaborate dress was
reserved for special occasions like church, festivals
and weddings. Most people had only one or two sets
of 'good' clothes. These were frequently skillfully
made and were highly ornamented. Many women
spent months sewing elaborate embroidery on their
dresses or vests.
Although over the years fashion changed, new materials became available, urban influences
began to be felt and genuinely new traditions arose, all Polish folk costumes are based primarily
on fabrics created and decorated by the local people. Sometimes certain elements are imported,
such as sea shells which decorate the hats of the mountaineers, but most of the clothing
is produced from linen, cotton, wool, felt, leather and fur available in the community.
Folk costume
of Lublin
Folk costume
of Łowicz
Folk costume
of Silesia
Folk costume
of Żywiec
Folk costume
of Rzeszów
Folk costume
of Kraków
In some areas, such as the highlands of the Tatras (Podhale), Kurpie, Łowicz, Opoczno and
Sieradz, the tradition of folk costumes is still alive. People continue to make costumes and wear
them - at least on holidays and festivals. In many other regions, costumes are still made, but
mostly for dance groups or choirs.
Traditional Polish cuisine
Polish culture has always integrated elements from other nations and countries. Consequently,
there are strong culinary influences of Russian, German and Jewish origin in Polish cuisine.
Typical meals are very hearty and often contain flour, grains, meat and forest products such as
mushrooms or herbs. The most typical ingredients used in traditional Polish cuisine are
sauerkraut, beetroot, pickled cucumbers, sour cream and smoked sausages.
Listed below are the main delicacies in traditional Polish cuisine, a true touristic 'must eat';
Soups:
• barszcz czerwony - beetroot soup served either with vegetables and sour cream or with dumplings;
• żurek - sour rye soup with potatoes and sausage, can be served with a boiled egg in a loaf of bread.
Appetizers:
• smalec - fried lard with onion, pork scratchings and sometimes with marjoram, spread over bread and
served together with pickled cucumbers;
• herring in sour cream usually with onion.
Main courses:
• bigos - in English known as Polish hunter's stew; a stewed dish made from cabbage as the main
ingredient, with chunks of various meat and diced sausages, dried mushrooms, onion and
characteristic unchanging set of spices: bay leaf, grains of black pepper;
• pierogi - one of the best recognizable Polish foods; their popularity probably originates from the fact
that this Polish food is varied, with quite a few fillings: potatoes, cheese & onion; forcemeat (meat &
onion); sauerkraut & mushrooms or with sweet curd cheese or fresh fruit: blueberries or strawberries;
• gołąbki - a cooked knob of forcemeat wrapped up in a leaf of white cabbage. Important ingredients
are: groats or rice, onion, sometimes mushrooms and of course an appropriate blend of spices.
• kluski śląskie – in English known as Silesian dumplings, characterized by their great softness and
delicate flavor; made from cooked potatoes and starch, have the shape of a flattened ball with
characteristic hollow in the center; in Silesia region usually served with red cabbage and beef rolls
(stuffed with cucumber pickles, sausage and mustard). The rolls and dumplings are covered with thick
gravy.
Dance and music in Poland
Poland is a country with rich culture and traditions of both dance and music. While there are
few countries in the world that have even one national dance, Poland has five!
Poland’s national dances are: the Krakowiak, the Kujawiak, the Mazur (Mazurka), the
Oberek and the Polonez (Polonaise). All of them originated in the Polish countryside and were
so popular that they found their way to the royal court, and were even incorporated into classical
works by world-famous composers like Chopin.
Except for the Polonez (the Polinaise), which has its roots in the 17th century walking dance
that traditionally opened up balls and weddings in country villages throughout Poland, the other
four of Poland’s five national dances originated in different regions of the country – the
Krakowiak in the southern Polish city of Krakow, the Kujawiak in the Kujawy region of
North-Central Poland and the Mazur and the Oberek in the Mazowsze region of central
Poland. It is why each of them is danced in traditional folk costumes characteristic for the region
of the particular dance origin.
the Polonez
the Krakowiak
the Oberek
the Kujawiak
the Mazur
As for music, artists from Poland, including world-famous composers like Chopin, Witold
Lutosławski, Krzysztof Penderecki or Wojciech Kilar and traditional, regionalized folk
musicians, create a lively and diverse music scene. Moreover, today in Poland you can find
trance, techno, House music as well as heavy metal.
There are numerous music festivals that take place annually. The biggest of them are Opole
Festival and Sopot Festival. Among other important festivals there are Jazz Jamboree and Rawa
Blues Festival. Besides that, every year a huge gathering of young Poles meet to celebrate rock
and alternative music in Jarocin, Żary, at Woodstock Festival Poland and at Open'er Festival
and Off Festival. These events often attract more than 250,000 people.
Slovakia in the World
The Slovak Republic, or shorter said Slovakia, is centred in the heart of Europe, just to the south of
Poland, to the north of Hungary, west to Austria and to the east of Ukraine.
In the past, Slovakia was a communist federal state together with the Czech Republic named
Czechoslovakia, but in 1993 Slovakia declared independence from the Czech Republic.
Slovakia is not a big country, it’s 49 036 km² big, but for a better imagination how really big
Slovakia is, it could fit for example 16-times in Turkey, or almost 2-times in Hungary.
The largest river which flows across Slovakia is the largest river in the European Union and the
second largest in Europe named in Slovak language Dunaj, or in different languages: Duna in
Hungarian, Donau in German and the Danube in English.
Slovakia is a member of the European Union from the year 2004 and from the year 2009 it is
a member of the Eurozone, which means that you can pay in Euro in the Slovak Republic.
Folk costumes in Slovakia
In every region of Slovakia we have different folk traditions, music, dance and of course costumes,
too. Women have a special folk costume as well as the men do. Our country has about 20 different
regions - like Orava region, Detva, Horehron, Spiš region etc. and each one is presented by its
typical folk costume.
Women costume includes a blouse, vest,
underskirt, skirt, pinafore, boots or sandals.
Girls and young women usually have got
long hair made in a plait decorated by
colourful ribbons, while
married women wear a
bonnet to cover their head
and also as a symbol of
a married woman.
Men costume includes a shirt, vest, trousers,
boots and on the head they have hat
sometimes decorated by a feather.
Hat with a feather
Shirt
Ribbons
Vest
Blouse
Vest
Skirt and
Trousers
boots
inafore
boots
Trnava folk costumes
A special costume is worn
in Detva region where the men`s costume
kooks different beause of its unusual, very
short shirt revealing man`s belly and loose
trousers They wear also other accessories like
a huge belt and a scarf.
Our Orava region is
typical by its very simple
costumes which vary
from village to village up to nicely decorated
as the Goral folk costume is.The picture
shows folk costumes worn in some Orava
villages.
Slovak Cuisine
The traditional basic components of the Slovak diet have always been and still are milk, potatoes and cabbage.
Pork, beef and chicken are the three most popular kinds of meat used in Slovak food.. The Slovak national meal is
bryndzové halušky.
Traditional Slovak Dishes
Traditional Slovak food includes the unique dishes such as
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Bryndzove halusky - potato dumplings with sheep cheese (bryndza) and roasted bacon
Zemiakové placky - potato pancakes fried in oil
Granadír - pasta with potato
Kapustnica - soup made of sour cabbage and smoked pork sausage with mushrooms
Bean soup - beans and various root vegetables such as carrots and parsley
Garlic soup - usually cooked in chicken broth
Pancakes
Bryndzové halušky (sheep cheese gnocchi). Sheep cheese gives a unique flavour to the
meal by itself, but it is even more tasty with small roasted pieces of bacon and chives and
irt is usually served with a cup of sour milk called žinčica
Kapustnica - soup made of of sour cabbage and smoked pork sausage with mushrooms
Bean creamy soup
Traditional Slovak Drink
Domestic soft drinks such as Vinea and Kofola, and a wide choice of fine quality mineral water now compete with
the world trademarks of soft drinks.
Vinea is a traditional soft drink made from grape juice with no aromatic or synthetic colouring additives, stabilized
by pasteurization. Kofola is a traditional Slovak cola drink and it is also very popular among Slovak people..
Slovak beer is of a good quality and the brands like Zlaty Bazant, Topvar are very popular drinks especially among
men.
Specific distillate Slivovica (made from plums) and Borovicka (made from juniper berries) are traditional alcoholic
drinks in Slovakia.
SLOVAK FOLK MUSIC
Music in Slovakia has always been extremely important. It was and still it is a part of our culture –
ceremonies, entertainment, leisure, the whole thinking and feelings of people. Lives of people in the
background of our history were reflected in the folk songs. Old songs, mainly folk ballads were hiding the
ideas of liberty and freedom in their lyrics.
Slovak folk music has regional character – songs and orchestras are different from region to region.
The regional variations of the same songs are common, with more versions of the same text with the
different music. Music in various regions differentiates also by instrument composition.
Typical Slovak folk band includes instruments like at least two violins, a bass violin, a recorder, an
accordion, a cimbalom and a Fujara.
The fujara is a specific instrument, which originated in Detva region, a part of central Slovakia. It is like
a large folk flute. For its excellence, briliant simplicity of the design and the basic operating, it was also
included in the list of UNESCO.
The folk bands as `Zlaté husle` or `Cigánski Diabli` are known and perform almost all over the world.
Nowadays Slovak folk songs inspire composers of pop music and also authors of church songs. Thanks
to them the traditional folklore becomes more and more popular.
Slovak folk music band
A man playing fujara
Geography of Turkey
Turkey is situated in Anatolia and the Balkans, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, and
bordering the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria. The geographic coordinates of
the country lie at: 39°00′N 35°00′E
The area of Turkey is
783,562 km2 (302,535 sq mi);[1] land: 770,760 km2 (297,592 sq mi), water: 9,820 km2(3,792 sq mi).
Turkey extends more than 1,600 km (994 mi) from west to east but generally less than 800 km (497 mi) from north
to south. Total land area is about 783,562 km2 (302,535 sq mi), of which 756,816 km2 (292,208 sq mi) are
in Western Asia (Anatolia) and 23,764 km2 (9,175 sq mi) are in Southeastern Europe (Thrace).
Anatolia (Turkish: Anadolu) is a large, roughly rectangular peninsula situated bridge like between Europe and Asia.
The Anatolian part of Turkey accounts for 97% of the country's area. It is also known as Asia Minor, Asiatic Turkey
or the Anatolian Plateau. The term Anatolia is most frequently used in specific reference to the large, semiarid
central plateau, which is rimmed by hills and mountains that in many places limit access to the fertile, densely
settled coastal regions.
The European portion of Turkey, known as Thrace (Turkish: Trakya), encompasses 3% of the total area but is
home to more than 10% of the total population. Istanbul, the largest city of Thrace and Turkey, has a population of
11,372,613. Thrace is separated from Anatolia (the Asian portion of Turkey) by the Bosphorus (Turkish: İstanbul
Boğazı), the Sea of Marmara (Turkish: Marmara Denizi), and the Dardanelles (Turkish: Çanakkale Boğazı); which
collectively form the strategic Turkish Straits that link the Aegean Sea with the Black Sea. Mount Ararat, Turkey's
tallest mountain with an elevation of 5,137 m (16,854 ft), is the legendary landing place of Noah's Ark and is
located in the far eastern portion of the country.
TRADITIONAL COSTUMES
Clothing was first introduced to protect man from the elements. It has come by its present forms as a result of the
influence of social and moral values. With the passing time, a wide variety in forms of clothing emerged. These
differences were the result of social and economic structure, geography, the materials available and climate.
In the very earliest times, everyone in a particular tribe would wear clothes that defined his or her social status.
More than an obligation, this was an understanding carried on by tradition. Clothing and even hair styles reflected
this same conception.
Traditional clothes and finery provide considerable information about the workings of a society. Clothes indicate
whether societies are settled or nomadic, and are a source of information about historical events and ethnological
origins. For example, in Yöruk or Turkoman villages, one can tell whether a woman is engaged, married or a widow
from the way in which she does her hair.
Daily, work and special day clothes are different. Hair styles during a wedding and after the bridal chamber differ. In
markets, it is easy to identify which village people live in just from their clothes.
Today in Anatolia, there are differences even between the clothing worn in different neighborhoods of the same
village.
It is therefore inadvisable for the art historian, sociologist, folk dance arranger or designer to speak in terms of
"Traditional Turkish costume.”
Research led by sociologists from the Folk Culture Research and Development General Directorate of the Ministry
of Culture has revealed that Anatolia possesses a wide range of clothing.
Men who leave their villages to do their military service or to take up employment inevitably adapt to city culture.
Field research therefore faces problems when it comes to defining men’s clothing. But in rural areas, women
generally have little contact with the outside world. They tend to dress in conformity with the lifestyle and traditions
of the community of which they are a part. Dress and decoration tends to follow that of preceding generations.
Children’s clothes also differ according to sex and age. The concept of the evil eye is widespread, and one can
observe many amulets to ward it off in peoples’ clothes and hair.
In conservative communities, each generation follows the clothing styles and customs of earlier generations, which
is how traditional clothing and styles have come down to the present day. Yet it is nevertheless impossible to say
that traditional clothing and finery are totally unchanging. The materials employed certainly do change, and the
efforts put into clothes are no longer as painstaking as before. Contemporary conditions create different styles, and
interaction between different fashions is quite intense.
In rural areas, women spend most of their time with working. As a result, their daily, work and special day clothes
are different. Special costumes and hair dressings are only to be seen at wedding ceremonies. Women’s hair styles
differ in accordance with their social status, and whether they are married or engaged, or not. Hair style is an
important feature of women’s lives.
Clothes and finery are a concept of physical culture and are part of thew way that popular culture changes, and are
also affected by that same process of change.
HAGEM, The Ministry of Culture which has an important place in Turkish culture, possesses a large collection of
photographs and slides institutions, and assists individuals and institutions with their research.
Information gathered from field studies in the provinces of Bursa, Manisa, Sivas, Aydın, Gaziantep, Corum has
been published in a catalogue. Different villages from each region were visited and their special clothes and finery
identified. 1/1 scale copies were drawn, and these appear in the catalogue on a scale of 1/5.
Within the framework of this study, research into clothing in 25 provinces has been carried out. You can see some
of these below.
Turkish cuisine is largely the heritage of Ottoman cuisine, which can be described as a fusion and refinement
of Central Asian, Caucasian, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Balkan cuisines. Turkish cuisine has in turn
influenced those and other neighbouring cuisines, including those of Western Europe. The Ottomans fused various
culinary traditions of their realm with influences from Middle Eastern cuisines, along with traditional Turkic elements
fromCentral Asia (such as yogurt and (Manti (dumpling)), creating a vast array of specialities—many with strong
regional associations.
Turkish cuisine varies across the country. The cooking of Istanbul, Bursa, Izmir, and rest of the Aegean region
inherits many elements of Ottoman court cuisine, with a lighter use of spices, a preference for rice
over bulgur,koftes and a wider availability of vegetables stew (türlü), eggplant, stuffed dolmas and fish. The cuisine
of theBlack Sea Region uses fish extensively, especially the Black Sea anchovy (hamsi), has been influenced
byBalkan and Slavic cuisine, and includes maize dishes. The cuisine of the southeast -Urfa, Gaziantep andAdanais famous for its variety of kebabs, mezes and dough-based desserts such as baklava, kadayıf andkünefe.
Especially in the western parts of Turkey, where olive trees grow abundantly, olive oil is the major type of oil used
for cooking. The cuisines of the Aegean, Marmara and Mediterranean regions are rich in vegetables, herbs, and
fish. Central Anatolia has many famous specialties, such as keşkek (kashkak), mantı (especially from Kayseri)
and gözleme.
Breakfast:Turks usually prefer a rich breakfast. A typical Turkish breakfast consists of cheese (beyaz
peynir, kaşar etc.), butter, olives, eggs, tomatoes, cucumbers, jam, honey, and kaymak. Sucuk (spicy Turkish
sausage, can be eaten with eggs),pastırma, börek, simit, poğaça and soups are eaten as a morning meal in
Turkey. A common Turkish speciality for breakfast is called menemen, which is prepared with tomatoes, green
peppers, onion, olive oil and eggs. Invariably,Turkish tea is served at breakfast. The Turkish word for
breakfast, kahvaltı, means "before coffee" (kahve, 'coffee'; altı, 'under').
Turkish Music and Dance
Turkish music comes from various old music courses and has developed its own style combining the Central Asian
folk music from the Seljuk period with the Byzantine, Persian, Ottoman, Arab, Balkan and gypsy musics until the
present, as well as mixing the American and European popular music with these traditional ones. The Turkish folk
music developed throughout the centuries by the local people of Anatolia, who also practiced religious
and military music too, such as theWhirling Dervishes' Sufi music and the Jannissary band of the Ottoman army.
Arabesque music came into the Ottomanpalaces with the influence from the Middle East, and belly dance music
became popular in the Ottoman Harem. In the meantime intellectuals who lived in the cities developed the classical
music. Generally speaking, the pop, rock and jazz were developed only after the Republic and lately they became
an important music genre amongst young people in the country, especially in the big cities. During the late 1990's,
the underground music, Turkish rock, hip-hop, rap, electronica, and dance music became popular too as a part of
American influence from around the world.
Like in the rest of the world, music has an important place in the Turkish daily life and culture; there is a great number
of local and international musicfestivals, choruses and concerts all around Turkey. Some of the famous and popular
singers in Turkey are Tarkan, Sezen Aksu, Ajda Pekkan, Sertab Erener, Mustafa Sandal, Serdar Ortac, Kenan
Dogulu, Nilufer, Baris Manco, Sebnem Ferah, MFO group, and so on. Amongst classical music singers or players
we can name the pianists Fazil Say, Idil Biret and Pekinel sisters, the violinist Suna Kan, the flutist Sefika Kutluer,
the clarinetist Mustafa Kandirali, singers Bulent Ersoy, Zeki Muren, Ibrahim Tatlises and many many others. Some
of the most known Turkish folk music performers are Zulfu Livaneli, Arif Sag, Neriman Altindag, Nida Tufekci, Mehmet
Ozbek, Mukerrem Kemertas, Bedia Akarturk, Hale Gur, Neset Ertas, and Belkis Akkale.
The pop singer Sertab Erener won the 48th Eurovision Song Contest held in Riga, Latvia in 2003 with her song
"Every Way That I Can". The flutist Sefika Kutluer won the First Gold CD of 2005 Award of VDE - GALLO, one of the
leading music production companies in Switzerlend. Idil Biret (pianist), Suna Kan (violinist), Guher and Suher Pekinel
sisters (duet pianists), Ismail Asan (violinist), Fazil Say (pianist), Cihat Askin (violinist), Ayla Erduran (violinist) and
GulSen Tatu (flutist) are some of the famed Turkish musicians who have won many awards in international contests
and recorded a great number of albums. More than 100 million foreign and domestic music CD's and cassettes are
sold annually in Turkey, and millions of song downloaded online. The "Yunus Emre Oratorio" by Adnan Saygun was
performed in Paris and New York and is well known across the world.
The most known Turkish music types and popular music genres played in Turkey are:
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Classical Turkish Music
Polyphonic Turkish Music
Turkish Folk Music
Arabesque / Belly Dance Music
Pop, Rock and Jazz
Military Music (Janissary Band)
Religious and Sufi Music
Turkish dance refers to the folk dances of Turkey.
On the border betweenEurope and the Middle East,
facing three seas, straddling important trade routes,
Turkey has an ancient and complicated culture,
reflected in the variety of its dances. However its
dance traditions are dominated by the influence of
theOttoman Empire. The dominant dance forms are
types of line dance. There are many different types of
folk dances performed in various ways in Turkey, and
these reflect the cultural structure of each region. The
'Bar' in Erzurum province, the 'Halay' in the East and
Southeast, the 'Hora' in Thrace, the 'Horon' in the
Black Sea, 'Spoon dances' in and around Konya and
'Lezginka' in Kars and Ardahan are the best known
examples of these.