Documentary celebrates 20 years of Kavala’s Anadolu Kültür
Founded in 2002 by civil society and human rights defender Osman Kavala, Anadolu Kültür's story is told in the documentary “Feeding River: 20 Years of Anadolu Kültür”.
The screening, organized at the Pera Museum in Istanbul, attracted a great deal of interest. After the documentary, the film crew together with the former and current employees of Anadolu Kültür answered questions from the audience.
The title of the documentary, directed by Mert Kaya, comes from a statement made by academic Umut Tümay Arslan in the documentary. Arslan says that Anadolu Kültür often strengthens memory, which he describes as a river, by “carrying water” through its works on remembering and coming to terms with the past.
In the film, former and current employees of Anadolu Kültür, including Asena Günal, Tamar Nalcı, Aslı Çetinkaya, Aysu Arıcan, Ekin Su Birinci, Latife Uluçınar and Övgü Gökçe, talk about their work, their projects, and occasionally share their memories of Osman Kavala, the founder of Anadolu Kültür, who has been in prison for 2,416 days, serving a life sentence for “attempting to overthrow the government”.
Diyarbakır Arts Center
As the documentary explains, one of the most important projects of Anadolu Kültür and Osman Kavala is the Diyarbakır Arts Center (DSM).
Founded in 2002, the same year as its affiliate Anadolu Kültür, DSM set out with the aim of contributing to the revitalization of Diyarbakır's culture and arts scene, creating a meeting place where artists in the city can develop and present their own projects, and art lovers can access valuable culture and arts events.
In the documentary, images show Osman Kavala at the opening of the center in Diyarbakır and Selahattin Demirtaş, former Co-Chair of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), who was sentenced to 42 years in prison on the Kobani Trial.
A striking aspect of the documentary is the way Anadolu Kültür workers collaborate in a collective and democratic manner, thanks to the system established by Kavala. This approach involves extensive discussions, often lasting hours or even days, during which original ideas are thoroughly debated and fully supported by Kavala.
One of the best examples of Kavala's commitment to enriching the field of culture and arts and supporting creative ideas is the story of “Dengbêj Gazin and Ashik Leyli”, as told by Tamar Nalcı in the documentary, which is part of the “Women Ashiks and Dengbêjs” project realized in partnership with Anadolu Kültür and Norevan from Armenia. Dengbêj Gazin, who died in 2018, told Kavala about her wish to appear on Yerevan Radio during a meeting. Kavala did his best to make Gazin's dream come true, resulingt is the album “From Van to Yerevan”.
Who are the Dengbêjs
Originating in the Kurdistan Region of Turkey, Iraq, and Syria, dengbêjs are known for their musical performances, which often feature poetic lyrics and storytelling. Their music is often improvised and sung in indifferent Kurdish dialects telling stories of love, feuds and social justice. Dengbêjs play a significant role in Kurdish cultural heritage, serving as both entertainers and cultural ambassadors.
Gomidas at 150
Anadolu Kültür, which set out to establish local, regional and international collaborations through culture and arts, has been running activities related to Armenia in order to confront and come to terms with suppressed elements of the past in the collective memory. The documentary includes footage of the “The Sound of Bright Morning | Gomidas 150 Years Old Concert” organized on the 150th anniversary of the birth of Armenian composer and musicologist Gomidas. Held in 2019 at the Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall in Istanbul and featuring recordings of a concert by Armenian oud composer Ara Dinkjian and Kurdish artist Aynur Doğan, the film says it was Kavala's idea to commemorate Gomidas in this way.
Another important pillar of the documentary is Depo Istanbul, which opened its first exhibition in 2009. Depo, a culture and art center and discussion space located in the city center of Istanbul, is the heart of works that nowhere else can find a space to be exhibited, works that are censored, works that are rejected due to their political content, and artists who are not supported by the state. It was Kavala's idea to revamp the space, which had previously served as a tobacco warehouse until the 1950s, into a unique venue. Located in Tophane, a neighborhood often considered 'challenging', Kavala's vision aimed to transform this building into an exhibition space.
Kavala's letter
The documentary ends with a letter sent by Kavala from the Silivri (Marmara) Prison to Asena Günal, Director of Anadolu Kültür's Istanbul Office. The contributions to the organization and civil society of Mine Özerden, a former member of Anadolu Kültür's Board of Directors, and Çiğdem Mater, one of its advisors, who has been held in Bakırköy Women's Prison since April 25, 2022, as part of the Gezi Trial, are also mentioned repeatedly. Mater, who has been supporting Anadolu Kültür as a consultant since 2009, was also the coordinator of the Armenia-Turkey Cinema Platform.
On April 25, 2022, Istanbul 30th High Criminal Court sentenced businessman and rights defender Osman Kavala to life in prison for “attempting to overthrow the government” and Mücella Yapıcı, Çiğdem Mater, Hakan Altınay, Mine Özerden, Can Atalay, Tayfun Kahraman and Yiğit Ali Ekmekçi to 18 years in prison for aiding and abetting the crime. Only one member judge objected to the decision.
On September 28, 2023, the 3rd Criminal Chamber of the Court of Cassation upheld Kavala's life sentence and the 18-year sentences of Atalay, Mater, Kahraman and Özerden, while overturning the sentences of Ekmekçi, Yapıcı and Altınay and releasing them.
bianet LGBTİ+ haberleri editörü. "1 Mayıs 1977 Kayıplarını Yakınları Anlatıyor/1 Mayıs 1977 ve Cezasızlık" dosyasını hazırladı. Ege Üniversitesi Edebiyat Fakültesi Felsefe bölümü mezunu. 2019 yılından...
bianet LGBTİ+ haberleri editörü. "1 Mayıs 1977 Kayıplarını Yakınları Anlatıyor/1 Mayıs 1977 ve Cezasızlık" dosyasını hazırladı. Ege Üniversitesi Edebiyat Fakültesi Felsefe bölümü mezunu. 2019 yılından beri "Küba" isimli köpekle ev arkadaşı.
This AI-generated version of the "Turkish Pikachu" went viral on social media.
Pikachu has been deported, or is under house arrest. Since video images are not shown on mainstream media, we are left in limbo. It is hoped other cartoon or Marvel characters will come to the rescue. Most wishing for Spiderman, Ironman or Superman; someone who could be quite useful for the demonstrators at the moment.
At present it would appear that the government have only Daffy Duck or Mister Magoo leading their charge, it would be no match.
Whilst the images have caused much humour in the west, here there is more to it than that. You couldn’t think of a more likable Pokémon than Pikachu, loved by all children.
This coupled with kindergarten games of jumping together at demos now, with thousands doing this saying if you don’t you are then a name they disapprove of, phone lights in the air with beaming smiles of unity, are just the equivalent of name calling at school.
It is the lighter side to free expression away from the dogma they perceive in the country. Other incidents are a demonstrator as a whirling dervish in front of the police, water cannoned, or someone doing a Christiano Ronaldo celebration or groups doing press-ups. All this points to different more light headed fun-loving and different Turkey to the one they experience day to day. They (peaceful demonstrators) are of course demonised by certain sections as, in not so many words, unturkish.
And yet these are the very same people who would:
Help your elderly relative to cross the road.
Stand next to you singing their heart to the national anthem at a football ground.
Some will pray in the mosque, celebrate Ramadan and bayram with all their family like you.
Whether you believe it or not, because they are you, they are a part of what makes Turkey great. They may be the other side of the fence, but not the other end of the world.
To end on a lighter note, alleged images of Pikachu drinking in ExpressoLab, is an attempt to undermine the moral of students. To me he is now old hat, I would much rather see people dressed as Bambi. I mean who would ever dream of water cannoning Bambi, or would they?
Disclaimer: Pikachu, Bambi, Ironman Superman, Mr Magoo or Daffy Duck have not, or ever been a part of any political party.
David R. Mellor is from Liverpool, England. He spent his late teens homeless on Merseyside. He is currently writing and performing in Turkey. His work...
David R. Mellor is from Liverpool, England. He spent his late teens homeless on Merseyside. He is currently writing and performing in Turkey. His work has been featured by the BBC and the Tate, and his published collections of poetry are What a Catch (2013), Some Body (2013), Express Nothing (2019) and So This Is It (2020). His collection of stories An Englishman in Turkey – Türkiye’de Bir İngiliz is recently published in Turkish.
Seven people, including a journalist, were detained yesterday during a protest in Ayvalık, a district in the northwestern province of Balıkesir.
Those detained were accused of violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations and of “insulting the president.” The political magazine 1+1 Express confirmed that one of its team members, journalist and translator Çiğdem Öztürk, was among those taken into custody.
Despite the prosecutor’s request for their arrest, all seven individuals were released under judicial supervision the today.
The magazine issued a statement calling for the release of everyone who has been detained during the protests: “Freedom for all those who have been detained or arrested since Mar 19 for exercising their constitutional and democratic rights."
The protests
Protests have spread across Turkey since the Mar 19 detention of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a prominent opposition figure from the Republican People’s Party (CHP). Demonstrations have been particularly active in İstanbul, where the CHP held nightly rallies in front of the municipal building for seven consecutive days. Student-led protests have also taken place in cities across the country.
According to the Interior Ministry, more than 1,800 people were detained nationwide between Mar 19 and Mar 27 in connection with the demonstrations, with 260 formally arrested.
At least 14 journalists have been among those detained.
Dozens of individuals have also been taken into custody over their social media posts related to the protests. In addition, court rulings have blocked access to numerous X (formerly Twitter) accounts.
İmamoğlu was formally arrested on Mar 23 on corruption-related charges and suspended from his duties as mayor. On the same day, the CHP held a previously scheduled primary in which İmamoğlu was declared the party’s presidential candidate for the 2028 presidential election. Following his suspension, the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality Council, where the CHP holds a majority, appointed a CHP member as acting mayor. (VK)
