Another look at East and southeast-Travel Book Project (2009)

676 Pages·2009·34.28 MB·English

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Another Look at East and Southeast Turkey
© Union of Southeast Anatolia Region Municipalities
All Rights Reserved. First Edition 2009
Project Developer and Coordinator
Kameel Ahmady
Editor Poems Translations
Richard Lim Dr. Kadri Y›ld›r›m
(Kurmanji to Turkish)
Turkish Translation Ömer Fidan
Metin Çulhao¤lu (Turkish to Kurmanji and English)
Ahmet Tan›k
Proofreaders (Turkish to English)
‹pek Tafll› Sabahattin Gültekin
Nil Ayhan (Zazaki to Turkish)
fiirin Gencer Semra Özbey
fieyhmus Diken (Kurmanji to Turkish)
Cavlan Erengezgin
Hatice Kamar Cover photo
Diyarbak›r Kurdish Institute Mehmet Masum Süer
Ömer Fidan (Ulu Cami-Diyarbak›r)
Project Assistants Cover design
fiirin Gencer Deniz Akkol
‹pek Tafll›
Ahmet Tan›k Graphic Designer
Yekbun Gürgöz Sevinç Tany›ld›z
Hacer Sunar
Metin Özçelik Second Graphic Designer
and Controller
Fieldwork staff Murat O¤urlu
Kameel Ahmady
fiirin Gencer Graphic Design Quality
‹pek Tafll› Control Team
Murat O¤urlu
Maps Kameel Ahmady
fieyhmus Kalkan Abdülmenaf fieker
fiirin Gencer fiirin Gencer
Sevinç Tany›ld›z
Chapter and section contributors
Ilse Sturkenboom, University of Groningen, Netherlands (Archaeology)
Nevin Soyukaya, Diyarbak›r Museum (Archaeology)
Nejdet ‹nal, Diyarbak›r Museum (Archaeology)
Mesut Alp, Mardin Museum (Archaeology)
Dr. Birgül Aç›ky›ld›z, Oriental Institute, Oxford University, UK (Yezidi)
Kameel Ahmady, University of Kent, UK (Introduction, Newroz,
Acknowledgment, Food)
Dr. Sarah Keeler, University of Kurdistan Hawler & University of Exeter
UK (Project outline/Consultant)
Hatice Kamar (History)
‹pek Tafll›(Glossary, Travel Dictionary)
Ömer Fidan (Biographies, Newroz)
fieyhmus Diken (Diyarbak›r)
Mustafa Gazî/Seyda (Food, Travel Dictionary)
Sabahattin Gültekin (Travel Dictionary)
Jelle Verheij (History of Armenian Churches)
fiirin Gencer (Food)
Hacer Sunar (Travel Dictionary)
Semra Özbey (Travel Dictionary)
Mark Cambell(Newroz)
Special thanks to the followings for their contributions in terms of books,
information, cross checking materials and providing assistants during the
fieldwork:
Ad›yaman:Ad›yaman Municipality, Welat Dilken, ‹brahim Polattafl Family,
Besni Municipality, Hüseyin-Kudret Soku Family, family-run Karadut
Guesthouse, Hüsniye’s family in Haydaran Village, Gölbafl›, Municipality, Kahta
Municipality. A¤r›: A¤r› Municipality, Ahmet Öztürk, Do¤ubayaz›t Municipality,
Mukaddes Kubilay Family, Simer Turizm. Batman: Batman Municipality,
Batman Culture and Art Association, Recep Kavufl, Besse Kabak Agos
Gazetesi, Yavuz Ekinci, Sason Municipality, Gercüfl Municipality, Befliri
Municipality, Hasankeyf Municipality, Kozluk Municipality, Mehmet Emin, Esat
Öners family in Kefre Village. Bingöl: Bingöl Municipality, Haqi Botan, Genç
Municipality, Solhan Municipality. Bitlis:Bitlis Municipality, Osman-K›ymet
Gencer and fiükrü Avc›’s family for their hospitality, Berrin Arslan Anadolu
Agency, Ziya Avc›, Adilcevaz Municipality, Ahlat Municipality, Geylani
Ad›yaman. Diyarbak›r:Diyarbak›r Metropolitan Municipality, Mala Dengbêj
their staff and all the talented Dengbêjs, Cevahir Sadak Düzgün, Dicle-F›rat
Culture Centre, Sur Municipality, Bismil Municipality, Y›lmaz Erkek, Çermik
Municipality, Ç›nar Municipality, Çüngüs Municipality, Dicle Municipality, E¤il
Municipality, Ergani Municipality, Hani Municipality, Hazro Municipality,
Kocaköy Municipality, Kulp Municipality, A¤açl› Municipality, Lice Municipality,
Silvan Municipality, Diyarbak›r Museum, Nevin Soyukaya, Nejdet ‹nal, fieref
Yumruk, Diyarbak›r Chamber of Commerce, Meryem Özdemir, Diyarbak›r
Kurdish Institute, Diyarbak›r Chamber of Craftsmen, Diyarbak›r Turizm and
Tan›tma Derne¤i, Meryem Ana Church,Yusuf Akbulut, Handan Ayd›nalp
Gümüfl, Mustafa‘n›n Kahvalt› Dünyas›, Hac› Halit Et Lokantas›, Kaday›fç› S›tk›
Usta, fiafak Kahvalt› and Do¤u Mutfa¤› Ahmet Usta, fierafettin Usta, Hatice
Kamar, Hilmi Akyol, Semra Özbey, Çavlan Erengezgin, Mustafa Karabulut,
Kadri Avc›, Berfin Ajans, Diyarbak›r Arts Centre, Melike Coflkun, Mehmet
Masum Süer, Hüsamettin Bahçe, Filiz Parlak, Felat Özsoy, Muzaffer Özdemir,
Meral Gunger. Elaz›¤:Elaz›¤ Municipality, ‹brahim Gültekin Family, Metin
Aktafl, Mustafa Balaban, Gezin Municipality. Hakkâri: Hakkâri Municipality,
Nasrullah Müezzino¤lu, Çukurca Municipality, Naif and Mehtap Family,
fiemdinli Municipality, Yüksekova Municipality Mardin:Mardin Municipality,
Horiepiskopos Gabriel Akyüz K›rklar Church, Mardin Art House, ‹brahim ‹lhan,
Kelmo Kili, Kevork Mor Gabriel Monastery Guide, Erdoba Hotel, Büyük Mardin
Hotel, Artuklu Kervansaray Hotel, Nusaybin Municipality, Ercan Alpay,
Selmet Güler, Mesut Alp, Alaadin Siyaniç, K›z›ltepe Municipality, Dargeçit
Municipality, Derik Municipality, Maz›da¤› Municipality, Ulafl Fut, Midyat
Municipality, Matiat Hotel, Ömerli Municipality, Savur Municipality, Yeflilli
Municipality. Mufl: Adem Sönmez, Nimet Y›lmaz, Mufl Municipality, Bulan›k
Municipality, Malazgirt Municipality, Varto Municipality, Murat Ayd›n. Siirt:Siirt
Municipality, Özgür Turhan, Ahmet Arslan, Dara Turhan, Ramazan Oktan,
Kurtalan Municipality, Murat Ceylan Family, Nurettin Asma family, Emin
Akflam, Ayd›nlar Municipality, Baykan Municipality, Eruh Municipality,
Gökçeba¤ Municipality, Pervari Municipality, fiirvan Municipality. fi›rnak:
fi›rnak Municipality, Ahmet Ertaks family, Abdulrezzak Y›ld›z, Beytüflflebab
Municipality, Dursun Family, Emin Bal, Cizre Municipality, Vedat Y›ld›z, ‹brahim
Budak, Abdulcabbar ‹¤di, Abdullah Yafl›n, Güçlükonak Municipality, ‹dil
Municipality, Resul Sadaks Family, Abdurrahman Nas, Silopi Municipality,
Muhsin Konur Family. Tunceli:Tunceli Municipality, Gürkan Kahraman, Kemal
Karabulut, Yusuf Cengiz, Aliflan Ünlü, Mahmut Utan, Kemal Özer. fianl›urfa:
fianl›urfa Municipality, Ceylanpinar Municipality, Masum Arslan family,
Mehmet Y›lmaz, Hilvan Municipality, Siverek Municipality, Suruç Municipality,
Viranflehir Municipality, fiebnem Altan, Murat Sar›o¤lu, Suar Uzun, Harran
Kültür Evi, Hasan ‹dikurt, Viranflehir Municipality. Van: Van Municipality,
Bostaniçi Municipality, Gülcihan fiimflek Family, Van Museum, Yüksel Alaç’s
Family, Jelle Verheij, Ahmet Özer. UK:‹brahim Do¤ufl, ‹lhan Genç, Müray
Ramadan. France:Anne Holmes,
CONTENTS
Acknowledgements 3
.......................................................................................................
Contents 4
...................................................................................................................................
Map 5
................................................................................................................................................
Message from the Mayor 6
........................................................................................
About the project 7
.............................................................................................................
Introduction 8
...........................................................................................................................
Provinces
Ad›yaman (Semsûr) 24
....................................................................................................
fianl›urfa (Ruha) 64
.............................................................................................................
Elazi¤ (Elezîz) 108
..................................................................................................................
Tunceli (Dêrsim) 130
..........................................................................................................
Bingöl (Çewlik) 164
..............................................................................................................
Mufl (Mûfl) 180
...........................................................................................................................
Diyarbak›r (Amed) 198
.....................................................................................................
Newroz 248
..........................................................................................................
Batman (Êlîh) 314
................................................................................................................
Yezidis 324
...........................................................................................................
Mardin (Mêrdîn) 354
..........................................................................................................
Siirt (Sêrt) 410
..........................................................................................................................
Bitlis (Bedlîs) 432
...................................................................................................................
fiirnak (fiirnex) 464
...............................................................................................................
Hakkâri (Colemêrg) 502
.................................................................................................
Kurdish Weddings and Dance 520
...............................................
Van (Wan) 538
............................................................................................................................
A¤ri (Agirî) 590
..........................................................................................................................
Transport 618
............................................................................................................................
Accommodation 620
...........................................................................................................
Food 622
..........................................................................................................................................
Glossary 632
..............................................................................................................................
Travel Dictionary 634
.........................................................................................................
Index 660
........................................................................................................................................
Photo Credits 670
.................................................................................................................
6 Another Look at East and Southeast of Turkey
A Message
from the Mayor
Born and raised in Diyarbakir, and having worked in the
region for all my life, I have rediscovered the unique beauty
of my city and Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia through
the pages of this modest but path breaking guide. I present
this guide as an invitation, and wholeheartedly urge you to
discover for yourself the hidden treasures of the region.
Why such a guide? Despite all that it has to offer the curious
traveller, our region has been left out of much of the popu-
lar travel literature, or else mischaracterized due to insuffi-
cient information. We know how much it has to offer, so in
developing this guide, we wanted not just to lead the trav-
eller around the historical attractions, but share some of our
traditions, our deep cosmopolitan culture, and our rich
heritage of language, creed, nature, and culture. We wanted
the reader to learn more about region’s hospitable people
and unique archaeological sites; about Mesopotamia, which
gains life from the rivers Euphrates and Tigris; and about our
diverse cultural heritage, which faces the threat of extinction
by the very same waters. We wanted to show you, that is,
the other face of our region.
If you are curious about the region, be ready to take an
exhilarating journey with this guide. This land, bearing the
imprint of so many civilisations, will tell you about its rich
history and heritage, through its solemn fortresses, its
modest pilgrimage sites, and much more. This ancient land
will speak to those who know how to listen. Be our guest;
this land will accommodate you well.
As the Union of Municipalities, we hope this guide will help
contribute to the economic development of the Eastern and
Southeastern Anatolia by encouraging a sector whose
potential has yet to be fully explored: tourism, an “industry
without smokestacks”.
My acknowledgements are due to all those who had a hand
in writing and researching this book, but first and foremost
to the gracious people of the region.
Accept our warmest welcome. Meet the new and the time-
less, the past in the present. Absorb, learn, enjoy!
Osman BAYDEM‹R
President, Union of Southeast Anatolia Region Municipalities
Mayor, Diyarbak›r Metropolitan Municipality
7
About the project
The history and contemporary culture of the predominantly Kurdish regions
of the Middle East holds vast riches to explore for the adventurous and sea-
soned traveller, but for various reasons, both practical and political, this area,
centred in the ancient region known as Mesopotamia, has been obscured
from the sights of travellers. This book, primarily intended as a travel guide
covering east and southeast Turkey, hopes to remedy this to some extent.
The book highlights ethnographic details and paints a picture of traditions
and contemporary life which goes beyond what you will find in many
existing travel guides. As such, it should appeal to those with a special inter-
est in the Kurdish regions as well as those seeking an alternative tourism
experience with more direct interaction with local people, cultures and land-
scapes. The book takes particular care to cover less visited sites, including
unusual museums and ancient ruins, many undiscovered examples of which
remain to be explored by the curious visitor.
The core of the guide comprises chapters on 15 provinces. Each chapter
starts with a description of the provincial capital and includes some details
of how to reach the area, before covering other districts within the province.
There are also additional sections giving practical advice and some historical
or other background to the subjects covered.
Being a diaspora Kurd, and indeed a travelling restless one, with a special
interest in the Middle East and the Kurdish heartland, I came across many
difficulties when travelling in the region due to a lack of tourism infrastruc-
ture and of local and Kurdish literature written in a critical and comparative
manner. This book, which relates personal and professional observation of
life in the region, provides the opportunity to introduce this amazing land
to both foreign and local travellers.
This book came to fruition thanks to the Mayor of Diyarbak›r Mr Osman
Baydemir, whose passion for tourism development in this region has driven
his constant support for this project. Also thanks to GABB General Manager
Mr Abdülmenaf fieker for his practical assistance throughout, the GABB
member municipalities who helped the project staff with accommodation,
food and transportation, and the different departments of Diyarbak›r
Metropolitan Municipality. Special thanks go to the efforts of a very dedicat-
ed team of experts and editorial staff, in particular to Richard Lim for his pro-
fessional support and commitment, plus the translators, proofreaders and
skilled photographers, graphic designers and especially the project assistants;
in particular fiirin Gencer and ‹pek Tafll› whose contributions went well
beyond their duties. The inspirations in shaping the project during prelimi-
nary research at the British Library came from Dr. Sarah Keeler, to whom
I am truly grateful.
The team members’ own experience of living in this region, I believe, helped
us reflect the realities here as perceived by ordinary people, and at the very
same time, the book incorporates the local writers, museums, historians,
NGOs, etc. Although not perfect, this work, it can proudly be said, is the first
of its kind that has been done on such a scale, and my wish is that this will
be the backbone of similar future projects to promote tourism in this ignored
region.
Kameel Ahmady
Project Developer and Coordinator
NOTE: Place names are predominantly given in Turkish in the text, though most places have older names
in Kurdish or other languages, which are given in parentheses in headings or in the text itself at the first
mention of the place. Population statistics in the text 2007 figures.