Turkey & My Foreign Perspectives with Bea Vanni

Poetry Aficionados Demand Larger Venue for Third Nazim Hikmet Poetry Festival

Friends, volunteers and locals couldn’t have made a better Turkish Poetry Festival had Nazim Hikmet attended himself. I didn’t know a poetry festival could be so amazing, but add-in a few acclaimed poets, excellent Turkish organizers, and the best Turkish cooks this side of the Atlantic make for a day of celebration. A blend of music, laughter and a major helping of Turkish felicity equal a better understanding of poetry.

 

The Second Annual Nazim Hikmet Poetry Festival greeted a full house from around the Triangle reminiscent of the best in Hikmet’s Turkish poetry, peppered with award-winning poets from Turkey, America and the Triangle.

 

The prominence of the day’s activities focused on the astonishing literary volumes by Turkish Poet Nazim Hikmet and his love of poetry. He is the foremost modern Turkish poet, who due to his political views spent many years in prison. While imprisoned, Hikmet amassed numerous published works translated in forty languages before his death and revolutionized Turkish poetry and the Turkish language. Read more on this icon of poetry and how, in 1950, Nazim Hikmet was awarded the World Peace Prize.

 

Keynote speaker Dr. Mutlu Konuk Blasing traveled from Brown University in Rhode Island to give impact and focus to this event. An accomplished poet and author, renowned for her literary translations of Nazim Hikmet’s works into English, Dr. Konuk Blasing opened the festival with a commentary on Nazim Hikmet’s exile.

 

Chris Salerno launched the day with a two-hour workshop for poetry enthusiasts. Recently, Chris received the 2009 Independent Poetry Prize from The Independent Weekly.

 

Afterwards, a line-up of highly-recognized poets filled the hall, clearly marking the way for a much larger venue next year. Jeffrey Beam, a prolific author and poet with an opera made from his vast archive of poetry, paid homage to the Turkish culture with readings to highlight the multiculturalism of poetry and the world. Beam works as a botanical librarian in the Biology-Chemistry Library at UNC-Chapel Hill and serves as poetry editor for the print and online literary journal, Oyster Boy Review.

 

Joseph Donahue of Duke University brought quiet thought to poet aficionados with his poetic-sequence style which brought out the flavor of his many years of writing and editing contemporary poetry and essays. Joseph is acclaimed as one of the major poets of his time.

 

An unforgettable Jaki Shelton Green’s rapturous voice roared spirituality in her readings and captured the audience with her mischievous smile and vocal excitement. Understandably an award-winning poet many times over, it’s no wonder she’s a Creativity Coach and an international consultant on arts and humanities programs.

 

No event of such literary caliber would be complete without a competition of poetry from some of the best and brightest around the world. With over 500 submissions worldwide, ten finalists emerged, many already with myriad accolades to their credit.

 

No event brimming with poetry and Turkish hospitality could close without an interlude of Turkish music and singing to entice festival goers to linger long after the festival. Everyone gathered for a full Turkish buffet dinner prepared by a volunteer consortium of local Turkish women. The gastronomical feast of the Turkish culture graced an unending table for guests to indulge topped off with dessert and wine.

 

How could anyone expect such a day to commune with acclaimed poets and authors, learning and a poetry appreciation all for the low price of FREE? How could this event find its way into a Turkish newspaper in Turkey? I’ll tell you how...with great sponsors, supporters, writers and media.

 

Sincere thanks and appreciation go to ATA-NC, Town of Cary, Turkish Cultural Foundation, Duke University Center for International Studies and the Turkish organizing committee. What an epic experience!

NC Turkish Festival Begins Saturday at Fairgrounds

Get ready for the NC Turkish Festival sponsored by the Divan Cultural Center for the fifth consecutive year. Enjoy some family fun this weekend immersed in a multicultural and educational experience with attractions to please both the young and old. The celebration will be held at the NC State Fairgrounds in the Exposition Center in Raleigh on Saturday, April 17th from 11am to 9pm and Sunday, April 18th from 12pm to 7pm. Up to 10,000 visitors are expected.

 

The NC Turkish Festival garners many accolades each year from the community and this year will be no different because the venue tends to grow larger annually. No doubt, you'll find many people in attendance from a wide variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds which adds to the conversation and promotes understanding in the multicultural society of the American South.

 

Gather at the table for some delicious Turkish cuisine while watching Turkish Folk Dances, the One Man Circus and other entertainment known for provoking excitement in the crowds every year. Don't forget dessert accompanied by some hot Turkish tea to help you ponder how much cash you'll part with to put a smile on a loved one's face.

 

Check out the  Turkish Bazaar for some fine crochets and handicrafts and peruse the Gift Shops for a present to please. Don't miss learning about the ancient and colorful country of Turkey by visiting the displays, browsing the Turkish carpets or getting your name inscribed in calligraphy by an expert Turkish calligrapher. And, wiggle your hips and snap your fingers to the exotic sounds of Turkish music.

 

There's plenty of activities to keep the children's attention too! Bring them to the corner where they can dress up like a sultan and take their pictures or watch as they become mesmerized by an artist teaching them how to design their own Water Marbling creation. Of course, no event would be perfect without a children's face painter.

 

Come languish in the warmth of Turkish hospitality at the NC Turkish Festival, allow new tastes to pop in your mouth, and learn about the country of Turkey from the people whose ancestors hail from the Ottoman Empire.

 

Hos geldiniz and afiyet olsun (welcome and enjoy the food)!

Myth 9967: Turkish Muslim Women Wear Hijab

Happy New Year, faithful readers of this much-slowed-down Turkey blog. As the New Year begins, my inbox is flooded with interesting news, but most of all, one article I read piqued my interest on Muslim women in Turkey. I am forced to call out to all my women friends and readers to respond.

 

The author of “The Veil Holds Muslim Women Back,” Shaukat Malik, is under the misapprehension that Turkey is a state under Shari’ah law where forced hijab wearing for women rule.

 

Mr. Malik states in the article...”Today in Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Middle East, Iran, Somalia, Afghanistan, Turkey and throughout the world, most Muslim women have no choice but to wear the hijab or burqa with only their eyes showing due to cultural and Man-made traditions.”

 

While I have little to object about the content of the article, I do strongly disagree and know for fact that Turkish Muslim women are not under siege, yet. While some Turkish women do wear a scarf as their course for being a modest Muslim woman, there are no dictates which require the scarf, hijab or burqa. While some Turkish women may be forced to wear a scarf by their family, I know of none under such force.

 

Spending a year at Fatih University, where many covered women go to school, I found none forced by their families to cover, but driven by their personal belief that they should cover. Each person may interpret the Koran as they see fit; although, certainly, there are those who wish to give it a religious spin. Indeed, covering the hair for women has always been a cultural practice.

 

So, dear readers, with the spirit of informing and also clearing up these myths and long-held beliefs about Turkey, I invite you to express your opinion on this matter and feel free to write to Mr. Malik as well.

Kurban Bayram Kutlu Olsun

Greetings for the Kurban (Sacrifice) Bayram (holiday) to all my friends and readers in Turkey, America, India, Britain, Australia and other places around the world. This year is unique because as America celebrates the holiday of Thanksgiving on Thursday, we begin Kurban or Sacrifice holiday on Friday.

 

It's wonderful to have two such powerful holidays together because millions of people around the world take time to think about the less fortunate along with giving thanks for all the people and things in our lives. What are you thankful for?

 

I'm thankful for the people who enrich my life every day. You can see the recent tribute I gave my mother on my blog and so many friends from Turkey and America wrote their congratulations to her on my Facebook. Check out the video collage of photos I created about her award she received.

 

Then there are those friends whom I have been blessed with for many years or some for just a few months. Anna Meskhi, my brilliant scholar and best friend in the country of Georgia; Edna Marker, who routinely rescues me from boredom with her sense of humor; Kitty Kabat, the go-to gal for seniors who require legal help and always there to bail me out too, and there's a few of my new Turkish friends, whom you've seen on a couple of my videos--they're always there to help me stay connected with the Turkish way of life and warm friendship.

 

My wish for you is that your holidays are filled with rich family conversation and gatherings, celebration of the friends in our lives, and thankfulness for the homes we live in and the refrigerators full of food to nourish our day. Let's share some of it with those who may not be so fortunate.

Elderly Des Moines Woman Receives National Leadership Award

Looking for a hometown heroine? We’ve got one and her connection to our brave men and women in uniform isn’t so coincidental. Her daughter and author of this blog is a former military officer and first lived in Turkey while serving in the Air Force in Adana, Turkey.

 

At 85 years old, Clara Vanni, a lifelong resident of Des Moines, was one of three recipients to receive a national leadership award in August from the Department of Veterans Affairs Voluntary Services in New Orleans, Louisiana. Cited for her dedicated service to the veterans of our country, she was recognized for the caring and sharing of her time and energy on behalf of America’s hospitalized veterans.

 

Every year thousands of volunteers serve to aid and provide comfort to our American heroes around the country. Clara Vanni is one of those faithful volunteers who has dedicated over 31 years and more than 12,000 hours in voluntary service to military veterans at the Veterans Hospital.

 

Since 1974, Clara has been a member of AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary Post 2 in Des Moines, Iowa, and the AMVETS Ladies’ Auxiliaries of Iowa. She has served as the local President during the eighties; the State President in 1995-1996; Treasurer for 15 years, and the local Veterans Hospital representative to a Committee on Women Veterans Medical Needs.

 

Clara has garnered other awards through her years of service including a 2006 presidential award from former President George W. Bush; the Silver Bowl award in the same year for 10,000 hours of service, and a 1991 Certificate of Devotion to Duty from the Des Moines Veterans Administration Hospital.

 

While her voluntary services has spanned holding offices in the Ladies Auxiliary, fundraising, and preparing monthly and annual financial reports, her capacity as a volunteer at the regional Veteran’s Hospital has had the most impact for which she was recently given this prestigious award.

 

In her expression of thanks to the audience of 600, Clara Vanni remembered her fellow local and state volunteers, the Department of Veterans Affairs Voluntary Services and the National AMVETS Headquarters that give continuous support to the myriad of activities. She echoed that it is her privilege to be a recipient of this award and to be part of this esteemed organization in service to our American military heroes. Watch the video I created of the event.

A Celebration of Turkish Friendship in Cary

Finally, I converted and uploaded our video on friendship.

 

A few days ago, I was fortunate to celebrate friendship with my Turkish expat friends. Pelin invited three Turkish friends and me into her home for my favorite Turkish holiday dessert, namely, Gullac. Munevver, who lives nearby, arrived with kisir in hand, the other Turkish food top on my list. By the time Fatos and Cigdem got there, I already helped myself to wonderful Turkish tea (it just doesn't taste the same when I make it). I'm blessed with their friendship!

 

So for any of you who want to know a little bit more about the Turkish culture of friendship, I've recorded some Turkish Delight just for you. Learn a little; enjoy a lot! And no, I'm no whiz kid when it comes to taking video.

 

I just managed to recover this post that I wrote about a wonderful lunch with lovely friends.

Ramadan 2009: Fasting Begins for Muslims Around the World

Tomorrow begins the holy month of Ramadan (Ramazan) in Turkey and on Saturday for Muslims in America. Practicing Muslims make sacrifices during Ramadan by fasting from all food, smoking and sex from sun up to sundown every day during the month. Although the fasting practice is the same everywhere, how one celebrates this holy season may differ from culture to culture or country to country.

 

This coming Ramadan bears repeating an anecdote I heard last year:

 

"We speak different languages; We come from different cultures;
We keep different traditions. No matter who you are or where you are,
You are not responsible for the past, But you are responsible for the future."

 

In The Trouble with Islam Today, Irshad Manji notes that Muslim families bring up their children to believe Islam is the most beautiful way of life—morally, socially and spiritually. While living in Turkey, I also learned many of these principles and found many cherished times spent with my Turkish friends. I was immersed in Muslim society and learned the practices associated with Ramadan and Islam.

 

It was a rare occasion that I did not have an invitation to break bread (iftar) during Ramadan evenings with my Turkish family or friends and colleagues. Employers also respected this observance. I wonder how many employers in America allow their Muslim employees to leave early to share dinner with their family and friends.

 

It was so adhered to in Turkey that employers even had special dinners prepared nightly for their employees and many times they invited dignitaries to come and share the meal. Food tents are set up all over every town in Turkey, where anyone can share dinner at no cost; although, it is more for the poor without food.

 

Did you know that this year is the first time in thirty years that the beginning of Ramadan has fallen in August? This year fasting can be particularly difficult for our Muslim friends because the sun rises very early around 5 a.m. and it doesn’t set until around 8 p.m., so observant Muslims will get really hungry by the time the figs are passed to break their fast.

 

Many non-Muslims don’t know that the Koran demands respect of all religions and prophets which mean that the majority of Muslims never speak against other religions or their sacred prophets. Further, in Turkey, it was more common than not for people of other religions to be invited to the Ramadan evening meal. Unfortunately, right now in North Carolina, there is a case going on which may lead non-Muslims to believe otherwise.

 

Religion has always wreaked havoc on the world; but it is a person’s narrow mind and closed heart that support most of this negative consciousness. Conversely, all religions have their sacred times when people become more patient, share their worth, find some peace and celebrate forgiveness and unity.

 

I hope everyone will share the holy Ramadan season by remembering that our neighbors or friends may be fasting this month and give them respect by wishing them a happy and holy Ramadan season.

Whirling Dervishes of Rumi Visit Des Moines Iowa

While in Des Moines, Iowa, last year on my return from living in Istanbul, Turkey, I didn’t know that a Turkish population embraced my home city. While I found a small community of Turks living there, I also discovered some unique organizations which promote diversity and multiculturalism.

 

To my delight I found my childhood home had developed into one of the most aware places in the country.

 

For those of you who don’t know, Iowa sits in the American Midwest and sets the barometer for American elections of who will win the people’s vote. Many believe not much happens in Middle America. Not true.

 

Organized by the Iowa Dialog Center, the Whirling Dervishes of Rumi will perform at the Sheslow Auditorium of Drake University on the evening of August 13th at 7 p.m. Tickets are only $12 which is nothing compared to what you pay in Turkey to see the dervishes in mid-summer.

 

What more could you ask for in a night of entertainment? Drawings for classical Turkish art products. Certainly, anyone interested in Sufism should be there, but if you want to expand your spiritual side, you’ll be mesmerized by the twirling acumen of the dancers.

 

To quote the publicity release: “Continuing the teachings of the 13th century scholar and poet Rumi, the whirling dervishes are widely acclaimed. Accompanied by reed flutes, drums and chants used since the days of Rumi, the dervishes wearing long, flowing robes, move about the stage in a spinning meditation.”

 

Ebru TV, the Konya Metropolitan Municipality, Today’s Zaman and the Turkish-American Society of Chicago are all Turkish sponsors of the event and now an integral part of the heartland.

 

Thank you for recognizing that Des Moines, Iowa, will bring the masses to appreciate the Turkish culture and teachings of Rumi.

Not Christian or Jew or Muslim, not Hindu, Buddhist, Sufi, or Zen. Not any religion or cultural system. I am not from the East or the West, ...I belong to the beloved, have seen the two worlds as one and that one call to and know, first, last, outer, inner, only that breath breathing human being.
Rumi

Bliss or Mutluluk: Change the Mind, Change the World

A dear friend I met in Turkey told me one time about a Georgian saying that if a friend says the exact words you do at the same time she asks, “When will my bliss happen?”

 

Bliss has come and presented by Gigantic Digital and Turkish filmmaker Abdullah Oguz. Mr. Oguz and the Greek Film Center and Dogan TV/Radio collaborated to birth a beautiful message to everyone who will listen.

 

Bliss shouts out not only the message we can all learn from but discusses a subject that still ranks taboo in many cultures. Bliss is portrayed with the sensitivity and thought rarely seen in a movie of its kind.

 

A compelling writer and novelist, Zulfu Livaneli revealed yet another of her talents: not only an acclaimed writer but also the lyricist for Bliss. Based on her novel, “Mutluluk” (St. Martins Press), this unique and sensitive movie portrays a young woman accused of an honor crime.

 

Wrapped up in drama, friendship and love, a devastating story proves that miracles happen and love breaks barriers to inhumane practices. At first set in Anatolia near Cappadocia, Meryem, a young Turkish shepherdess, is given the ultimatum to either kill herself for the sin she has committed or others will.

 

The village elder, who is Meryem’s uncle, dictates to her father that he must keep the honor of the family intact. Her father, torn between the honor custom and love for his daughter, disagrees but accepts the elder’s decision to ask his youngest son Cemal, (father’s nephew) just returning from military service, to do the unspeakable.

 

No one knows what little bliss will come for Meryem until they reach Istanbul where it is easy to commit suicide off of one of the high Bosphorus bridges. In Istanbul, Cemal is still trying to work out in his mind how he can do such an act, when Cemal’s friend from the military, and Irfan, a professor, appear in their lives.

 

It is said that when a teacher is required, one appears. Irfan is such a teacher.

 

With Irfan, Cemal and Meryem together, they travel life’s dilemmas and even to one of my favorite places, Gumusluk. The beauty of the scenery in this movie settled me into some of my own bliss and memories of Turkey.

 

Don’t miss this movie! Find your own bliss in Bliss. You won’t want it to end; it can’t end. Certainly, it is the best movie I’ll see for some time to come and it has been acclaimed as the best Turkish film of the decade.

 

You’ll find some of your own soul in this movie, whether by the deep thought given to the issues yet to be solved in our world or a bit of respite with some of the most gorgeous scenery in the world.

Bliss awaits you now!

NC Turkish Festival Closes on a Resourceful Note

Today ends my commentary on the NC Turkish Festival sponsored by the Divan Cultural Center in Cary. As you know Raleigh and Cary have a large Turkish population, so I’ll let you know about a few of the resources for our local area.

 

If you haven’t checked out my video from Wednesday, you should. I met for lunch with some of my new Turkish friends to everyone’s delight. Can you imagine four Turkish women and a yabanci (foreigner) sharing lunch together for the first time? The noise we made attracted many onlookers due to our laughter and hugs and kisses, Eyvallah!

 

The Turkish Festival also witnessed lots of laughter and hugs and kisses. Friendly faces welcomed a relaxing day filled with Turkish food and lots of entertainment from the Bluestar Dance Troupe and Turkish Folk Dancers and the saz concert by Tarik. A few informational tables decorated one side of the festival, but for me, my favorites were the Harmony Mediterranean Market and Nil Varinca.

 

In Cary for many years now, the Harmony Market sits in the shopping strip mall down from TJ Maxx on Cary Towne Blvd. Harmony carries a wide variety of all your Turkish specialty foods, tea, sodas, jams, cezeriya and even a few essentials like Turkish teapots, souvenirs and the occasional blue evil eye to keep bad spirits away. Visit Selim Sen, the owner, for all your favorite Turkish foods, sweets and condiments. Every Saturday Selim features fresh simit for your epicurean tastes.

 

With the economic downturn this past year, festival goers wanted new and different ways to save money and right-size their households. In comes Nil Varinca of Nil Realty to teach you how to find the best house for your pocket. Nil greeted us with her friendly smile and shared what people need to know about the real estate market today. She even introduced me to Ali Baba, man of many Turkish secrets and speaker of seven languages.

 

Nil knows all about how the new stimulus act will benefit new home buyers, the credit increases for this year and income restrictions. You’ll be surprised what she has to say about how this economy can actually be the best time to buy, especially in Cary. It still ranks in the top places to live in the country and property here in Cary keeps its value far beyond that of other locales.

 

An added feature, Nil speaks fluent Turkish, so she can help your family members from Turkey understand real estate in America and the best plan to find their dream home or summer house. With more than 25 years experience, trust your real estate needs to Nil Varinca.

 

After you’ve bought some property, go celebrate at the Bosphorus Restaurant. Yes, it’s in Cary too. Every day The Bosphorus packs in the people who want to feast on Turkish culinary delights. While Onur Dilekoglu will playfully seat and serve you, his father masters the delicious food to tempt your taste buds. They serve only authentic Turkish food with an Anatolian spark. Better call ahead or come early because the place fills up fast. Tell Onur that Bea sent you.

 

You can find more Turkish resources in the greater Raleigh area courtesy of the ATA-NC website. Also, tell me what you think of the photos from the event.

 

See you next year at the NC Turkish Festival!