Canaries and Their Role in Late Ottoman Cultural Life

Abstract

This study evaluates the historical significance of canaries in human history as well as their position in late Ottoman culture and daily life. The relationship, that people have developed with nature since hunter-gatherer societies, has evolved to its present state by becoming integrated with the advancement of civilization. The genus Serinus, to which the canaries belong, and which is one of the original examples of this bond, has been in the field of interest of human relations and communications since early times. However, the original Serinus genre of the Canary Islands, was transformed into a capitalist consumption commodity as a result of new geographic discoveries in the XV and XVI centuries. Curiosity regarding canaries and their trade was met with interest in the Ottoman society too. The bonds that the nomadic Turks formed with animals and birds influenced Seljuk and Ottoman cultural elements, making the canary a part of Ottoman daily life. It is noteworthy that this creature was reflected in literary texts, folkloric elements, books, and archive documents with various narratives, particularly in the last years of the Ottoman Empire. This study is a qualitative inquiry into the history of the Canaries and how they influenced Ottoman cultural life. The data of the study were obtained from documents, books, and articles from the late XIX and early XX centuries, including today’s literature. This study reveals that throughout the course of human history, canaries have been subjected to cultural, economic, and aesthetic definitions and perceptions. © 2023 Cyprus International University. All rights reserved.