Silent Messages: The Role of İğne Oyası in Konya’s Dürü Tradition

“Oya” is a type of handicraft created using tools such as needles, crochet hooks, and shuttles. It is used to adorn the edges of headscarves, peshkirs, kerchiefs, or handkerchiefs. Oya is an essential element of the Anatolian dowry tradition. It holds significant symbolic meanings in the wedding custom known as Dürü, particularly in Konya, a city renowned for its rich cultural heritage. Oya represents creativity and conveys a variety of emotions and thoughts. The oyas in the Dürü bundle, mainly crafted using needles, signify different meanings for married, single, widowed, young, or old, and they can reflect the status of both women and men. This article will explore the symbolic meanings of iğne oyası in the bridal bundle within the Konya Dürü tradition.