Childhood Age
A series of rules, customs, ceremonies, processes and
practices exist which cover the development of the child after birth
and which regularize his/her relations with parents, other members
of the family and social surroundings. The child has to pass through
many stages to be protected, taken care of, and gradually adapt to
the forms and values, in other words the model adopted by the group
or cultural environment of which he/she is a part. These process and
practices, customs and ceremonies are sometimes flexible and sometimes
strict in accordance with the importance attached to them.
Naming the baby;
The first is naming the baby. People do not feel
comfortable without naming a person, a thing, a situation or an
event, and thus without referring to them by a symbol and describing
them by means of an adjective. Any event, situation or object without
a name causes unease.
In traditional sections of society, the baby is
usually given a name with a religious ceremony. This still applies
in many places although it is gradually loses influence.
Since naming the baby is no ordinary matter, it is carried out by
a celebration and blessing, although this is not overstated. The
name, which has been selected beforehand, is given at a meeting
held for the purpose. A clergyman or a respected devout individual
gives the call to prayer and whispers the name of the baby into
its ear three times. If no imam is present, the name is given by
the father or grandfather of the child in the same way.
Giving a middle (umbilical) name to the child is
also common. The name given to the child while the umbilical cord
is being cut, is called its “umbilical name”.
The umbilical name is given to children in Anatolia
because;
- It is believed that the child will be called by
his/her umbilical name in the grave,
- He/she will be called by his/her umbilical name,
- He/she will be called by his/her umbilical name
as the imam reads the a final repentance and forgiveness prayer
for him/her as he/she is lowered into the grave.
Apart from the main name of the person, another
name is frequently given and used, especially by close relatives
and members of the group of which he/she is a part. This is called
the “nickname” and is mostly seen in traditional parts
of society, especially in villages.
Giving milk;
Modern medicine and traditional culture agree that
mother’s milk is the healthiest nutrition for the baby.
In traditional culture, the first milk is given
to the child after three calls to prayer. With this, people believe
that the child will have patience in the future. The mother’s
first milk is called “agiz” (mouth) and is duly given
to the child. It is believed that a child who does not have mouth
milk will be thin and weak in the future.
In traditional culture, boys are suckled more than
girls. The reason here is that people want their sons to be very
strong and powerful.
Teeth wheat;
When the baby teethes, one of the most significant
signs of a child’s biological development, Turkish people
usually mark the occasion with a ceremony. Behind this ceremony
and festivity which are held to mark the appearance of the teeth,
which are essential for chewing, are the desires to bless food,
increase the child’s chances of earning his/her daily bread,
increases in plenty, and so on. In this ceremony, a number of traditional
practices also take place to ensure the child has strong and even
teeth.
The most common name for this ceremony and festivity,
which has different names in different regions, is “teeth
wheat”. In different regions, it is called “dis asi”
(teeth meal), “dis bulguru” (teeth bulgur), and “dis
bugdayi” (teeth wheat).
Starting to walk;
The time when the child starts to walk is another
of the biological stages of childhood. In the past, a number of
practices were resorted to for children who failed to walk in the
expected time, who were late to start walking, or who continuously
fell down when doing so.
The following are some of these practices;
- Spreading egg on the child’s heels,
- Washing the child in water to which walnut leave and salt has
been added,
- Taking the child to places of pilgrimage.
Starting to talk;
There are a number of remedies resorted to for children
who cannot talk and who do not start speaking at the appropriate
time. These remedies and processes are mainly grouped into three;
opening, cutting, and incantation.
The following are some of these practices;
- The child who cannot speak is taken to places
of pilgrimage and his/her mouth is opened with a key,
- The child’s frenulum is cut,
- A spell is read over the child by someone who is believed to have
healing power, and so on.
Cutting the fingernails of the child;
Customs and practices related to the first fingernail
cutting are also very common in Anatolia. The most common practice
is for the baby’s hands to be put in a sack full of money
after his/her fingernails have been cut for the first time. If the
baby is a boy, the money he takes from the sac is used for the capital
of the business he will later set up. If it is a girl, the money
she takes is kept as money for her dowry.
Saving the child from the evil eye;
Belief in the evil eye is very common is Islamic
countries, and especially in Anatolia. People believe that the evil
eye, which threatens all living creatures and things, is a particular
danger to children. That is why precautions taken to protect children
from the evil eye in the past can still be seen frequently today.
Below are some of the measures taken to protect
children from the evil eye;
- Children are deliberately paraded around dirty,
- Children have a spell read over them by someone who is believed
to have healing power,
- Children are taken to places of pilgrimage.
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