The Yunus Emre Institute London is taking their educational project ‘Karagöz & Hacivat’ to south London to Mountview in Peckham later this month. The project allows students from diverse backgrounds the chance to learn about this traditional form of Turkish culture, while being entertained at the same time. Over 30 different plays from the ‘Karagöz […]
The Coronation of King Charles III on Saturday has generated acres of international media coverage and tens of thousands of social media posts, with striking images from the Westminster Abbey service and supporting events circulated all around the world. One unusual take on this centuries old ceremony has come from Jannes the head of the […]
Familiar animal noises brought cheer to earthquake survivors in Turkiye’s southeastern city of Kahramanmaraş last week, as a retired imam sang the children’s song “Ali Baba’s Farm” through loudspeakers. “Uncle” Ömer Faruk Şirikçi, the former imam of the city’s Abdülhamid Han Mosque, sat in a tent with a microphone and invited children temporarily living in […]
Based on the mystery about the world’s oldest temple Göbekli Tepe, acclaimed TV drama Atiye (The Gift) was the most popular series of the year 2019 on Netflix Turkey, despite only being released on 27 December*. The second Netflix original Turkish series, Atiye was given the thumbs up by non-Turkish audiences and was recommended by […]
Originating from the Ottoman era, Karagöz and Hacivat are among Turkey’s most famous and popular theatre characters, a perfect foil for each other as they seek to solve everyday problems. Karagöz represents the illiterate, but straightforward general public, while Hacivat is from the educated classes, always speaking in a posh form of Ottoman Turkish to […]
This Friday, the V&A – one of London’s premiere museum spaces – will screen Hala, or paternal aunt in Turkish. The work of talented young artist Şenay Camgöz, who specialises in moving image and performance, Hala is “a fierce, intelligent and resentful woman, a powerful and enduring archetype”. The actor-turned-filmmaker says she created the character “to explore […]
If you live in or near London, and are looking for something a little different to do with your children this Easter vacation, why not treat them to a performance of one of Turkey’s most famous shadow puppet plays? Dating back to Ottoman times, the story of Karagöz and Hacivat remains a firm favourite for […]
Whether you’re a film connoisseur or simply curious about Turkish traditions, you are bound to enjoy this selection of seven short films offering a compelling visual depiction of the diverse world of Turks. British charity The Bagri Foundation and Shorts On Tap Tales have combined to present their first edition of Tales of the Silk […]
The long-running Anatolian Cultural Fête is moving from its usual May date to the autumn for its twelfth outing, spreading out the concentration of Turkish-themed events in North London. Taking place at Clissold Park during the last weekend in September, this year’s Anatolian Cultural Fête will again offer a host of traditional Turkish cultural activities […]
Groups performing Turkish classical music (aka fasıl) in Britain are few and far between. One of the best is five-piece outfit Fasl-i Keyf, whose name means ‘fasıl delight’. If you’re in London and fancy easing yourself into the festive season a la Turkish style, they are performing in Stoke Newington, North London, on Saturday night. […]
