THE TURKISH WOMAN'S FIRST BALL

Hokitika Guardian, 22 September 1927, Page 3

THE TURKISH WOMAN'S FIRST BALL

(.By Grace Ellison. who has just returned from Ttirkey-in-Asia).

Konin, flu* ancient Asiatic town of winding alleys, minarets, mosques, and (until recently) dancing dervishes, was to become modern by the Turkish ■Government's order. Am! as ihe first step towards Westernisation and complete modernity the city must hold a. 'bull.

.Rasy ,),» order i.ut not so easy In obey. The people of Ko'iin, not merely cl id not dunce most of them had never seen a- city where hnllrooin dancing was pcrmitled. And so, as it first step, everything and everyone connecter) with a. hall, from the dressmaker and uiilleiir to the music and fancy bread, had to be brought Irorn Constantinople. But at last the difficulties wore overcome. Thanks to a generous response to an appeal for cushions, carpets, flags, and almond blossom, an ugly suite of rooms in a primitive hotel was converted into an Oriental garden; the lights were brilliant; the Army supplied the hand; many of the women made their dresses themselves from designs in the fashion magazines; and friends acted as hair cutters.

The question of all questions, however, was the question of sleeves, “Sleeves or no sleeves?” asked the dancers. The husband of Mine. Xadji Pasha, with whom I was staying, had to decide, and at first ho set his teeth firmly against his wile wearing a sleeveless dress. To unveiled hair and low necks lie hail grown accustomed, but. sleeveless or short-sleeved dresses he disliked, and. so his final decision of “no sleeves,” was something of a triumph for the new woman. But on the day of the ball, despite this lead, many women had not the courage to show themselves except with high necks, sleeves, and turbans. Others dared not separate themselves from their fur coats, and still others refused to dance except, with their husbands, llow interesting it was to see these women arrive with their prejudices and drop them one by one for ever!

But of all the ball arrangements that which most interested me was cross-examination by a high Government official of all those husbands who came without their wives. “Where is your wife?” “She is tired,” was the answer. “f fiuw her with you this afternoon The voung officer would have been dismissed had not bis superior known the real reason—that the wile had no evening dress. 'flic reason for the interrogation was that many men were quite willing to attend the hall and leave thenwives at home. This selfishness was

discouraged. . When my friend and f arrived at the hall the women were all in one room, the Harem; and the men m another, the Sclnndik. They themselves had taken tlieir places, gn'ded by the customs of the past. | ; spoke in whispers, looked uncomfortable and waited. - The military hand began to play. Chillinc-ss. shyness, self-consciousness all vanished; there was on y one desire to kefqv hack the daylight which was the signal for the ball to bnisb. The last time T staved with m> friend the customs of the country < <’- nied oven her. the Grand daughter, the privilege of making acquaintance of our Ambassador. “Now.” sl.e said, “all the terrible restrictions of bygone days have gone. Our great ruler lias given us out right to our share in hie. Can you wonder that we venerate him?”