Discussing the Dönme with Artist and Researcher C.M. Kösemen (Part 2)
Dayla Rogers continues her conversation with artist and researcher C.M. Kösemen about the Dönme and their history.
You are a person of Dönme background. A...
Turkey Day in Turkey
Yes, I just did that. Referred to the joke-question we all hear from home: Do they eat turkey in Turkey? Well, yes, yes they...
Anatolian Travel Archives: Eflatun Pınar
We raced against the sun to reach the spring before all light had gone, Seçkin at the wheel and me biting my nails with...
How to Fit Istanbul in One Book: Reşat Ekrem Koçu’s Istanbul...
Do you recall the days when uncle Google was not only a click away? The days when most knowledge was hidden in those big,...
Anatolian Travel Archives: Hattusha/Hattuşa
Once there was a time when Hattusha was reached by foot, through a dense forest that flourished near the Red River or Kızılırmak and...
Istanbul Street Names: The Stories They Tell
Having only laid claim to most of their monikers since the declaration of the Republic, Istanbul’s street names often go unnoticed (highly due to...
The Passages of İstiklal
İstiklal Caddesi is home to many eateries, stores and coffee shops. Although chains such as Shake Shack have been cropping up, the promenade manages...
Resources for Learning Kurdish in Istanbul
Maybe you’re thinking of traveling to eastern Turkey. Perhaps you want to get on better terms socially with Kurdish-speaking friends. Or maybe you just...
Scent of Istanbul in Poetry
Turkish poetry often tells us stories of love, anger, sorrow, longing, agony, happiness, and excitement... many with a scent of Istanbul. These poems were...
Kuzguncuk: Where Everybody Knows Your Name
Kuzguncuk is a little slip of a neighborhood whose reputation has a surprisingly wide reach. I had not even left dusty Tarsus in Southern...
Turkish Literature 101: Nazım Hikmet Ran
Born on the 15th of January 1902 in Thessaloniki, where his father was serving as an Ottoman government official; Nazım Hikmet Ran, commonly known...
Insider Trading: Fahrenheit 451 Recycling Store
You can walk into any chain bookstore in Istanbul and find stacks of neatly ordered books. Normally, they have the recently published stuff, and...
Insider Trading: Museum of Turkish Jews in Karaköy
You may not be aware that there is either a museum or a synagogue in central Karaköy, downhill from Galata Tower and directly facing the tram stop....
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...
Review: Dismantling the Archive @ SALT Galata
The years between 1900 and 1940 were more than a little eventful for the Turks. The period saw numerous wars fought on many fronts,...
(Sep 18 – Oct 5) 48th Istanbul Music Festival by IKSV
From the organizer:
Organised by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) with the support of the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and...
In Conversation with the Editors of Sofra: A Gathering of Foreign...
Having been one of the contributors to the Tales from the Expat Harem anthology over a decade ago, I was excited to see a...
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...
Arter & Antrepo 5: Architectural Monuments Hosting Contemporary Art in Istanbul
That Istanbul is a force to be reckoned with in the contemporary art world is undeniable. You just need to look at spaces like...
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...
City Highlights: Sancaklar Cami
A friend of mine from the Czech Republic once told me her feelings while she visited Istanbul one year ago. She said that it...
Insider Trading: Murat Efe Prop House
Somewhere in the winding alleys of Fener and Balat, the former Greek-Jewish neighborhood of Istanbul, there is a hidden workshop and store that might...
6 Permanent Istanbul Collections Worth (Re)visiting
What comes to your mind, when you hear the word Istanbul? After living here for almost four years, there are many words and associations which...
Istanbul Toy Museum: Blast from the Past
Nestled deep in the back streets of Göztepe lies the Istanbul Toy Museum. The lovely white house is guarded by two giraffes ready to...