Coffee has a great reputation and significance all around the world. Coffee which has many and different material and spiritual meanings in many cultures is one of important and valuable pieces in Turkish culture. “A coffee has a sake forty years.” is that these dicta demonstrate us how essential coffee’s value is. The value leads to some formations that is like coffee houses in Ottoman. Coffee houses being one of the societies dynamics is that a tool which enable society progress by socializing. Coffee houses that we can assume the first public areas in Ottoman have a historical and social integrity, which causes existence of coffee houses nowadays. On the other hand, use of coffee is not restricted with coffee houses. Since, women that are not part of coffee houses create using of coffee in private areas. It is a fact that space notion should be considered remarkable importance of Ottoman society in terms of using of coffee. Reflections of coffee’s unifying power are seen in different areas. It is required and significant to address the difference using coffee in the private and public areas to understand the place of coffee in Ottoman society. Although coffee is usually attributed to women as a common belief, use of coffee in the Ottoman Empire spreads two different areas.
Ottoman Coffeehouse Depiction (Generated by Artificial Intelligence)
Coffeehouses as Public Spaces in the Ottoman Empire
There are some rumors about emergence of coffee’s name that has different and unique smell and not thirst quencher from other beverages known. The name of coffee is entitled from area that coffee grows in ‘Kaffa’. This word is based on Arabic, and it is pronounced as ‘kahva’ early periods. Another rumor is that ‘kahva’ which is wine being part of Arabic culture changed as ‘kahve’. The homeland of coffee who has a dynamic adventure is Africa, but the first consuming is in South Arabia. Its spread to the world was made by Venetian merchants in 17th century, which enables increasing popularity of coffee. Importance given of coffee that has more than 100 varieties is extraordinary and marvelous especially in terms of Turkish culture. In Ottoman Empire, Turks create their own ‘Turkish coffee’ by using different making methods and offer styles. Coffee which was consume only by the palace people at first time, spread to the society gradually and became an indispensable part of the culture. As coffee became an element of conservation over time, its use spilled over into the streets and coffeehouses that is product of coffee’s unifying power emerge. The first traces of coffeehouses are known in Mecca and Cairo in 1511 and coffeehouses which are significant part of social and cultural examples are seen in Istanbul in 1553. Number of coffeehouses increase over time in society, which makes remarkable and key factor of the socialization and culture of coffeehouses that has survive to nowadays create.
Coffee in the Private Sphere: Women and Domestic Culture
People’s need to socialize are meet many different manners varies geography from geography. ‘For example, the Germans’ beer halls, the British’ pubs, the French’s cafés are influenced by different places in many different societies are socialization areas formed within the framework.’【1】Coffeehouses in Ottoman Empire is that suitable and important examples of such manners. The purpose of using coffeehouses that use to drink coffee firstly has changed over time. One of changes is that people argue about politic issues in Ottoman Empire. For example, according to IV. Murad who coffeehouses as a threat to his puissance, coffeehouses became a place that include rebellious and making sedition persons because ‘a forum where the public disclosed their news, opinions and complaints about the state had the potential to turn into a political club.’【2】Therefore, he commanded that these structures are destroyed. Another function of coffeehouses is that meeting entertainment of society thanks to shows. However, only purpose of organize entertainment is not meeting needs. Also, owners of place desire to attract customers to gain superiority from other places.
Karagöz, Meddah shows is given as example about coffeehouses’ entertainment. In addition, conservations in coffeehouses are not ineffectual and redundant. According to Peçevi, ‘There are often heated literary discussions among customers.’【3】In this way, poets and writers had the potential to reach a critical audience. Coffeehouses became public area with aspects given and they create their own culture. It a fact that coffeehouses substantial and valuable importance and power. Therefore, coffeehouses can be mentioned as the first public space in Ottoman Empire.
The Lasting Role of Coffee in Ottoman Society
The remarkable and point about such popular and widespread coffeehouses in Ottoman society is that there is no trace of women in these areas, which demonstrates is that coffee has another special area in Ottoman. Although information about private areas is limited, using of coffee has valuable and considerable meaning in private area. Coffee is also means of socialization in private sphere just like in the coffeehouses. Coffee is seen as complementary element of meals among members of the family since news, incidents, issues about the family are discussed at time that coffee creates. On the other hand, when Ottoman society is analyzed, there are not common places that women can socialize. It is possible to explain that such areas are created thanks to coffee. Gathering under the excuse of drinking coffee is part of socializing among women. Coffee fortune emerges in these meeting to spend time and express some opinions implicitly about each other. In addition, the presentation of coffee is significant and remarkable in terms of value given to the guests. The way of coffee is made, cup styles, water and dessert served with it shows that there are messages that are given. As a result, coffee has different and substantial meanings in private areas.
In conclusion, coffee has an undeniable importance and roles in Turkish culture. Rapid adaption and spread shows how unique coffee that does not have analogue is. Especially in Ottoman Empire, the value and significance given to coffee can be seen with many examples. Difference of using space can be examined clearly in terms of using of coffee. Coffee that has very different functions and meanings in coffeehouses that is public areas and private areas. It is possible to deduce dynamics about Ottoman society by addressing using of coffee in public areas and private areas.
Ottoman Coffeehouse Depiction (Generated by Artificial Intelligence)