Folklor/Edebiyat (Aug 2020)
From "Water Purification" to "Bridal Bath" of Modern Times: Bridal Bath in Historical Karacabey Bath/“Suyla Arınma”dan Modern Zamanların “Gelin Hamamı”na: Tarihi Karacabey Hamamı’nda Gelin Hamamı
Abstract
Water is used as a means of purification, cleaning, regeneration, productivity and fertility in many cultural practices such as fire and soil. Especially in the transitional practices, water purification appears in various forms. Among the marriage traditions, the tradition of “bridal bath” is one of them. The bridal bath has become a part of the traditional Turkish bath culture with ceremonies and entertainment accompanying a certain phase of marriage and wedding traditions. As a matter of fact, baths have become the most important cultural places of purification with the value and sanctity as well as the cleaning that is a natural need. In the face of the rapid withdrawal of baths and bathing habits from our lives, the importance of historical baths in terms of concrete cultural heritage, as well as the tradition of bath culture and bridal baths, are lost as an intangible cultural heritage. On the one hand, it is observed that the baths, which are tried to be protected with their historical and architectural features, and on the other hand, try to revive the old bridal bath practices with their new functions in order to live and keep the tradition of the bath culture alive. Also, they are the scene of museum practices for the protection and survival of the bath culture. The “Historical Karacabey Bath”, which has witnessed this tradition for many years in Ankara, is one of the Turkish baths that has been trying to revive the tradition with the name “bachelorette party” or “henna nights” in recent years. As a result of the observations and interviews conducted in Karacabey Bath, the culture of the bath and especially the changing face of the “bridal bath” practice contain remarkable results. Despite the awareness of Turkish bath operators on the subject, it is seen that the inproper of knowledge about the tradition itself and protection approaches lead to changes in purpose, content and applications and especially the entertainment dimension is emphasized. The process that this interest will follow in terms of safeguarding, keeping alive and transferring the tradition within the commercial concerns and consumer culture is important.
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