Photograph of Sadiye Ali and Ali Hasan Yorgancı no. 030

Photograph of Sadiye Ali (1905-1989) and Ali Hasan Yorgancı (1906-1989), taken in the studio of Fevzi Akarsu in 1931 to commemorate the registration of their marriage (nikah). They are the same persons as in No. 031. Not only the persons but also the background in the studio is the same as that of their wedding photograph (window with curtains, the vase with white flowers on a white table, the carpet on which the couple stands). They also have the same posture, with the young lady standing to the right of her husband with her left hand resting on his shoulder. The groom again wears his traditional garments depicted in the wedding photograph: a white silk shirt with soft collar, his Tripoli sash (tarabulus guşak) over the black knee-breeches, and black leather elastic-sided ankle boots (lastikli konçlu potin). The only difference in his appearance compared with the other photograph, are the stockings, which here have lozenge patterns (baklava) and are tied with garters just under the knee. He has a trimmed moustache and the typical hair style with parting in the middle (horaşa). The appearance of the bride is completely different from that of the wedding photograph, although she still wears around her neck a bendo (five-lira coin) and four red liras (of pure gold) (kırmızı (altın) lira) suspended from a red ribbon of thick silk cloth. She wears a long white silk dress with a V-neck, and long sleeves with cuffs. The dress is cut at the waist and has a double skirt; it is complemented with white stockings and white button bar shoes with low heels. Her black hair reaches just below the ears and is completely uncovered; there is a parting so that a fringe falls over the left side of her forehead. She seems to have black paint (kohl, hollá) around her eyes, but no henna on her fingers. She also wears a bracelet on the wrist of her right hand, in which she holds a bunch of flowers. Note that during the period of British rule, Turkish Cypriots asked the Government to establish civil laws, among others the registration of marriage, divorce etc. Before that period there was only imam nikahı and wedding celebration; this meant that although they were proclaimed by the imam as husband and wife, it was easy for men to divorce; in the case of registration they had to go to the court in order to get a divorce (information from Kadir Kaba). Source: Mehmet Yorgancı. Village: Kiados (Çatoz), Mesaoria, Famagusta District.