Gold parties are a thing of the past; the fashion now is ‘soap parties'

 There are apples, pears, strawberries, plums, apricots, cherries and peaches on the table. "No doubt these fruit are for eating," you might think to yourself. But what is that? The young woman over there is rolling something in her hands, shaping it magically into an orange. Another young woman is doing the same thing, but she is creating a lemon. At this point, perhaps you think you are in a fruit production factory. In one corner of the room, soap is being grated, while in another corner, it is being rolled into a kind of dough.

These tiny pieces of "dough" are being transformed into "fruit" by the skilled hands of these young women. And as it turns out, these "fruit" that look so real are actually an old Edirne art form that goes all the way back to the 17th century.

We learn that the women of Edirne choose to attend “soap parties” in place of the traditional "gold parties," or even "money-towel-food" parties that they used to hold with one another. Neighbors now come together to not only engage in this traditional art of soap making but also to create items that they can sell and thus contribute to the family income. And don't question the profit in soap. There are some housewives in Edirne who are making twice the minimum monthly salary by making soap and selling it. These women are helping pay their rent, send their kids to school and so on. And the benefits are not only economic -- many of the women claim that the sheer relaxation of making soap is like psychological therapy.

Indispensable trousseau item for pashas’ daughters

The form of soap making we see in Edirne is actually a tradition that goes back 300 years or so. In fact, in the 19th century, there was a district called Sabunı, or "soap," simply because of the approximately 40 shops selling scented soaps. And today, the rows of delicious-smelling soap in the windows of a small shop in Arasta Çarşısı are a literal testimony to this trade's ability to stand the test of time. And Edirne, which once served as an Ottoman capital, caught the eyes of the pashas with this unique soap tradition. Soap from here was also sent to Topkapı Palace in İstanbul. These special soaps were a favorite item found in the trousseaus of the daughters of pashas and as gifts sent to other lands.

Homes turned into ateliers

Of course, over time, these special fruit soaps were affected by the changing economy and prices. And while there were 25 shops selling these soaps in Edirne in the first quarter of the 1900s, by 1985, the last person who created this special art died. However, in 2000, when then-Edirne Governor Fahri Yücelt rekindled the love of this art in people, soap making started again. And now, housewives in Edirne learn the art of making this kind of soap at local people's education centers in Edirne. Some of the women making the soap now have even turned their homes into ateliers, where they produce soap for sale later.

‘The soap got me out of my depression’

Thirty-two-year-old Nuray Hasgül is one Edirne resident who is very grateful for the presence of soap making in her life. She and her husband moved to Edirne five years ago for work. But Nuray Hasgül was in a bad traffic accident three years ago, and she broke some ribs and a knee cap, which meant six months of therapy. Hasgül was depressed after the accident but then began going to a course that taught how to make fruit soaps. “After the accident, I lost all my hope and the pleasure I got out of living. I killed time just by hanging around my home and watching television. But when the course on soap making opened up, it was like therapy, and I became happy and full of life again. When I'm making soap, I forget all my problems," Hasgül stated. Hasgül, who has been attending these courses now for two years, has applied to be a teacher of the course this year. She figures that even if she and her husband have to leave Edirne because of work obligations, she can take her skills with her and even help teach others this hobby that she loves so much.

 The women of Edirne choose to attend “soap parties” in place of the traditional "gold parties," or even "money-towel-food" parties that they used to hold with one another. Neighbors now come together to not only engage in this traditional art of soap making but also to create items that they can sell and thus contribute to the family income. There are some housewives in Edirne who are making twice the minimum monthly salary by making soap and selling it.

100 different fruits a day 

Tenzile Yalçın is a 26-year-old housewife who started going to a soap-making course because she was tired of wasting time doing nothing at home. This is her first time trying her hand at a craft like this, and though she found it difficult at first, she soon learned how to make every kind of fruit soap imaginable. She explains: “It is very difficult to shape slippery soap. And you have to be as careful as a sculptor if you want the soap to really resemble fruit." Yalçın says that now she makes up to 100 pieces of soap that resemble fruit a day. They sell according to how large they are, from Kr 50 to TL 1.5. And so her profit ranges from TL 500 to TL 1,200 a month, depending on how many stores are selling her products.

Sıdıka Anbar has also been making soap for around three years and could be considered somewhat like Yalçın's partner. These two women, who have turned their homes into ateliers, spend much time making soap together. Anbar explains: "As neighbors, we get together and talk, as well as make soap. We also have our tea and cake."  

Anbar notes that at the beginning of her soap-making adventures, her husband was not so enthusiastic, doubting that she could really be spending her time fruitfully, but now he sees just how worthwhile it is.

‘I pay the rent and help pay my children's school fees’

Seher Adalıoğlu is also happy to be making these special soaps, mostly because she is contributing to her family's income. She notes that her husband was having trouble paying for everything on his own and states that the money she makes from the soap she creates helps pay for the rent, her children's school fees, etc.

Fifty-three-year-old Rehna Patas has a similar story, noting that prior to joining the soap-making course, she was practically "making herself sick" by sitting at home and just wondering how to pass the time. But now, she says, "Thanks to this course, I am self-confident, I feel better and my emotions are more on track."

Housewives and university graduates take these courses

One of the teachers at the Edirne People's Education Center is Emine Karapınar, who has taught soap-making for eight years now. She notes that the number of students is far greater than in the beginning and that now there are eight classes with a total of 160 students. Karapınar says the student profile at the courses is quite diverse, encompassing housewives to women who are still students. She notes: "Thanks to this course, our women are feeling much better. They gain self-confidence, contribute to their households and have a social life. They talk and have fun at these courses."

Looking to try out this interesting craft? Here are some tips:  

Take some water and knead your grated soap. Shape a handful of soap, depending on what kind of fruit you want it to resemble. Place wires in the soap, which are meant to look like stems, and leave the wires in the soap for 10 days, allowing the soap to dry. After the soap is dry, paint the soap the color of the fruit you created. Let the soap dry again and then varnish them.