Yoruk/Turkman Tents in Observations of Western Travellers
Mehmet AkThe lands of Ottoman domination have attracted Western Travellers in almost all periods of history. The travellers visiting Turkish lands with different purposes penned lots of things they saw and were attracted to. They also recorded their observations, especially about the konargoçers called Yoruk or Turkman, which were one of the essential elements of Turkish Society in their travels. They referred to their tents in use due to their mobile way of life, depending on the seasonal variations in winter quarters, pasture and fall range, and their other types of domicile, either in detail or in general. They also referred to the equipment, set up and interior characteristics of the tents. While they mentioned the name, karaçadır, they did not speak of topak ev, alaçık, huğ and the names of the other types of domicile, but mostly, they described their general appearance and forms. Based on their observations, these travellers mostly tried to describe the surrounding as it was. However, there were some who could not get rid of their Orientalist point of view, as well as others who put forward a romantic perspective. The travellers unfolded both the different types of tents, and several other types of domicile used together with them while they put forward their regional and geographical distribution by mentioning the varieties of dwellings and tent types in their information.
Batılı Gezginlerin Gözlemlerinde Yörük/Türkmen Çadırları
Mehmet AkOsmanlı Devletinin hâkim olduğu topraklar hemen hemen her dönem Batılı gezginlerin dikkatini çekti. Türk topraklarına çeşitli amaçlarla gelen gezginler, gezdikleri yerlerde gördükleri ve ilgilerini çeken birçok şeyi kaleme aldılar. Gezileri sırasında özellikle Türk toplumunun önemli unsurlarından birisi olan Yörük veya Türkmen olarak adlandırılan konargöçerler ile ilgili gözlemlerini de kayda geçirdiler. Bunların kışlak, yaylak ve güzlek arasında mevsim farkına bağlı olarak sürdürdükleri hareketli yapıları nedeni ile oturdukları çadırlar ve diğer mesken türlerini bazen ayrıntılı bir şekilde bazen de genel olarak ele aldılar. Çadırların donanım, kurulum ve iç mekân özelliklerine değindiler. Bu çadırlardan, karaçadır ismini sıkça verirlerken topak ev, alaçık, huğ ve diğer mesken türlerinin adlarından bahsetmediler ancak çoğunlukla şeklen tanıtıp çeşitli özellikleri veya genel görünümlerini betimlediler. Gözlemler sonucunda gezginler, var olan ortamı çoğu zaman olduğu gibi anlatmaya çalıştılar ancak romantik bir bakış açısı sergileyenler yanında zaman zaman oryantalist bakış açısından kurtulamayanlar da oldu. Gezginler, verdikleri bilgiler ile çadır türleri ve kullanılan meskenlerin çeşitliliğinden bahsedip bunların yöre ve bölge dağılımını ortaya koydukları gibi hem farklı çadır türlerinin, hem de çadırlar ile birlikte farklı meskenlerin aynı ortamda kullanıldığını gözler önüne serdiler.
The Turkish Geography in Ottoman domination has attracted Western Travellers in almost all periods of history. The Western travellers penned several tangible objects and cultural heritage that attracted their attention. Within that period, they also recorded their observations, especially about the konargoçers called Yoruk or Turkman, which were one of the essential elements of Turkish Society in their travels. Their tents in use due to their mobile way of life, depending on the seasonal variations in winter quarters. pasture and fall range, and their other types of domicile were the first things which attracted their attention. Especially, tents were described in detail in terms of their appearance, equipment and set up besides their structures, and sometimes, they were mentioned in general. These travellers mostly tried to describe the surrounding as it was, but there were some who could not get rid of their Orientalist point of view, and described the surrounding according to their ideology, as well as others who could not hide their admiration with a romantic perspective.
The types of the tents the konargoçers used and the travellers mentioned in their observations are various, such as topak ev, karaçadır and alaçık. Besides these tents, there were also huğ, hovel and soil covered dwellings with stone-walls. It is also observed that topak ev and karaçadır, or topak ev and hovel were used together.
The name, topak ev, was not given directly in the travellers observations, but described in detail, and its qualities were mentioned. The topak ev resembled a cage, egg, bent basket, circular structure or hemisphere. There is also information about its wooden sections and felt cover. It was reflected that the topak ev was also covered with goat, black sheep and cow skins, as well as felt. It was said that it provided protection against cold weather, described as adverse weather conditions. While its appearance was described, its equipment, set up, transportation by rolling it up and forms of utilisation, were mentioned in detail. Several evaluations were made, and the price information about felt covers and wooden sections were given by referring to their height and width. The population harbouring in the topak ev was also mentioned. When the geographical distribution of this tent is reviewed by observing the travellers narrations, it is apparent that it was used in the Mediterranean, Aegean, Marmara and Central Anatolia Regions. Likewise, the topak ev stands out as a type of tent that was used together with the karaçadır in almost all of these regions.
It was pointed out that the Karaçadır was weaved with sheep wool, though goat hair was mostly used. The Karaçadır was often mentioned in the notes of the travellers. The interior and the exterior equipment, its sections and intended use were described, as well as its weaving, equipment, set up, and usage characteristics. The waterproofing of the karaçadır was mentioned, and it was said to be cooler when compared to the topak ev. Its number of posts, width and height were also given. The tent flaps, referred to as tent canvas, the guy ropes, the side and front cover styles and the nails used to attach the bonds, were mentioned. Information was given about the stone-wall and straw lay around the karaçadır. It was asserted in the notes and observations of the travellers that the karaçadır, which was used in different parts and regions of the Turkish geography, was weaved and prepared in several different shapes and sizes.
The travellers did not mention the alaçık as another tent type, but the tent type which the travellers wandering around Teke Region called as karaçadır, is actually the alaçık. However, it was not popular in other regions. This tent was only described by its appearance, and few details were given.
The type of dwelling which the travellers called as a cottage, without giving a specific name, and was built with the canes cut from places close to swamps and lakes is known as a huğ. This dwelling was surrounded by cane hedges, surrounded by long nails and covered with canes again on beams and poles. In this sense, the huğ was transported short distances although it was considered as a permanent dwelling. It was observed that the dwellings made of adobe, and covered with clay, were used by the konargoçers besides other dwellings said to be made of cane, without giving a specific name.
Besides the dwelling mentioned as a cave covered with a wall-like soil, the existence of the dwelling mentioned as a circular cottage draws attention. Also, the inspiration in building it was said to be topak ev. The structure which was used with the topak ev, came into prominence with its woodworking, and called a wooden cottage by the travellers.
Additionally, there were also dwellings covered with soil on stone-walls and flat roof, described as primitive when compared to the houses of the settled society. The tent weaved with camel hair, its qualities and interior equipment was described without mentioning its special name.
