(HaberTürk Newspaper, 26 November 2016)
Happily married ladies, from left: Ayşe, Fatma, Ayşe, Fatma, Ayşe.
The village of Dulköy, with its 340 households and 1,200 residents,
is part of Araklı district of Trabzon province. But because of its name
the village has been split in two. In particular, the women and young
girls of the village have applied to village chief Selahattin Akyıldız
to have the name of the village changed.
//ed. note: 'dul' means 'widow' but people also use it to refer to
divorcés.//
The women say that "people think that widows live in this village.
Anyone who hears the name of the village makes fun of it. Other
villagers, claiming that the name of the village comes from the
Dulkadiroğulları Principality, object to any change.
Nevertheless, since 932 villagers signed a petition for the change
the village chief submitted it to the Araklı district chief and
suggested that the village's new name be 'Çamlıca'. Being very
diplomatic, Araklı Mayor Recep Çebi said that "we want to make
an evaluation that represents the majority. Everyone's voice should
be heard."
Village chief Selahattin Akyıldız even has a widow's peak hairline.
Village chief Akyıldız noted that "the village's name is very annoying
for us. Writing 'dul' (widow) on identity papers bothers our people.
Just about everyone wants the name changed. The Araklı mayor says
the petition will have to go to the Trabzon assembly for a decision. I
looked in the history books and there's no connection at all between
our village and the Dulkadiroğulları Principality."
dulkadiroğulları principality nowhere near Dulköy
One of the women of the village, Esma Ay, remarked "Can a
village have 'widow' for its name? People think that the people living
here are all widows. Our children are embarrassed by the name. Why
hasn't it been changed by now?!" Another village woman, Safiye
Kara said "the country is laughing at us, we're ashamed of the village's
name."
Village chief Akyıldız offered these examples of the burdens of being
from Dulköy: "we gave a girl as a bride to another province. At the
marriage table, when the groom heard the name of her village he
said 'I won't marry a widow!' We convinced him, but with difficulty.
And once I was in Ankara getting a license and the woman there asked
for the name of my village. When I said 'Dul' she asked again and
said 'sir, I'm not asking for your marital state, I'm asking for the name
of your village."
Araklı district is in east-central Trabzon province.
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