Abstract
Trousseau – “çeyiz” in Turkish – preparations are a significant part of wedding rituals in Turkey. The process of preparing çeyiz starts when a daughter is born and continues till marriage. Therefore, we – two design researchers – were set on a journey to go back to our roots and discover what this process entails, how it changed in time, and where the change is leading towards. We talked to women from different age groups, asked them about their çeyiz, created a manifesto to trigger critical reflections about this ritual, and ignited a conversation within ourselves: What was çeyiz, what was it turning into, and how can we envision new scenarios with this meaningful but transforming ritual? We listened to its wisdom then created a manifesto and used it as a conversation starter. This project is partly speculation of what a traditional ritual might transform into and partly a criticism of how we as a community can spark change in our perception of values.