Istanbul porters in the balance - 3rd December 2021

At the crack of dawn, swarms of men mill around the streets in the vicinity of Istanbul's Grand Bazaar. Men have been plying their trade as porters in this way since Ottoman times.

The porters cart bales of garments and textiles, often reaching 200 kilogrammes in weight, up and down the Bazaar's tight lanes and flights of stairs, destined for tailors and tradespeople totally dependent on their assistance.

Shopkeeper Kamil Beldek recognises the indispensable role they play.

Kamil Beldek: "They provide logistical support so that the products we sell here reach our customers. They bring the products to our store here, and for that reason they are a part of us that we cannot give up on."

Yet these days, sellers are increasingly shifting their businesses away from the bazaar's confined passageways, seeking ease of access outside, stoking fears that the longstanding tradition of Istanbul's porters is in the balance.

Although Mehmet Toktas followed in his uncle's footsteps, he claims youngsters today would struggle with such a physically demanding job.

Mehmet Toktas: "If someone came to me and said they want to do this job, I would tell them they can't. The young people today can't do this work. It's really heavy. This job is heavy."

By contrast, urban historian Necdet Sakaoglu, who's tracked the role of the porter ever since its 19th century heyday, remains unperturbed, explaining that each new cohort of porters typically thinks along similar lines.

Necdet Sakaoglu: "This has been said in every era. In 1835, if you had asked the porters, they would have also said that it was the end of this profession. They would have said 'this profession cannot continue to exist'. It's a way of blocking entry [into the profession], a way of not losing their job."

The porters comply with rigid rules, each carrying out their role in a limited, micro district, sticking to their own customers.

For Sakaoglu, the enduring culture of the Istanbul porters is assured, simply because needs must.

Necdet Sakaoglu: "Even today there are a lot of porters, because in Istanbul, because of the structure of the city, the structure of its trade, but also because of its topography, porters are a necessity. The city cannot function without porters."