Turkish men
not so worried about worry beads
Pinar
Tremblay August 24,
2015 Al-Monitor
There is
a strong bond between men and beads in Turkey. Tesbih — worry
or prayer beads — are used by men from all walks of life in
Turkey and are an essential accessory to long, passionate debates.
Tesbih could be the easiest topic of conversation started in
male-dominated coffee houses or upscale social clubs in Turkey.
Despite growing female interest in tesbihs, they are still an
almost-exclusively male domain. The artisans, designers,
salespeople and customers are almost all men. It is even seen as a
sign of strong masculinity in different communities in
Turkey.
The traditional use of worry beads,
or tesbih, thrives in modern times as a tool for personal therapy,
a status symbol and a faithful companion.
The first time I entered a tesbih store at the famous Grand
Bazaar of Istanbul, a middle-aged shopkeeper asked with an
uninterested voice, “Who will you buying the tesbih for?” Before I
could even answer he said, “If it is your boyfriend, you should not
spend much, but if it is your dad or uncle, then I can show you
some high-quality tesbihs.” Mustafa Bey, a tesbih salesman for 15
years, said, “Young women buy tesbihs for their novice
tesbih-aspiring boyfriends, who fail to appreciate their value.
They lose the tesbih promptly, which leads to quarrels between the
couple.”
Indeed,
when you sit down at a cafe or a restaurant in Turkey, briefly
watch the men as they put down their cellphones, cigarette
packages, lighters and tesbihs. You may appreciate the love
and the strong bond Turkish men feel for their tesbihs, keeping
them as close as their phones.
The
beads have a long and amazing history, and incredible variety.
There are basic categories in evaluating a tesbih: the
material used to make the tesbih; the number and size of the
beads (if there is a piece of a slightly different size
or texture, it is called a drunk bead); harmony of color
and sound that the beads produce
together; originality; and artisanship and the strength
of the top piece, called the imame. This is the piece that holds
all the others together; it is the first sign of quality
artisanship in a tesbih. Most generic products use a silver bead
for the imame, but the precious ones use the same material as the
beads. The last category is the simplicity factor.
Intriguingly, the most precious tesbihs are the least
eye-catching ones. As one tesbih lover explained, “it is not
jewelry to show off, but a companion.”
Worry
or prayer beads can be found in almost every culture and
religion. Catholic rosaries, the prayer
rope of Orthodox
churches, Irish marble worry
stones and Buddhist or
Tibetan prayer beads (malas) are
well-known all around the world. But prayer beads go beyond the
holy prayer sites in some cultures. For example, in
Greece, using worry beads
(komboloi) is seen as
a daily secular activity, as it is in
Turkey. The beads have long made their way out of the mosques
and churches in the region and have become a companion of
men.
The
traditional materials used to make tesbihs are crucial and continue
to be used. Kadir Sukru Karateke, a prominent tesbih artisan master
who runs his family tesbih store of 61 years in the Grand
Bazaar of Istanbul, told
Al-Monitor, “Origins of prayer bead materials fall into
four broad categories: precious stones, different types of
wood, animal products or fossils. The harder the material of the
bead, or the rarer it is, the more intricate artisanship will
be involved, increasing the value of the tesbih.” Snakewood, olive,
sandalwood, palm, tamarind, apple and walnut trees are
commonly used. One story frequently
shared is about the health benefits of
the different materials used. For example, kuka, a tropical fruit
pit harder than coconut, was known as the tesbih of medical doctors
during the Ottoman era. The kuka pits are known to act as a natural
disinfectant, while releasing a pleasant scent when rolled between
fingers. Several other tree-based beads are valued for their
special scents. Their color also darkens over time, like
leather, increasing their worth. Bagh tesbihs made from the shells
of the threatened Caretta turtle (loggerhead) are extremely
precious, like those from elephant tusks. Although several precious
stones are used in tesbih making, amber has gained popularity in
the recent years, prized for its beauty and calming
effects.
Making
tesbihs has been a thriving industry in Turkey in the past decade
both for international and domestic markets,
said Karateke.
“Once
the customer or the master decides upon the material to be used,
then it is all about the patience and dedication," he said. "The
traditional styles and methods are still applied today, with
certain modern touches. For example, the new trend is to write the
name of the owner somewhere either on the stones or the silver
or golden tassel.”
Even
"evil eye" designs can now be seen in unique tesbihs. Karateke
explained that the number of beads in tesbihs can vary:
Tesbihs used daily are usually short, with 33 beads;
others having 99 beads mostly are used for prayer. But he told
Al-Monitor, “There are those rare ones made with 500 or 1,000 beads
as well.”
Every
element of a tesbih — each section between the beads, the big
piece marking the beginning of the imame, the last piece at the top
of the imame called the tepelik, even the way the knot of
the string is hidden — has a specific name and will be evaluated by
the careful eyes of tesbih lovers. Karateke explained, “Collectors
know who the master maker is once they evaluate the tesbih, because
each has their own signature in the product.”
The
number of tesbih collectors is increasing in Turkey. Prominent
collectors such as Turkish President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan and several other Turkish
politicians enjoy posing with tesbihs to
connect with their
constituencies.
Interestingly,
tesbihs are popular among the Gray
Wolves ultranationalist group of
Turkey; many members consider tesbihs a must-have for their
image. Yet, tesbih can be seen in the hands of almost all
Turkish men, from Alevi taxi
drivers to Kurdish college professors to Marxist
parliamentarians. They can be seen in movie theaters — and soccer
matches.
Soli
Ozel, a professor of international relations
from Kadir
Has University of Istanbul, is a
skillful modern tesbih lover who can use his phone and tesbih
simultaneously. Ozel told Al-Monitor, “I enjoy the tesbih because
it keeps my hands occupied. It has to be just the right size,
though; the beads should not be too small or big.” Ozel confessed
to misplacing his tesbih from time to time, but also added that he
has not received negative reactions for his tesbih dedication, only
some curious questions if he is abroad.
A sign
of manhood or piety, a rite of passage — tesbihs are indeed
companions. They help pass time, they are part of prayer and
their use can become a habit to calm nerves or even to
beat an addiction. In the era of iPods, smartphones and
tablets, you can still find tesbihs present in coffee houses of
poor areas or executive offices of rich neighborhoods. It is quite
amazing how a string of beads carries centuries of stories and
bonds Turks together culturally.