The ancient art of Istanbul’s porters survives modern challenges in Turkiye

In Istanbul’s cultural tapestry, porters who haul large sacks of white plastic on their backs or in handcarts carry a significant but frequently unnoticed load.

This trade, known as hamallk in Turkish, dates back to the Ottoman era and is still active today.

The Egyptian Bazaar, Grand Bazaar, and Eminonu district, where traditional hans (commercial buildings) house workshops that sell jewelry, textiles, and other goods, are where the practice flourishes.

Because many centuries-old hans are buried in narrow streets where vehicles cannot pass, these porters continue to be essential. Daytime traffic restrictions in Eminonu add to their significance.

Up to 440–660 pounds of merchandise can be transported using a semer, a traditional wooden and leather harness, using a porter on the fifth floor. These specialist harnesses frequently turn out to be family items that have been passed down from one generation to the next, illustrating the hereditary nature of the profession. (Porters are still primarily men’s jobs, with female ones being incredibly uncommon.)

The porters work within managed, organized divisions that ensure a fair wage distribution. Members’ daily wages are determined by their loads’ quantity and weight.

Only those who can handle the demanding work can enter because it requires remarkable physical strength and endurance. Porters carefully select new members and take a lot of pride in their work.

Omer Okan, 60, has been a porter for 30 years, regularly bringing more than 500 kg (1, 100 pounds) on his back every day.

Little security is provided by the occupation. Okan points out that the majority of porters are uninsured and only make money when they are injured or ill. As major wholesalers leave Eminonu, where he works, for a more productive job, there are less employment opportunities.

He claimed that we occasionally return home without making any money.

Although Okan occasionally feels undervalued by the society that depends on his service, he inherited the profession from his grandfather and takes pride in his work.