Every region of Turkey has its own way of celebrating the same holiday, especially if it’s a traditional festival. Every village celebrates the engagements and weddings different way. The same thing can be said about Hıdırellez, a holiday that is celebrated in many regions of Turkey. The celebration starts on May 5 night and falls on May 6. The reason of the celebration is that day Prophets Hızır (Al-Khidr) and Ilyas (Elijah) met on the earth. The period from May 6 until November 6 is regarded as summer season (almost like tourist season in here). So, Hıdırellez can be regarded as a celebration of summer beginning.
Usually Hıdrellez is celebrated in green areas like forests, sometimes next to the water. There is a tradition of picking up herbs and wild flowers that night, and to eat the meat of the first lamb of the spring. It is believed that it will bring health and healing; drinking tea out of collected herbs and flowers is said to protect a person from all the illnesses, and washing with it for 40 days will make person young and beautiful.
It is also believed that the places and things touched by Hızır that night will become wealthy and fertile. That’s why people leave food containers, warehouses and purces open. If one wishes to have a house, garden or a car, he has to put a smaller model of it under a rose bush, and it is believed that on Hıdrellez night Hızır will help him realize his dream. In some places people write their wishes on the pieces of paper and tie them with a red ribbon to the rose bushes. In many regions people make their wishes and then jump over bonfire.
In 2010 the works of enrolling Hıdırellez into UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List have started. Hıdrellez is usually celebrated in Anatolia, so unfortunately we hardly can witness this festival in here.
But we can witness a celebration of Mother’s day, which is a very important day for Turkish mothers and sometime becomes a nightmare for their children. On that day mothers expect extra attention from their children, especially from grown up ones. It becomes a very difficult situation for some married couples, when they have to decide whos mother is going to be visited first and then spent more time with. This situations are shown in many of Turkish sitcoms, when a couple has a hard time trying to please both the mothers.
There is one more important celebration this week – May 9, known in Russia as a Victory day. Unfortunately, less and less heroes of that war survive. In their honor, some days before the celebration the Ribbon of St. George Campaign starts all over the world. Volunteers give out orange-and-black ribbons in city streets and tell everyone who lends an ear about the Second World War. Apart from ribbons, drivers can have free stickers to their cars with the words “Thank You” and “We Remember”. The Ribbon of St. George is a unique symbol of soldiers’ valour. In this way, everyone can express their gratitude to the veterans of the Second World War.
I am happy to admit that people of different nationalities live in Alanya side by side in peace and harmony. After all, we are not responsible for what has happened before we were born, more important what we can do and what we do for world peace.
Wish you a peaceful week, take care.
Polina Akar
