ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Villagers in Degirmenli (Zixir), a popular recreational spot in the Kurdish province of Diyarbakir (Amed) in southeast Turkey, have banned shorts, saying the attire makes families and elders uncomfortable.
A sign posted at the village, in Diyarbakir’s Dicle (Piran) district, warns visitors: “Do not walk around the village in shorts.”
“Shorts are forbidden because there are elders and families in the village,” village chieftain Abdullah Can said. “Whoever comes should be welcome. Let them do their sightseeing, there’s no problem here. If they just don’t underdress and don’t go around in shorts, it will be very good. This sign was put up by the decision of all of us villagers.”
Located about 85 kilometers north of Diyarbakir, Degirmenli sits in a narrow valley on the banks of the Tigris River. Its natural beauty has turned it into a growing tourist destination in recent years.
Village elder Abdullatif Toprak said visitors should “come appropriately and leave appropriately,” adding that shorts can be worn near the nearby dam, but not inside the village.
Residents also complain about trash left behind by tourists. “Picnickers should come and be welcome,” elder Huseyin Fidan said. “But they throw their garbage [litter], and we are very troubled by this.”
Despite its appeal, the area lacks basic facilities, including a parking lot, washrooms, and proper roads.
Tourist Orhan Koc called Degirmenli “a hidden paradise,” but urged authorities to improve infrastructure. “Everyone should come and see it,” he said. “But the authorities should create recreational facilities here. There’s a road problem, and we want these problems solved.”
Both residents and visitors are calling on the Diyarbakir Metropolitan Municipality and Dicle Municipality to address the shortcomings and help make Degirmenli a tourism center.
In conservative rural communities like Degirmenli, shorts can be seen as inappropriate because they reveal too much skin, especially in front of elders and families.Elders often expect visitors to follow local customs when entering the community.
Abdulsalam Akinci contributed to this report.
