AnAtoliAn voice

Anatolian voice
inside | SUFI & FLAMENCO | Republic Celebration | GATES OF
BYZANTINE | Fire of Anatolia
FALL 2005 | vol. 7 | issue 23
CONTENTS
FALL 2005
11
16
10
10 from Sufi to Flamenco
11 a celebration of
Turkey
16 Gates of Byzantium
feature
articles
20 Fire of Anatolia
03President’s letter
04Schedule of Events
05 OPEN BOOK
Community News
Peace in the World
Flu Shots
A Special Thanks
08 from the TACAM
Archives
08 CLASSIFIEDS
22Tasty Recipes
23 Editor’s letter
23BOARD MEMBERS
ANATOLIAN VOICE
PRESIDENT’S letter
Dear Friends,
I would like to start my letter by wishing everybody a happy new
year. Another busy year is behind us. We started with the General
Assembly meeting and continued our events with the Father’s
Day Picnic, Zafer Bayrami Picnic, Ottoman Poetry Night at the
University of Michigan, Farmington Heritage Festival, Chicago
Turkish Festival, wonderfully prepared celebration of the October
29th Republic Day Gala, Seker Bayrami celebration, great show of
Fire of Anatolia, ATAA’s Convention in Chicago and saying goodbye
to a great friend of our community Canan and Cuneyt Ozaktay. It
was definitely a very busy seven months for me. I met many people,
I made new friends and I learned many things: it was a good year
overall, despite being very busy.
I would like to tell a little bit of my experience in ATAA’s Convention in Chicago. I listened to many good seminars: it was very
interesting to meat with Turkish people from all the over United
States. I listened to their problems, their solutions and experiences while we had lunch together. Mostly, I liked the evenings
when we all sat down, talked and talked about everything and
anything. While we are all trying to adopt to life in United States,
I realize that we still miss our country, our customs and especially
the friendships that we cherish. How lucky we are that we are not
alone: we have our community, which provides us the comfort of not
being alone.
Remember, you should be receiving your membership renewal
forms very soon, and a survey attached too. Please renew your
membership, it is very important that you support TACAM: all the
work we do, we are doing it for our community—none of us have
any gain but only working countless hours to do something for our
community. Please do not forget to send your dues. TACAM exists
because of your support, without you TACAM has nothing. Also,
you should be receiving a survey to fill out, this survey will tell us
what you want, what kind of activities you would like to attend, etc.
Let us know what you want, let’s hear from you, our members. We
can only serve you better if you tell us what you want.
Now, I will end my letter thanking everybody who has worked
very hard to help TACAM and our community, you are greatly
appreciated. I salute you for your efforts and work. Thank you for
giving me the opportunity to serve you. Thank you all and have a
great year!
I would like to leave you with this poem from
Cahit Sitki Taranci
DESEM KI
Desem ki vakitlerden bir Nisan aksamidir.
Ruzgarlarin en ferahlaticisi senden esiyor.
Sende seyrediyorum denizlerin en mavisini,
Ormanlarin en kuytusunu sende gezmekteyim.
Senden kopardim ciceklerin en solmazini.
Topraklarin en bereketlisini sende surdum.
Sende tattim yemislerin cumlesini.
Desem ki sen benim icin,
Hava kadar lazim,
Ekmek kadar mubarek,
Su gibi aziz bir seysin;
Nimettensin, nimettensin!
Desem ki....
Inan bana sevgilim inan.
Evimde senliksin, bahcemde bahar;
Ve soframda en eski sarap.
Ben sende yasiyorum,
Sen bende hukum surmektesin.
Birak ben soyleyeyim guzelligini,
Ruzgarla, nehirlerle, kuslarla beraber.
Gunlerden sonra bir gun,
Sayet sesimi farkedemezsen,
Ruzgarlarin, nehirlerin, kuslarin sesinden
Bil ki olmusum.
Fakat uzulme, musterih ol;
LEYLA D. AHMED
2005-2006 TACAM PRESIDENT
Ve neden sonra
Kabirde boceklere ezberletirim guzelligini,
Tekrar duydugun gun sesimi gokkubbede
Hatirla ki mahser gunudur
Ortaliga dusmusum seni ariyorum.
ANATOLIAN VOICE Schedule of events
January 2006
15 Sunday | Kurban Bayrami: Lamb and pilav will be served
February
18 Saturday | Fund raising Event: at night, Club House at
Willow Court, Southfield, MI 48034
April
1 Saturday | From Sufi to Flamenco: an encounter in music,
song and dance with cross-cultural currents from Spain and the
Orient. Location TBA, organized by “Peace in the World”
23 Sunday | Children’s Day: more information will be posted in
the upcoming issues of the Anatolian Voice and the website
as always, check www.TACAM.org for more up-to-date information
diyanet takvimi
Yilbasi | 1 Ocak
Kurban Bayrami | 10-14 Ocak (4 gun)
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ANATOLIAN VOICE
OPEN BOOK
Community News
•
•
•
Doctors Jennifer and Baran Sumer are happy parents of Ayla
Anastasia Sumer. She was born June 17, 2005. Baran is doctors
Timur and Nilufer Sumers’ son.
Ilkim Erturk has ventured into the business world with the
opening of her diverse store Ionnia in Ann Arbor. The store
features imports and hand-painted originals from Central Asia
and especially Turkey.
Arun Bartu Sinha made his debut on Wednesday, November 9th at 2:00 am,
weighing in at 8lb 1oz, and is 20” tall. He is the child of Rana and Sanjay..
Arun Sinha
Ayla Sumer
Peace in the World Upcoming Events for 2006
The “Peace in the World” Initiative is very excited to pioneer
the planning of the first Turkish Festival in Michigan for
September 2006. To make this event successful, we are in need of
many volunteers. Please contact us at info@peaceintheworld.
org or 248.701.1050, if you would like to take part in this exciting
event. An event that will promote and show the American public
our hospitality, culture and food. This Festival will be very
similar to the one in Chicago at the Daley Plaza. It will have the
Ankara Olgunlasma Fashion Show, Folklore Dancers, Whirling
Dervishes, Mehter Takimi and delightful Turkish cuisine such as
Turkish coffee.
ABOUT THE FLU and shots
Options for preventing the flu
Influenza (flu) kills about 36,000 people in the United States per year. Infection with the virus can result in
symptoms: such as muscle aches, fever, sore throat, cough, fatigue and nausea. Getting a flu shot is still the best
way to avoid the illness, but other options are also available.
Is the flu shot the best choice for me?
Flu vaccines contain the virus strains that scientists predict will be most widespread during the upcoming flu
season. The viruses have been killed, so they cannot cause infection. The vaccine is injected into the upper arm. It
takes about 2 weeks after vaccination to be protected, so the best time to get the shot is between October 15 and
November 15. People at high risk for the flu should get a shot. They include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Children 6 months to 23 months
Caretakers of babies younger than 6 months
Children aged 2 years or older who have a chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, diabetes, a blood disorder,
or a weakened immune system
Adults aged 65 years or older
People who live in nursing homes
Women planning a pregnancy during this season
Those aged .5 to 18 years who take daily aspirin
Healthcare workers
People who should not get a flu shot include babies younger than 6 months and people allergic to chicken eggs or
who have had a fever. Most people do not experience side effects from the shot.
Am I able to get the nasal flu vaccine?
The vaccine is available as a nasal spray, although there are differing opinions about its effectiveness. About 3
million doses are expected to be available.
Healthy people aged 5 to 49 years can spray the vaccine in their noses instead of getting a shot. Side effects of
the spray may include a runny nose and vomiting. Pregnant women and people around someone with a weakened
immune system should not use the nasal vaccine. (continued on next page)
ANATOLIAN VOICE Are antiviral drugs an option for me?
These drugs are another option for preventing the flu or for shortening the length of it if you take the drug within
2 days of sickness. These drugs are most often used in people at high risk of complications from the flu and are
estimated to be 70% to 90% effective in preventing the flu. However, they can cause trouble sleeping, shakiness and
depression. As always, consult your doctor for advice.
Source: Postgraduate Medicine, September 2005
TEXT sourced by Birol Halicioglu
Thank YOu!
TACAM would like to thank all of the staff, performers, contributors, volunteers and sponsors for dedicating countless hours of their own time to provide a most anticipated and enjoyed evening. Thank you!
COMMITTEE
Script Writer: Ebru Basaran
Script Editors: Ozlem Falkiewicz and Mine Ozalp
Co-producers: Ebru Basaran, Ozlem Falkiewicz and
Mine Ozalp
Narrators: Ebru Basaran and Kemal Tarakcıoglu
PowerPoint® Presentation: Beyza Sarıoglu
Music: Mine and Gokhan Ozalp
Special Effects: Onur Bay
English Translation: Tuba Gurtekin
MineOzalp Chair
Ebru Basaran
Ozlem Falkiewicz Master of Ceremony
Verda Gurol
Tuba Gurtekin
Canan Ozaktay
Beyza Sarıoglu
Voula Sonbay
Didem Seyhoglu
Cast in the order of appearance
SPONSORS
Semra Adman – Donated home-made baklava
Leyla & Ferid Ahmed – Donated brownies, fruits and
the Cake
Mete & Mehpare Gencyuz – Donated Turkish flag
balloons
Meral & Kemal Goknar – Student Sponsorship
Verda Gurol – Donated fruits and the cake
Birol Halacoglu – Student Sponsorship
Birsel & Alev Kusefoglu – Donated Turkish flag
balloons and Çarık key chains as party favors
Treasures By Tasci (Mr. and Mrs. Gokhan Ozalp)
– Donated bookmarks as party favors
OTHER CONTRIBUTORS
Leyla and Ferid Ahmed – Logistics
Cigdem Biber – Ataturk costumes,
VCD from Turkey
Sermet Gurol – Balloons and
decorations
Marcus Mann – Balloons and
decorations
Nurten Ural – Provided equipment
Paper Boy: Ekin Kayaalp
Lord Kitchener: Ron Shull
Voice of Ataturk: Serdar Eren
Halide Edip Adıvar: Didem Seyhoglu
Village Woman: Neziha Agrawal
Voice of Officer Ali: Yuksel Taskın
Student 1: Neeki Ozdemir
Student 2: Ozlem Falkiewicz
French Teacher: Mine Ozalp
District Governor: Hakan Günel
Hallac Asım: Onur Bay
Kahveci Ali: Serdar Eren
Hasan: Ekin Kayaalp
And of course, TACAM would like to thank all of our
donors for making it possible to support TACAM
through their generous donations for the Silent Auction.
Sponsor’s Advertisement
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CUMHURIYET CHOIR
Director: Mine Ozalp
Guitar: Mine Ozalp and Cansu
Akalın
Piano: Erol Ahmed
Solo: Mine Ozalp
Vocals: Ebru Basaran, Serdar
Eren, Ozlem Falkiewicz, Yesim
Kayaalp, Gokhan Ozalp, Mine
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ANATOLIAN VOICE from the TACAM archives
Below is a vintage newspaper clipping from Hurriyet Newspaper taken from the summer 1987 issue of the TACAM
newsletter (the called the TACAM Times).
CLASSIFIEDS
NECC Telecom Inc. is in search for friendly full time or part time sales and customer service representatives who
speaks Turkish fluently to join our team in Troy, Michigan. Experience is not required. Please contact the Recruiting
Manager Izabela at 248-680-8882 ext. 274 or e-mail Izabela.ludwinska@necc.us. Go to the classifieds section on
www.TACAM.org for job details or visit www.neccwireless.com
Condominium for rent: 2964 Signature Blvd., Ann Arbor MI, 48103: Built in 2003, 1,469 ft2, 2 bedrooms, 2 full
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remaining 7 Year/100,000 Powertrain Warranty from Chrysler
Corporation. Contact Cihangir Tasdemir: cihangir@tacam.org; call
248.739.9149
the
Articles
for autumn
from Sufi to Flamenco
Cumhurriyet Bayrami
Gates of Byzantium
Fire of Anatolia
ANATOLIAN VOICE 10
TEXT by Stichting Kulsan
from Sufi to Flamenco
an encounter in music, song and dance
Eastern profound mysticism and Andalusian vivid
realism; music from monasteries alongside popular
expression; the music, rhythms and dance of Southern
Spanish flamenco contain an unmistakable Oriental
element, which originated with the mystic 12th century
Eastern Sufis. The Sufis and dervishes paid little attention to the borders between the two Islamic Caliphates of East and West. The migration and influence also
moved in the other direction. In this way, Spanish-Jewish
composers and musicians played an important role in the
colorful Ottoman music, which developed in Istanbul at
the Sultan’s court and in the Islamic dervish monasteries.
The “ilahi” (Islamic hymn) performed by the Sufi singer
from Turkey, is effortlessly and harmoniously continued
in the “martinete” (basic form of Flamenco), by the Flamenco singer from Spain. Combinations of string instruments such as the kanun (cither) with the guitar, rhythmic improvisations on the caja and the küdüm and the
mystical melodies of the ney (reed flute) create tensions
which dissolve with the accompaniment of the songs. In
rhythm and movement of dervish-dance and flamenco, in
the harmonies of the ilahi and martinete, the boundaries
are blurred.
Oriental Influences in Flamenco
Over time, Flamenco has developed in Andalucia to
take its present form. The Moors occupied this area for
centuries, with Cordoba serving as the capital. Because of
the colonization and occupation of Andalucia by various
peoples, the Moorish, Byzantine, Jewish and Mozarabic
cultures greatly influenced flamenco. Furthermore, the
15th century saw the arrival and influence of the nomadic
gypsy population. From the 17th century until 1860,
flamenco was a part of popular culture—especially of
the gypsies and the poor. The Orientalism in the “canto
joudo” (deep voiced songs) as well as the complicated 12
beat rhythms can be explained by the contact of Southern
Spanish society with the Greeks, Byzantines and Arabs,
and also by the influence of Christian liturgical chanting,
which has both Syrian and Hebrew roots.
Ottoman Sufi Music
Islamic music developed differently in different countries.
The culture which developed under the Ottoman Empire
was clearly enriched by the great diversity of peoples,
cultures and traditions of this society. The mystical music
and dance from the Far East, Tasavvuf (Sufi), became one
of the pillars of Ottoman classical and religious music.
The classical musicians served the Palace of the Sultan,
who was often a
musician/composer himself.
The musicians
also actively
participated in
the mystical
gatherings in
the Tekke or
Mevlevihane,
the houses of the
dervish orders.
Hymn and Ayin,
classical compositions for the dervish ceremonies, formed the core of the
mystical music, with lyrics taken from court poetry and
from mystical folk poets, such as Yunus Emre.
The Jews developed their own Sephardic culture out
of elements of their culture from Spain, supplemented
and combined with Ottoman elements: they greatly contributed to Ottoman classical and mystical music. In Istanbul, Jewish composers made names for themselves in
Oriental music as well as in Jewish; such as Izak Algazi
and David Behar.Melodies from Byzantine-Greek church
music sometimes sound remarkably similar to Islamic
mystical hymns or Jewish synagogue song. In the mosaic
of cultures people influenced one another. An example is
the Greek-Orthodox musician Lambadarios Petros at the
time of Sultan Selim III (1789-1807), who conducted the
choir of the Greek Patriarchal Church. He taught the ney
and was also a musician and composer at the court of the
Sultan.
De Tekkes and Mevlevihanes are sometimes referred to as the music schools of the Ottoman Empire. In
these schools the complicated and rich vocal and instrumental makam music was passed on from teacher to pupil
orally, a tradition which continued into the last century,
involving both the secular classical music and the religious mystical Sufi music, which plays an important role
in the classical musical treasury of Turkey. The creation
of the secular Turkish Republic began the end of Palace
life and the Tekkes, resulting in a disruption and standstill of the musical tradition. In the second half of the
last century the teaching of music was taken up again by
teachers at the Conservatory, some of whom had received
their education in the old tradition.
TEXT by Nurten Ural
a celebration of the
Turkish Republic
As once Mustafa Kemal
Ataturk said;
“Ifwholeheartedly
wishthatyou
celebrate
About
12
PHOTOS
13-14
Membership
11 15
ANATOLIAN VOICE 12
cumhuriyet
Bayrami
As once Mustafa Kemal Ataturk said: “I wholeheartedly wish that
you celebrate this great national holiday with ever greater honor, happiness, peace and tranquility. Happy is he who says I am a Turk,” Ne
mutlu Turkum diyene.
Yes, this year all of us Turks and friends of the Turks in Michigan celebrated the 82nd anniversary of the Republic of Turkey. With
the leadership of Mine Ozalp, chair of the event-committee, a grand
“Mine-esque” event was put together. There were many unexpected
surprises. Thank you to all who worked so hard to make this event
possible.
During dinner the crowd watched Ataturk’s Costumes by the
Ankara Olgunlasma Institute. Then our gracious master of ceremony
Ozlem Falkiewicz introduced our president Leyla Ahmed who then
gave a welcome speech. Followed by Nurten Ural, Michigan’s honorary
consular general for Turkey, who gave an Independence Day of Turkey
message and introduced Marty Callaghan, an executive film producer
of Third Coast Films. Nurten also introduced Councilman, John Akouri. Mr. Akouri delivered a proclamation to TACAM from the City of
Farmington Hills.
After dinner, the live Cumhuriyet Oratorio, “Towards a Democratic Republic,” took place. The sixteen volunteers in this performance
spent weeks of preparations and rehearsals to produce this show. A
special thank you goes out to Ebru Basaran who wrote the script and
to everyone else who was involved.
After the crowd finished wiping their tears, they were entertained
by a Cumhuriyet Choir which had ten musicians who sang the songs
that our hero Ataturk enjoyed: the songs were Canakale Icinde, Pencere Acildi and Dag Basini Duman Almis.*
Then the evening was continued with everyone on the floor dancing all night with the tunes of our DJ Hakan.
As Ataturk once said, “the whole civilized world will once again
recognize that the Turkish nation, moving unified toward the national
ideal, is a great nation. I do not doubt that the long buried characteristics and abilities of the Turks will, as they progress, shine like a
new sun on the horizon of the great civilization of the future.” I do not
know if this is what Ataturk meant; however, I do know that all of the
people that were involved with this event shined like a new sun on the
horizon. What a great event for all of us who were there.
Please refer to page 6 for complete cast listings.
13 ANATOLIAN VOICE
Opposite PAGE A few close-ups reveal the happiness and pleasure at this year’s ball THIS PAGE
Energetic celebrations from both the Choir (bottom) and Actors (top and bottom right corner), masterfully
coordinated by Mine (center right edge), help bring much enjoyed entertainment with the history and music
of the Republic. PAGE 14 Guests also enjoyed dinner, Turkish deserts, gifts and an eclectic silent auction
graciously supported by our friends of the community.
ANATOLIAN VOICE 14
Enjoy these events and much
more, including this newsletter,
free-classified space on the
Internet (www.TACAM.org), and
discounts from sponsor’s stores
with a TACAM membership!
Sponsor’s Advertisement
TEXT BY GARO LACIN
Gates of Byzantium
16
17 ANATOLIAN VOICE
a History of the Gates†
8
TETARTU PILI
Fourth Gate
9
PILI TU AYIU ROMANU
Gate of St. Romanus
This is the most famous gate in the 1453 siege of Constantinopolis (Istanbul).
The beginning of the Mesoteichion area (The middle of the land walls) was
starting at St. Romanus gate (hill top) and was going down to Sulukule Kapisi
(in the valley) and by going up again to Edirne Kapi (hill top).This area was
the weakest for defense, that’s why the major attack was done here by the
Ottomans.
The Otag-i Humayun of Sultan Mehmed II was set up across this gate, 6
stad away (1108 m)—today at the location of Maltepe Hospital. The canons
were bombing this area non-stop. This gate was defended by the famous knight
Giovanni Justiniani and the volunteer Venetians.
The last emperor of Byzantium, Constantinus XI of Paleologus, fell near
this gate. The Ottoman army entered the city from an open hole at the north of
this gate on Tuesday May 29th, 1453, around 10:00 am.
The gate got its name from the church of St. Romanus behind it. In the
Ottoman period it was called Top Kapisi because of the biggest canon called
Shahi was placed facing to the gate. Today, as short, it is called Topkapi. The
arch is demolished, only the entrance exists. It is next to the Tetartu Pili.
PORTA TU PEMPTU
Fifth Gate
Also called Ayia Kiriaki Pili (Gate of Ste. Ciriaci). It was the fifth military gate
but it was also used by the public. The gate was also called Ste. Ciriaci from
the church of Ste. Ciriaci behind it. In July 450, the emperor Theodosius II
(402 – 450) had a fatal hunting accident by falling from his horse and injuring
his spine in the Lycus valley, outside of the city walls. He was then carried
by the Praetorian Guards and entered the city from this gate. There is an old
Latin inscription on the lintel. The visibility is limited, it is almost worn out.
I found it important to describe this inscription because soon it will not be
visible from corrosion. See bottom picture at direct left.
10
This is the third military gate, not for public use. It has no access to the
outside and it opens between two walls. Today the ground level is raised. In
the Ottoman period it was not used and was not given any name. It is next to
the Mevlana Kapi.
PORTARVMVALIDOFIRMAVITLIMINEMVROS
PVSAEVSMAGNONONMINORANTHEMIO
“Pusaeus the Great, not lower then Anthemio (Governor), strengthened the
entrances of the walls with firm gates”
Pusaeus was a Governor Praefectus Pretorio in the reign of Leo I (457 – 474).
The inscription was after the renovation of the walls by the Great Pusaeus
in 469. In the Ottoman period, it was called Sulukule Kapasi after the Lycus
River of the tenth tower between Topkapi and Sulukule kapisi. It is next to the
Topkapi.
11
PORTA TU CHARISIUS
Gate of Charisius
Also called Porta Adrianopolis (Gate of Edirne). The gate is at the seventh hill
of Istanbul and is next to the Sulukule Kapisi. It was named after Charisius,
the chief of the Green Faction (Prasinon) of Constantinopolis, who had started
the construction of the walls from Golden Horn in the 5th century. (Please refer
to the Anatolian Voice Summer article on Gate no. 7 for more details, p. 16) The
second possibility for naming could be the location of the gate in the property
of Charisius family estate. The gate was also called Porta Adrianopolis for it
faced the direction of Hadrianopolis (Edirne). On Tuesday, the 29th of May,
around 10:00 am, when the city fell to the Ottomans, the first Kapikulu soldiers
entered the city through here. The same day at noon Fatih Sultan Mehmed
II (1451 – 1481) with his high officials entered the city from this gate. In the
Ottoman period the gate was also called with the same name, Edirne Kapisi,
but today it is shortened to Edirnekapi. By following north down the slope, it
ANATOLIAN VOICE 18
can be reached from Tekfur Sarayi to the famous Kerkoporta attached to the
palace walls.
12
KERKOPORTA
Circus Gate
This is the famous gate from the legend of Kerkoporta during the siege of 1453.
It was a military gate. During the siege all the gates were bricked up. Knight
Justiniani opened this gate in case of counter attack and it was forgotten
to re-bricked. The Legend of Kerkoporta was borne when fifty janissaries
discovered and entered through the unbricked postern. It was the last gate on
the Theodosian walls and was in the junction of the Comnenian walls. Doucas
describes the location of this gate: “Pros to katothen meros to Palatio (a gate)
towards down to the bottom of the palace.” The gate is attached to the outer
walls of the Palace of Constantinus Porphyrogennitus (Tekfur Sarayi), where
the last Byzantine emperor Constantinus XI lived. Dragazis Paleologus (1448
– 1453) had spent all of his time there during the siege. In the Byzantine era,
the gate was named after a circus in the meadow, on the left of the moat which
today is a Greek cemetery. In the Ottoman period the gate was also called with
the same meaning: Canbazhane Kapisi. It is next to Edirnekapi. The arch of
the gate collapsed in the earthquake of 1894. Today only the left curve of the
arch and the inner entrance exist with its authentic laid bricks from the siege
of 1453.
13
PARAPORTION
TU PALATIU
KONSTANTINUS
PORFIROGENNITUS
The Postern of the
Palace of Constantinus
Porphyrogennitus
This postern was the entrance of the courtyard of the Palace of Constantinus
VII Porphyrogennitus (913 – 959) (Tekfur Sarayi). The gate was open between
the palace walls and the moat—it was not for public use. Nor was it named or
used in the Ottoman period. Today the gate is bricked up with its authentic
laid brick wall from the 1453 siege. It is next to the Kerkoporta if one goes
300 feet west. The ground level is raised three meters. The heavy bombarding
destroyed the entire front wall in between Edirnekapi and Kerkoporta and
the moat was filled with soil. As a result, today we are not able to picture the
geography of the area as it was back then, but the moat in between Kerkoporta
and the Postern of St.Callinicus still exists.
14
PARAPORTION TU AYIU
KALLINIKU
The Postern of St. Callinicus
This postern was used to go to the monastic church of St. Callinicus (behind
this gate). It was not used or named in the Ottoman period. Today the gate is
bricked up with authentic laid brick wall from the 1453 siege. The tower on the
left side of the gate was called the tower of Phrantzis or the tower of Kaligaria.
Emperor Constantinus XI and his secretary Yeorgiu Phrantzis were watching
the Ottoman army on May 28th midnight from this tower: Phrantzis, “We
were unable to keep our tears. We left the palace and rode our horses towards
Charisius gate, it was three hours passing the midnight. After giving courage
to the all defenders, towards morning we went up the tower called Kaligaria.
We saw the Ottoman army. . .attacking with screams.”
15
KALIGARIA PILI
Gate of Caligaria
16
YIROLIMNI PILI
Gate of Silver Harbor
It was open for public use and was the gate of the quarter of Kaligaria
(Caligariae) behind it. The factory of military shoes—Caligae—was in this
quarter, from which the gate and quarter received their names. In the
Ottoman period, the gate was called Egri Kapi because of being crooked
according to the straight wall. It is next to the St. Callinicus Gate.
The name is an abbreviation of Argiro Limin or “Silver Harbor”, because the
view of the Golden Horn was shining from this gate like a silver belt. When
the fourth crusade arrived to Constantinopolis, they camped in the field
outside of this gate. Emperor Isaacius Angelus made all the discussions with
the crusaders from this gate. In the Ottoman period the gate was not used
Directions: After entering Tekfur Sarayi, walk west along the city walls, climb the demolished
wall in the courtyard and walk carefully towards the round towers, the third one is the tower of
Kaligaria.
19 ANATOLIAN VOICE
and was subsequently not given a name. Today the gate is bricked up with its
authentic laid brick wall from the last siege of 1453. The ground level is raised
two and half meters and the gate is buried in the ground. It is next to the Egri
Kapi. A bust of an anonymous emperor once was over the lintel, now is in the
Archeological museum of Istanbul.
17
PORTA TON
VLAKERNON
Gate of Blachernas, Lower
and Upper Blachernae
18
KSILOPORTA
Wooden Gate
It is next to the Yirolimni gate, in Ayvansaray, at the junction of the Golden
Horn (Halic). It was a unit of double gates. The exterior one is on the Leo V
Armenus’ (813 – 820) walls and the interior one (which is opposite the other)
is on the Heraclian (610 – 641) walls. The walls of Theodosius—after reaching
to Tekfur Sarayi—are turned to the east to the Balat direction. This leads to
the Tekfur Sarayi. The hunting pavilion Blachernae Palace, St. Nicolas church
and St. Basilius Hagiasma lay outside of the city walls. When the Avar danger
started, the emperor Heraclius (610 – 641) built these walls and took all the
buildings into the city limits. This was the construction of the first gate of
Blacherna on the Heraclian walls as an exterior city gate until Leo’s walls were
built up. Today the steps, the patrol route and the station of the Greek fire
(Grejua) exist above the gate. The ready army of the capital (in Praesentalis
Germen) got fighters stationed in Scutari (Uskudar). Numeri Militum was the
army of the palace. The 14th region-Blachernae (Ayvansaray) was protected by
the Legionum Armenorum (Armenian Legion), who worked in the Byzantine
army until the 10th century. In 627 during reign of Heraclius (610 – 641) when
Avars attacked Istanbul and burnt the lower Blachernae, they were defeated
by this legion. In 815, Leo V Armenus (813 – 820) built his walls in front of
the Heraclian walls and added another gate of Porta Blachernon on his walls,
which is opposite to the previous gate as an exterior gate of the Blachernae.
By this way, this section of the city turned into a military garrison. This gate
was not for public use—only the palace officials could use it to go to the upper
Blachernae Palaces. When entering from the exterior gate of the Blachernae,
the Porta ton Vlakernon passed the garrison and exited from the interior gate,
which reached the gardens of the palace in the lower Blachernae. According
to Dion Byzantinus, the word in Latin Blachernae and in Greek Blaherna is
given after “a Scyte General named Blacherna who got killed here.” PsedoCodinus said: “From a plant called Blachna (Turkish: egrelti otu), Fougere,
Fern, (Filicineae Pteris-Aquilina), which grows in the swampy areas. Scarlatos
Byzantios said: “In the shores of this area exist a lot of amout of Lacherna
(Palamut fish-Bonito).” The first opinion from Dion Byzantinus, without
historical evidence, is difficult to accept. Second opinion: in the Byzantine
and the Ottoman periods, this area, towards the end of the Golden Horn, was
wooded and swampy because of no water circulation: it is very good possibility
for ferns (Fougere) to grow here. The third opinion is also acceptable, until
1969, when the schools of the Palamut fishes use to come from the Marmara
sea and ended up by entering the Golden Horn (Halic). My opinion: Blacherna
is the abbreviation of two words, instead of Blachnalacherna together (Ferns,
bonito), as an abbreviation of (BLA)chna, la(CHERNA) turns to Blacherna. In
the Ottoman period, this gate was not used and was not named. Today the gate
is bricked up with its authentic laid brick from the siege of 1453. The ground
level is raised 5 meters: half of the gate is buried to the ground. The moat is
completely filled up. In the section, between two gates, there is a Turbe of
Toklu Ibrahim Dede, who joined the siege of Istanbul in 1453.
This was the last gate of the land walls and it was next to the Blacherna gate.
It was on the additional supportive walls from the corner of the city walls in
Ayvansaray, up to the sea of the Golden Horn. In the Ottoman period it was
called with different names Dideban Kapi, Ahsap Kapi and Odun Kapi. It was
demolished in 1868.
Unless otherwise noted, all dates are ad, Anno Domino.
†
ANATOLIAN VOICE 20
TEXT by Neeki Rad Ozdemir
Fire of Anatolia
a journey of discovery
21 ANATOLIAN VOICE
Wednesday, November 2nd, finally arrived. And,
as I boarded the train in Ann Arbor, leaving my Turkishborn husband and tons of backlogs behind, I could not
help feeling at least some degree of apprehension as to
whether this whole middle-of-the-week leisure trip to
Chicago was going to be worth the while. After all, it was
not like I was Turkish! And the last-minute changes to
the date of the performance made me wonder exactly
how “professional” this dance troupe really was. But,
as an aficionado of dance and folklore, indiscriminate
of ethnicity, I remained curious of the highly-acclaimed
reviews for Fire of Anatolia (FoA). So, I decided to put up
with the hustle and bustle of the Windy City.
It was a sunny Indian summer day in Chicago as
well. And a warm breeze blew through the narrow shady
corridors of The Loop district. The blinking red, orange
and yellow neon lights of the Chicago Theatre lit the
words Fire of Anatolia on the old-fashioned marquee,
creating the feeling that a flame was also burning outside
the structure—as well as within.
The show started late. But, after all, both the
performers and I had traveled from far. And the delay
gave me a chance to appreciate the intricate interior
reminiscent of old time grandeur and opulence. Finally,
the heavy crimson velvet curtain rose. I recognized, in the
rhythmic music and the alertness of the beat, the voice
of a people who have had to constantly fight against the
ruggedness of the nature surrounding them—a people
galloping courageously forward on horseback.
The organization was around set two acts and a
total of five scenes, which raised the show to a meaningful
play with a clear message: a hope that Good will prevail
over Evil. A classical theme, repeatedly recycled: FoA’s
version offered nonetheless a new twist to an old story.
The forces of Good, although ultimately “victorious”
over the forces of Evil, refrained from annihilating their
opponents. In that sense, the underlying message was one
of peace. Rather than focusing on revenge, FoA’s creators
propose that harmony is achievable by gaining the respect
of the adversary and through the ability to convince. A
belief definitely noble in spirit, albeit maybe innocent
and naïve given the reality of human nature. The forces
of Evil, depicted through performers in black costumes,
remained in control through most of the show (Act I,
Scene 2 & Act II, Scene 1) and did not hesitate to torture
innocents. But, the forces of Good, clad in white, managed
to finally organize themselves in order to fight against
Evil (Act II, Scene 2). Interestingly enough, the turning
point coincided with spirituality, Sufism, and the dance
of the Whirling Dervishes. So, what separates Good from
Evil is the human conscience? The same conscience that
distinguishes mankind from other animals? That’s what I
interpreted from the abrupt movements and vulgar makeup of the Evil forces, when juxtaposed with the elegant
gestures and flowing costumes of the proponents of
Good. The forces of Evil acted like animals; they seemed
primitive. The proponents of Good appeared aerial and
enlightened. These contrasts of Black versus White,
Darkness versus Light, and Experience versus Innocence
are basic to all cultures; and, therefore, transcend
national differences. Thus, FoA was able to convey a
simple message to a global audience.
I discovered that another reason why FoA had
managed to gain the hearts of audiences worldwide was
probably because it taps on a variety of cultural sources
for its characters. Zeus (the God of all gods), Prometheus
(the giant who stole fire from the gods in order to give
it to mortal humans), and Pandora (the punishment to
be bestowed upon mankind, in the form of the first ever
woman) were borrowed from Greek mythology. As for
Ahura Mazda (the spirit of Good) and the symbolism
of fire (as the purifying force and the source of all life),
they come from Zoroastrianism (the ancient religion
of Turkey’s eastern neighbor, Iran). I also could not
help notice that the creators of FoA did not hesitate to
capitalize on the success of certain artistic expressions,
particularly in the West: namely belly dancing, Lords of
the Dance and Riverdance, and Korean drum players. All
I can say about their ingenuity is: “Kudos to their acute
sense of entrepreneurship!”.
Despite its avant-garde take on folklore dance, FoA
would still serve as a great Course 101: Introduction
to Turkish Dances. The choreographers of the show
have attempted at modernizing folkloric dances by
interspersing brief and simplistic episodes of Westernstyle modern ballet into
a sequence of regional
Turkish dances and
other traditional Middle
Eastern styles (e.g. belly
dancing and dances
Naturally, the proficiency
associated with spiritual
sectarian Islam).
of the dancers leaves the
Luckily, the frequency
viewer with a complete
of these modern ballet
sense of satisfaction.
sections decreases as
the show progresses.
And the great variety
of regional Turkish expressions, as well as the extremely
clever choreographic formations, are enough to give joy to
the audience. Naturally, the proficiency of the dancers, as
well as the smoothly-designed choreographic transitions,
leaves the viewer with a complete sense of satisfaction.
If I did notice anything lacking, it may have been in
the absence of elaborate costumes. However, even though
not rich in material, they were always appropriate. The
overall visual impression was one of a simple stage, a
uniform palette of slightly varying hues flourishing into a
busy canvas, a massive parade of colors and senses.
I was especially impressed with the whole of Act
II, Scene 2 and the “battle of the drums”. Imagine, if you
would, a stage filled with some forty performers, each
carrying a davul drum. Picture a stage first divided into
clear troop formations of Evil versus Good, and then the
scene of a one-on-one battle between Black and White
soldiers. Initially, the scene is one of war: the drums
engage in argument. Then, there’s a shift. They beat in
concert carrying on a teasing dialogue.
All in all, words are not enough to describe the
intricate nature of this show. Heavy in symbolism,
every aspect of this performance deserves attention. A
constant feast for the eye, ear and mind, Fire of Anatolia’s
progression is as coherent as its moralistic message:
the evolution of a people from primitive depths (e.g.
the worship of fire in Act I, Scene 1) to sophisticated
potential (e.g. a festival of colors in Act II, Scene 3). Its
richness in variety is mind-boggling, and the discipline
of its numerous dancers awe-inspiring. And the whole is
a complete and quasi-perfect artistic expression making
logical sense and lead by a strong theatrical drive.
So, I say: “May the fire in you continue to burn,
Anatolia! Courage & Perseverance!”.
ANATOLIAN VOICE 22
TASTY Recipes
Stuffed Tomatoes
Serves 10
10 medium tomatoes
3 slices of bread
50 gr. pine nuts
1 bunch fresh basil
100 gr. feta cheese
50 gr. kasseri cheese
2 cloves of garlic
4 tbsps. oil
Freshly ground pepper
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Slice the tops of the tomatoes and empty the inside of the
tomatoes leaving only the shells.
Cut the crust off the bread, wet crustless-bread with
water and squeeze water out. Leaving dough like
consistency.
Place the pine nuts in the frying pan (no oil) and stir until
pink (med. heat). Slice the basil into small pieces. Then,
Cut the feta cheese into cubes. Grate the kasseri cheese.
Press the garlic.
Mix the bread, pine nuts, feta cheese, kasseri cheese,
garlic and oil. Add ground pepper. Divide this mixture
among the ten tomatoes and replace the top halves. Oil
the oven pan (glass) and place the stuffed tomatoes in it.
Place the pan in the oven and bake for approximately 30
minutes.
Ispanakli Peynirli Tepsi Boregi
(Spinach and Feta Cheese Boreks)
Filling
3 pounds fresh spinach, trimmed
¼ cup vigin olive oil
¼ cup unsalted butter
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and finely
chopped
2 egs
1 to ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pastry
¼ cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup milk
¼ cup olive oil
1 egg
1 pound filo dough, about 20 to 22 sheets
Glaze
2 egg yolks
¼ cup milk
Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
To make the filing, cook spinach in 1 cup boiling water
over medium heat, stirring often, until it’s wilted. Drain
the spinach well and squeeze it dry; then chop it. In large
skillet over medium heat the olive oil and butter, stir
in scallions and spinach and cook for 2 minutes. Let the
mixture cool. Add the eggs, feta cheese and parsley to the
cooled spinach mixture. Season with salt and pepper, set
the mixture aside.
To prepare the pastry, place melted butter in a bowl along
with the milk, olive oil and egg and mix them together.
Brush this mixture on a 13 × 18 × 1 inch baking pan.
Carefully unroll the filo dough and place 1 sheet on the
pan. Lightly brush the dough with a little of the butter
mixture. Place a second piece of dough over the first and
brush it with the butter mixture. Continue layering in
this manner until there are 10 layers of filo dough. Put a
damp towel on the remaining filo dough to keep it from
drying out.
Spread all of the spinach mixture evenly over the filo
dough in the pan. Cover the mixture for another sheet
of dough brush with the butter mixture and continue
layering and brushing each layer with butter mixture
until all the filo dough is used. Make the glaze by
combining the egg yolks with the milk. Brush this glaze
over the top. Using a sharp knife, cut the pastry into
12 square or 24 triangles. Bake for 20 minutes in 375
degrees, then lower the heat to 325 degrees and bake for
another 20 minutes. When they are ready the top will
be lightly brown and crispy. Let the boreks stand for 10
minutes before serving.
This recipe comes from Sultan’s Kitchen, an excellent cook
book with over 130 recipes from Turkish Cuisine. Prepared
by Ozcan Ozan, who has a restaurant in Boston with the
same name. You can find this book on-line at Amazan.com
or order it from Barnes and Nobles book store.
Reminder: Cookbook committee would like your favorite
recipes for the upcoming TACAM cookbook. Please
contact Verda Gurol (248.514.7835 and
VerdaGurol@hotmail.com).
Afiyet olsun!
TEXT BY CANAN OZAKTAY AND LEYLA AHMED
23 ANATOLIAN VOICE
a note from the editor
Well nothing too complex this season. Just a few newsletter updates. I reduced the size of the main body text
and was wondering if any of you find that too small to read (it’s 9pt): small change, but makes a lot of room. I am also
hoping for a special winter issue with focus on Turkish Cultural history, but as always, your articles and work help
make this newsletter a pleasure for the community!
EROL AHMED
EDITOR
TACAM Governing Board 2005-2006
ANATOLIAN VOICE SUMMER 2005
Executive Board of Directors
president | Leyla Ahmed
vice-president | Mine Ozalp
secretary | Cihangir Tasdemir
treasurer | Voula Sonbay
past-president | Canan Ozaktay
EDITOR
Erol Ahmed
Board of Directors 2005-2006
Birol Halacoglu
Verda Gurol
Mert Aksu
Marcus Mann
Ilhan Berberoglu
Alternate Board of Directors
Ebru Basaran
Zeki Aral
Didem Seyhoglu
Ilkim Erturk
Zeynep Cakir
Mutia Erig
Board of Trustees
Nurten Ural 2006
Ali Kayaalp 2006
Figen Ozsoylu 2006
Emre Bulbul 2007
Rengin Usmen 2007
Hulya Cakan 2007
Audit Committee
Mehtap Aksoy 2007
Oguz Cekmeceligil 2007
Contributors
Leyla Ahmed, Garo Lacin, Canan Ozaktay, Nurten
Ural, Birol Halacoglu, Mine Ozalp, Cihangir Tasdemir,
Neeki Rad Ozdemir
Published quarterly by
The Turkish American Cultural Association of Michigan
P.O. Box 3552
Farmington Hills, MI 48333
phone: 248.348.4176
fax: 248.626.8279
anatolianvoice@tacam.org
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Half page 50 USD
Quarter Page 25 USD
contact TACAM for advertising details
www.tacam.org
ANATOLIAN VOICE 24
The Voice of the Turkish American Community
the ANATOLIAN VOICE is a quarterly
publication of the TURKISH AMERICAN
CULTURAL ASSOCIATION of MICHIGAN
a Quick Reminder
Know of any members not receivng their Anatolian
Voices? Then please contact TACAM so we can immediately update the mailing list. Remeber, you only
have two more issues left for the 2005 membership
season so renew soon for 2006.
on the cover: pottery. perfect
symmetry and classic
colours of red, blue and
green typify this peice.
Persia.