Today in 1920s Turkey: 9 October 1924 (Job Opening: Brothel Manager)

(Cartoon by Ratip Tahir Burak, Akbaba or “Vulture/White-bearded Old Man,” 9 October 1924, no. 193, page 4.)

English:
(Above) From the Newspapers: “Mr. Governor is looking for a madam from Istanbul for a newly established brothel in Akhisar.
(Below)
— We are seeking a madam for Akhisar’s new brothel… Interested parties should apply at the police headquarters!

Türkçe
(Üstte) Gazetelerden: “Akhisar’da açılan umumhane için kaymakam bey İstanbul’dan mama istiyor!..”
(Altta)
— Akhisar’da açılan umumhane için patron aranıyor.. Taleb olanlar polis müdüriyetine müraacat etsinler!..

Comments:
Ninety-four years ago today Akbaba published a cartoon commenting on a recent story gleaned from the daily newspapers. Bearing the signature of artist Ratip Tahir Burak, the cartoon directly illustrates the scandalous story without adding much additional flare, as the story needs no further embellishment. The text above the image informs the reader that the governor of the provincial town of Akhisar was looking to Istanbul to find qualified candidates for a newly created position at a newly opened establishment in his jurisdiction. The establishment—a brand spanking new brothel— was still awaiting an experienced madam to manage and run its daily operations.

Lampooning the public nature of this indecent “search” the cartoonist presents the reader with a familiar scene accented with incongruous details. The man beating on a giant drum is reminiscent of the traditional Ramadan drummer so familiar to Istanbulites during the holy month. Rather than walking the streets of residential areas this drummer performs outside of an Istanbul brothel. And instead of awakening would-be fasters, he raucously announces the Akhisar location’s job vacancy. A potential candidate, a madam with a large ring of keys on her belt steps outside her workplace to listen to the details of the drummer’s broadcast. This “special” drummer is portrayed as a vulgar, low-class country-bumpkin type (perhaps alluding to a provincial, Akhisar origin) with baggy clothes, missing teeth, a scruffy beard, and hairy, bare chest. The drummer might represent the now infamous “Mr. Governor” of Akhisar or a personification of the crass newspapers who reported on the lewd announcement. He could also conceivably represent a fictitious drummer, displaced from his native Akhisar and advertising the position in the faraway land of Istanbul.

(Cartoon by Ratip Tahir Burak, Akbaba or “Vulture”/“White-bearded Old Man,” 9 October 1924, no. 193, page 4.)

This article has been updated and modified from its first iteration published right here on Steemit on 9 October 2016. For the original version see:
25. Today in 1920s Turkey: 9 October 1924 (Job Opening: Brothel Manager)