This picture was shot in Belenkeuy, Datça, in August 2007. I think it captures a stereotypical moment of a peasant community in the Middle East. We see only men, most of them seated at tables. Some seem to play a game, while others look on or may be about to fall sleep.

Now, some of you may look at this picture and see nothing more than a bunch of lazy blokes who have probably been sitting all day in this public house and letting others do all the work. There is, however, much more than meets the eye.

I believe that every picture tells a story without words. Nevertheless, just like in feature films, words can provide enormous insight into an image. With this snapshot, I hope to satisfy those who are content with image itself, but for others whose curiosity is answered only by text and the hidden meanings it offers, what follows is just one of many possible stories this picture has to tell.

In Turkey, a Hat Shows One’s (Political) Colours

In this picture, almost all of the men are wearing something on their heads: there is one man with a small embroidered hat, one with a typical Turkish bonnet, one with religious headgear, three with American-style baseball caps and one with nothing at all. While it may seem trivial, the headgear tells an important story.

The bonnet worn by the half-hidden man is a republican symbol that identifies the wearer as a follower of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who established the modern Turkish Republic in 1923. When I visited this village for the first time in 1997, most of the men wore such a bonnet. Since then, however, with every passing day it has become more and more clear – from newspapers and popular TV channels to books and conversations with people in the street – that fewer and fewer Turks are still committed to the official republican ideology. Dress and headgear are two interesting ways through which people show their dissatisfaction with the ‘old élite’. It is therefore notable that some of the villagers in this picture have changed their caps.

Some sociologists believe that Islam is an adult religion, since many Muslims become more observant after they turn 40. However, of the four older men in the picture, we see that only one wears a religious cap. This may be because, as other sociologists claim, Muslims in a environment hostile to the their faith are more inclined to show their devoutness than believers in a safe environment. For example, in the big cities of Turkey (and in Western Europe) we see more Muslims wearing religious garb than in the villages. In Turkey, however, internal migration has resulted in an increased show of piety in villages too, but our picture probably shows that most men are locals, since they’re less inclined to display their faith. This theory is supported by knowledge that migration is new to this area of Turkey, prompted recently by the construction boom that followed its ‘discovery’.

The baseball cap is the most common type of headgear in this picture. This American symbol is evidence of Turkey’s increasing involvement in the international market. It also shows that the peasants of Marmaris and Datça are becoming modern farmers.

Why Aren’t They Working?

This picture reveals another classic quality of Turkish teahouses at midday: village elders – those exempt from work – are a majority. I’m confident that this holds true throughout the Mediterranean world, from Morocco to Arabia and Lebanon to Portugal. While the older generations has earned its right to rest, younger men are either working or enjoying a short siesta from the heat of day.

Why Are Women Absent from this Image?

It’s a real a pity that we don’t see any women in this picture. Unlike most of Turkey, women in Datça do visit teahouses and join discussions on village matters. There are even teahouses run by women, like the one pictured here. In general, in Datça, girls are much freer than their peers in other parts of Turkey, as they can walk around freely and meet with friends, although, as a rule, they are seldom seen alone in teahouses.

About the Making of This Picture

To me, what really makes this picture special is the low angle from which it was taken. Like Yasujirō Ozu, the Japanese cineast famous for his low-angle camera positions, I pushed my camera down as far as possible. The effect is that it looks like we are sitting at the table too. The cigarette smoke practically teases our nostrils.

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For more of Gerard’s pictures from Marmaris and Datça, see the whl.travel Marmaris-Datça Flickr photostream.

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