Diwali in Istanbul: The Indian Festival of Lights
In November, Yabangee contributor Devanshu Bawa and I were invited to the Indian Diwali Festival that is organized annually by the Friends of India...
The Restless Art of Mohammad Zaza
Mohammad Zaza is an accidental convert to the life of a travelling artist. Born in Saudi Arabia to Syrian parents, Zaza moved to Aleppo in 2005...
The Dönme: A Profile of a Hidden People
“A Doenmeh friend of mine told me his father had informed him that his father’s mother used to go to the beach every Friday...
In Conversation with Multidisciplinary Artist and Researcher C.M. Kosemen
C. M. Kosemen is an artist and independent researcher born in Ankara, Turkey in 1984. He studied at Cornell University, Istanbul’s Sabancı University and...
(Through Sep 12) Venice VR Expanded 2020 @ Soho House
The Venice International Film Festival’s VR program “Venice VR Expanded 2020” has come to Istanbul
For the first time in its 125 year history, La...
Ani: A Timeless Beauty on the Edge of Turkey
I remember walking down the large avenues and neatly perpendicular streets of Washington, D.C. not too long ago, longing for old buildings and crooked...
Aziz Nesin: Author, Humorist, Activist
At a gathering of the elite doctors of the world, speaker after speaker demonstrates a miracle of medical science. An operation able to change...
Levantine Lessons: Discovering Syria in Istanbul
“Light is more important than the lantern,
The poem more important than the notebook”
― Syrian poet, Nizar Qabbani
To the general public, Syria has become...
Turkey’s Pickle Culture
For a long time there has been a culture struggling to make itself known, to have its voice heard. Often relegated to the sidelines,...
Underground Istanbul, Where the Sun Doesn’t Shine
Cities like Istanbul stand alternatively as testaments to humanity's sustained success and survival and to its limitless culture of waste and forgetfulness. While Newton...
St. Mary of the Mongols: The Last Byzantine Church
Nowadays Istanbul is known for its mosques, but prior to 1453, Constantinople was a completely Christian city replete with churches. Many of them exist to this day:...
Five Awesome Turkish TV Shows From the 90s
The 90s was a unique period all over the world and the same goes for Turkey. In Turkey, alongside its distinctive music genres and...
Insider Trading: Cook’s Corner for Expats in Turkey
I discovered a great passion for cooking when I started traveling around the world. I couldn’t believe what I’d been missing! I wanted to...
#instachuckle: A Guide to Turkish Cartoonists
Back home in India, the part of the newspaper I really looked forward to was the comics section. And I guess this is probably...
Beers of Turkey – Then and Now
Beer, one of the oldest alcoholic beverages known to mankind, can be very nutritional when consumed in moderation, and therefore has the well-earned name...
Zorlu Center is a Jellicle Cat
Zorlu Center recently opened its doors to the world as an international center for business, shopping, and, above all, culture and art. It is...
Insider Trading: St. John of Stoudios
In a city whose skyline is spiked with thousands of minarets, it is sometimes forgotten just how many churches are snuggled in the back...
Exploring “Correspondences” by Yunus Emre Erdoğan & Clemes Wolf at Sanatorium
25 October - 1 December, 2019
Artists: Yunus Emre Erdoğan, Clemes Wolf
Curator: Domenico de Chirico
"With power to expand into infinity,
Like amber and incense, musk, benzoin,
That...
The Iron Church: Bulgarian Heritage in Istanbul
I’ve often passed in front of this church and wondered at its brilliance because it does actually look like a source of light. Maybe...
Famous Turks: The Mysticism of Mevlana Celaladdin Rumi
In this month’s ‘Famous Turk’ article, we’re looking at Mevlana – known more popularly in the English-speaking world as ‘Rumi’ – the Anatolian philosopher...
Want to Learn Turkish? Try World Café
It wasn't so long ago that we promoted the first iteration of World Café, a language learning project organized by local university teachers. After...
Istanbul International A Cappella Choir: The Voice of Istanbul
Guest Post by Sheldon Heyes. This post first appeared on Sheldon Heyes' website, Istanbul in Ink.
What do you get when a Brazilian diplomat, a Syrian...
Legends of Turkey: Sarıkız
Once upon a time, there was a beautiful girl with shiny blonde hair that ran down her shoulders and sweet hazel eyes which sparkled...
In Conversation with Justin and Busra of Turkish Tea Time
Let’s be honest, us Yabangees know all too well that the online resources available for learning Turkish are far from enjoyable and rarely interactive....