In English, the country of Turkey is called Turkey, which means turkey. So, which came first, the turkey or the country of Turkey? In fact, in Turkey, people do not call their country Turkey as in English.

In Turkish, they call it Türkiye. Türk here means Turkish people. Iye here is a suffix indicating a country or a land. Türk means the land of the Turkish people. Vietnam borrowed the name according to the Latinized system of Europe and later transliterated it into Hán Việt as Thổ Nhĩ Kỳ. So why is the turkey called Turkey, meaning the country of Turkey, or why is Turkey called turkey? When mentioning turkey, many Vietnamese often immediately think of the image of a large bird, with spread feathers, lots of meat, often roasted golden during Christmas or Western New Year. But few know that this creature does not originate from Turkey but comes from a place halfway around the world, which is America.

So where does the turkey come from? Why did it appear on the dining table of Europeans and become associated with the name Turkey?

Let's start from the origin. The jungles of Mexico and Central America. Before Europeans set foot in America, turkeys had lived in the lives of civilizations such as the Ache or the Maya. For them, turkeys were not just a source of meat; they were also a cultural symbol. The Maya regarded turkeys as a sacred bird often used in sacrificial rituals. The Ache had been raising turkeys for 2000 years, considering them like the local chickens we raise. Turkey feathers of various colors were used to decorate cloaks, hats, and ritual items.

Some archaeologists have even found images of turkeys on ancient Maya pottery, proving that they were deeply connected to spiritual life. In 1492, Christopher Columbus landed in the new land but thought he had reached India. This confusion marked the beginning of a series of misconceptions lasting for centuries, in which the turkey was a typical victim. From Columbus's voyage, Europeans began to encounter a series of completely new products, including potatoes, tomatoes, corn, peppers, cocoa, tobacco, and turkeys. Historians call this the Columbian Exchange, a global culinary revolution that changed the tastes of humanity.

In the early 16th century, the first turkeys were brought to Europe by the Spanish and Portuguese. Imagine, among the small chickens suddenly appeared a bird twice or three times larger, with a brilliant tail and a loud call. Without any advertising, it was enough to be overwhelming. Before long, turkey became a delicacy. King Henry VIII of England ate turkey in the royal court. In Italy, France, and Spain, it quickly became sought after by the nobility. By the mid-16th century, when the Spanish king held a wedding feast, roasted turkey was already on the table. Thus, in just a few decades, turkey, a native species of America, became a trendy dish throughout Europe.

But when Europeans sat down to eat, they did not know exactly where it came from. And this is the seed for the strange name that followed. So clearly, when talking about turkey, there has been nothing related to Turkey from the beginning. Turkeys did not originate in Turkey. The Turks did not invent any dish from turkey. They also did not raise turkeys.

Where does the name Turkey for turkey come from?

In the 15th and 16th centuries, the Ottoman Empire, which is modern-day Turkey, controlled a vast territory stretching from the Middle East, North Africa, and of course, all the way to Europe. Their map at that time included all trade routes from the East to the West. These routes had to pass through their land. The Ottoman Empire was like a huge toll station for the world. Spices from India had to go through the Ottoman route to reach Venice or Genoa. Silk from China also had to follow the Silk Road and then pass through Ottoman territory.

Goods from Africa and Arabia had to go through ports controlled by the Turks. The English and Europeans had become accustomed to the idea that anything strange came from Ottoman merchants. And so they had the habit of calling all those strange things Turkey. During this period in England and Europe, many items were labeled Turkey. For example, Eastern-style woven carpets were called Turkey carpets, meaning Turkish carpets. Strange beans were called Turkish beans. Corn was also called Turkish corn. Gems from the East were called Turkish stones.

In other words, Turkey at that time not only meant a country but also served as a label for all goods entering Europe through the Ottoman Empire. In the 16th century, when turkeys arrived in European ports on Spanish and Portuguese ships, the English saw a strange bird with delicious meat, an odd appearance, but they did not know where it came from. And because it was imported through trade routes controlled by the Turks, they innocently labeled it Turkey Bird, meaning Turkish bird. Over time, the "bird" part was dropped, and it was left with just Turkey. Thus, from a geographical misunderstanding, it became an official name that has lasted to this day. The name Turkey Bird began to be popular in the 16th century. Just about 50 years after Columbus discovered America, turkey had become a familiar dish among the European nobility.

And if you think only the English are humorous when calling turkey Turkey, you are very mistaken. In fact, many other countries also assigned it names related to India. Why is that? It all stems from another misunderstanding in history. A misunderstanding even more classic than Columbus thinking he had found India. Therefore, goods brought back from here were sometimes labeled with the word Indian. In French, turkey is called "poulet d'Inde," meaning Indian chicken. The reason is very simple; Columbus called America India, and the French believed it. This strange bird must surely be from India. To this day, Indian chicken still exists in French.

And what do the Turks call this bird? They do not call it Turkey but call it Hindi, which also means Indian chicken. So the humor has appeared. Even the Turks do not recognize this bird as their own. In other words, the Turks are just as mistaken as the French. They believe this is a bird imported from India, having nothing to do with their country. As a result, while the whole English-speaking world associates it with Turkey, the Turks point to India, a very comical blame circle.

What about other countries? The Russians call it Indian chicken, the Poles also call it Indian chicken, and the Jews call it Indian chicken. In Arabic, it is called Roman bird because they think it comes from Europe. And Mexico, the true homeland of the turkey, is hardly mentioned. If turkeys could talk, they would surely cry out like this: "I was born in Mexico, grew up in Central America, but when I came to Europe, the English forced me to take Turkish citizenship. The French pushed me to India. The Arabs say I am from Rome, while the Russians firmly assert I am in India. So who am I and where do I come from?" This is a perfect example of how language sometimes reflects imagination more than reality.

Why do we Vietnamese call it turkey?

Because of the influence from the French. Tây here means the West, referring to things imported from Europe. And the Vietnamese believe that this chicken was brought by the French. This is similar to how we call it "bánh mì tây" (Western bread) or "đèn tây" (Western lamp) during the French colonial period. Now let's take a moment to honor the turkey. Today, turkey has almost become a culinary symbol, especially in Western culture. If in 16th and 17th century Europe, turkey was seen as a rare dish only appearing at the banquets of the nobility, in America, it has risen to the status of the star of the dining table during Thanksgiving. The image of the whole family gathered around the feast with a golden roasted turkey has become a symbol of reunion, gratitude, and happiness.

Turkey also has its own records. What is the largest turkey in the world? The heaviest turkey recorded weighed up to 39.09 kg. This one in England is named Tyson. It is many times larger than a normal turkey. In terms of turkey consumption, Americans consume about 45 to 46 million turkeys just during Thanksgiving. It is estimated that out of every 10 families in America, nine families have turkey on their holiday table.

Is turkey fast?

Despite its large size, wild turkeys can run up to 32 km/h and fly at speeds of about 88 km/h in short bursts. Turkeys even have a ritual called the turkey pardon. Since President Abraham Lincoln's time, there has been a tradition of pardoning a turkey at the White House. Today, the President of the United States still often performs this ritual before Thanksgiving as a fun cultural tradition.