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| Turkish
Culture |
| The westward
movement of Turkic peoples headed by the Seljuks
led to permanent Turkish settlement in Anatolia.
Meanwhile, people of different ethnicities
remained there. The Seljuks left their
descendants a rich cultural legacy: Omer Khayyam,
the mystic poet renowned throughout the world
for his Rubaiyat, was a subject of the Seljuks
of Persia; and Mevlana, the spiritual leader of
the humanist philosophy of tolerance of Sufism,
and founder of the Mevlevi order of the Whirling
Dervishes, lived in Konya, the capital of the
Anatolian Seljuk Empire, and the order he
founded flourished there.
Then came the
Ottoman Empire which made an impact on the
course of world history. This empire came to
life in the late 13th century as a small Turkish
principality near Bursa on the northwestern
frontier of the Anatolian Seljuk Empire and
gradually found its place in history as one of
the great empires of Renaissance Europe.
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The Ottoman
Empire reached its zenith in the 17th century.
By that time it covered Asia Minor, the Crimea,
the Caucasus, Mesopotamia, the Middle East,
North Africa, and the Balkans. The Ottoman
Empire followed in the footsteps of its
ancestors and set up a system based on tolerance
for the many differences among its subjects. |
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This cultural
and religious tolerance and goodwill is best
manifested in the reception of Jews fleeing the
Inquisition in the 15th century. It was due to
this exceptional system assuring stability and
tolerance, and freedom of conscience that the
Empire was able to hold together people of
different religions, languages and races, and
also succeeded in protecting and preserving
different cultures and languages. Today, that
tradition of tolerance and harmony lives on in
modern Turkey, being enriched as time passes.
The Republic of
Turkey was built on the ashes of the Ottoman
Empire which ceased to exist at about the same
time the Austro-Hungarian and Russian empires
ended in the wake of the First World War. The
Republic of Turkey was founded by and on the
inspiring ideals of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, one
of the greatest leaders of this century. After
the Republic was proclaimed in 1923, a program
of far-reaching structural reforms was put into
motion, aiming to better meet the challenges of
the modern world. Despite the more immediate
tasks at hand related to this social
reorganization, the Republic did not neglect
Anatolia's heritage and worked towards a
synthesis of the cultures of different
civilizations and peoples, adhering to the
principle stated by Atatürk, "culture is the
foundation of the Turkish Republic". At present,
Turkey spares no effort in order to protect and
enhance the treasures of past civilizations that
grew on its land.
Another
reflection of this cultural synthesis can be
observed in the rich social structure of Turkey.
Indeed, Turkey considers itself both European
and Asian, and cherishes this diversity as an
asset. The Turks have lived seven centuries of
their history in Europe, and as a European
power. Thus, not only have they shared and
contributed to the contemporary culture of the
West, but also have been influenced by it.
Turkey can be regarded as a cultural bridge
between the East and the West, enjoying a unique
characteristic in this regard. This uniqueness
is even more evident today in the social,
cultural and political domains. Turkey has the
longest-running democracy in its widening region,
a secular system, and Turkish artists and
artisans have developed styles of art that are
uniquely Turkish and universal at once, blending
together the traditional styles of the East with
the practices of the West.
Artistically, in
earlier times, Turkish craftsmen and artists
showed their creative talents in architecture,
music, poetry, textiles, wood and metal working,
ceramics, glass making, jewelry, manuscript
illumination, miniatures and calligraphy. The
Ottoman Empire rapidly became the center of the
Islamic artistic tradition because of its
cultural endowment, constant contact with all
the branches of oriental art, and exposure to
the occident. |
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| The early years
of the Republic witnessed a rapid flourishing of
fine arts. Classical music, opera, theater and
ballet, as well as plastic arts and painting
took impressive strides. Literature attained new
forms of expression. The film industry started
to grow. Indeed, continuous progress was
witnessed in all walks of cultural life. Today,
this development has attained a certain maturity
in art and culture.
Turkish painters
and sculptors exhibit at home and abroad, and
participate in many international festivals.
Architects put their art to work throughout the
world. Many Turkish musicians have gained
international acclaim and record on world-wide
labels.
Turkish cinema
too has acquired international recognition, and
promises a bright future. Works of Turkish
writers are increasingly translated into other
languages and appreciated for their distinct
character.
Turkey now holds
more than a dozen international art and culture
festivals each year, featuring prominent
international artists and performers, attracting
an audience from all over the world.
Now that cultural, social and economic issues
are becoming increasingly important in
international relations, Turkey, with this rich
cultural heritage and potential, is prepared to
play its role in the exciting journey that
humanity will embark upon in the new millennium.
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Arts
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A transition
from Islamic artistic traditions under the
Ottoman Empire to a more secular , Western
orientation has taken place in Turkey. Turkish
painters today are striving to find their own
art forms, free from Western influence.
Sculpture is less developed, and public
monuments are usually heroic representations of
Ataturk and events from the war of independence.
Literature is considered the most advanced of
contemporary Turkish arts. Many critics regard
Kemal Tahir as the greatest modern Turkish
novelist. Among authors translated into English
is Yasar Kemal.
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Music
| A
long history of influences from both Europe and
Asia is reflected in the complexity and
diversity of Turkish music. Turks are proud of
their centuries-old musical tradition, which is
similar to the music of nearby Islamic regions
such as Saudi Arabia , Iran, and northern India
. There is also a lively tradition of folk music,
with many regional styles and contributions from
ethnic minorities, including the Roma (Gypsies).
A cosmopolitan nation, Turkey has also adopted
classical and popular music from the West, and
developed genres that combine Western, Asian,
and Arabic elements. One kind of unaccompanied
folk singing is the long melody , consisting of
heavily ornamented songs influenced by Islamic
chant, sung in free rhythm. The shattered melody
style is in strict rhythm and is more suited as
an accompaniment dancing. There is also a
tradition of balladry and epics accompanied by
the " baglama " (a lute; also called a saz ) and
performed by itinerant musicians. Folk rhythms
are often irregular, in a kind of limping
pattern important to the coordination of group
dance. |
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Folk instruments
include the " zurna ", a double-reed oboe, the "
kemence ", a bowed violin, and the " kaval ", an
end-blown flute similar to a Bulgarian
instrument of the same name. Many of these
instruments are capable of producing drones, a
musical aesthetic found both in western Asia and
in much of the folk music of Europe. Melody
instruments include the ney, an end-blown flute;
the kanun, a trapezoidal plucked zither; the 'ud,
a short-necked lute; the tanbur, a long-necked
lute, similar to the folk baglama; and the rebab,
a spiked-fiddle. When played in ensemble these
are often accompanied by a small drum, called
the def, and kettle drums, as well as vocal
choruses. Music like this is often used by the
Sufi Medlevi cult for sacred ceremonies, often
accompanying their famous whirling dervishes .
Centuries ago the music of the Ottoman Janissary
bands, which is no longer played, greatly
impressed Europeans, who incorporated several
Turkish instruments, such as the cymbal and
kettle drum, into European music. Composers such
as Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven also imitated
the music in a style called alla Turca.
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Libraries and museums
| The Sultan's
Palace (Topkapi Sarayi), in Istanbul, is now a
museum housing the imperial treasures and relics
of the prophet Muhammad. Ankara's Museum of
Anatolian Civilizations has outstanding Hittite,
Phrygian, and other exhibits. Among the largest
of Turkey's many libraries are the National
Library in Ankara and the Beyazit State Library
in Istanbul. |
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