Mehmet Yaşın

The portrait of a poet as a father

The works of the well-known Turkish Cypriot poet and writer Mehmet Yaşın will be reprinted by Everest Publications. Mehmet Yaşın, who spends his time in England, Turkey and Cyprus, answered our questions about literature, identity and Cyprus.

Despite the fact that you were born and raised in Cyprus, it is known that England and Turkey were more crucial determinants in your development as a poet and a writer. You say that Cyprus was not directly influential in your development as an artist. What is the exact relationship between the novelist and poet Mehmet Yaşın and Cyprus?
Cyprus is more of an inspiration for me... It is not a place where I can professionally reproduce myself as a writer. My publishers have always been located in Istanbul. Therefore you cannot escape from the literary circle there which directly effects and transforms your lifestyle and perspective. You find yourself observing the island not only as an insider but also as an outsider, a foreigner. This intensifies the multilocality that is always already part and parcel of being a Turkish Cypriot. You begin to evaluate your birthplace in the light of the literary concerns in many different countries. Because it is a small place, Cyprus does not offer the professionally equipped, adequate level of literary and artistic institutionalization. Turkey and England offer more for authorship as an institutional vocation. Yet Cyprus is important in being a source, a reference point. Poetry and literature are deeply related to childhood. One's vital concerns, resources of language and culture, and inspiration come from one's birthplace. Cyprus and childhood are therefore significant inspirational materials for me. There are no professional, contract-based publishers, distributors, literature magazines and centres, research and critique institutions, literary agents in Cyprus.

Can you elaborate on observing Cyprus both as an insider and as an outsider?
I believe this holds for every professional writers and artists born in Cyprus. It is of course saddening to see the closed and isolated lives of the Turkish Cypriots in the last fifty years. This effects literature and art very negatively. Life in Cyprus is completely centered around the subject of Cyprus problem which is a very limited perspective that cannot nurture literature and art. A poem or a novel calls forth a type of reading with philosophical and aesthetic concerns that question the universal, deep and complex dimensions of human existence. This matter of "reading" is very important. Literature, with the engagement of its readers, realizes itself and attains a reproductive capacity. I analyzed the theoretical consequences of the under-institutionalized, peripheral, and minor nature of the Turkish Cypriot literature in my book “The Anthology of the Turkish Cypriot Poetry”. In “Collected Essays”, there are analyses on the meaning of the insider-perspective about the Turkish Cypriot literature which sees it as a unique literary development and the outsider-perspective which perceives it as a sub-category of the wider Turkish literature.

FATHERHOOD COMES FIRST
Since you mentioned a couple of your books, let’s talk about the portrait of Mehmet Yaşın as a writer?
I have a small daughter. If you ask me who I am, I will probably define myself not with respect to the books I wrote, but with respect to my role as a father. But of course people get to know me as a writer. This is an identity independent from the one you have in your private life. Most of the time, this identity has a life of its own, independent of the intentions of the writer. The identity as a writer is mostly shaped by the image formed by the public opinion, a process that the writer can never control. How much of this identity is formed by the works of the writer, on the one hand, and how much by the subjective and superficial readings of these works, on the other; this is uncertain. As I said, the issue of reading and readership is of utmost importance. Many of those who know your name know it from the newspapers or from mutual friends. However, if someone wants to talk about the identity of a writer, this must be derived from the works of the writer. His or her literary style, artistic approach, and worldview can easily tell who a writer is. Though a writer changes in time. With every new book, you redefine yourself.

You say that poetry is very much related to childhood. Let's return to past, then... How was your family life, how was your childhood?
My mother was a teacher who was very interested in literature. She was a close friend of Ulus Baker's mother Pembe Marmara who was a talented poet. For instance, there is a poem in Marmara’s book dedicated to my mother. She was also the cousin of Taner Baybars, a poet and writer who produced works not only in Turkish but also in English and French. My grandmother was related to the family of Müftü Raci Efendi, the famous divan poet. My father Özker Yaşın was also a poet. He wrote novels, plays, and essays. He was a newspaper owner and a publisher. I met my father’s poet, writer and published friends from Istanbul. We were not a very traditional family and we were not very close to each other. I grew up alone. I was not raised in a crowded house or in an extended family, except for the holiday times. I never showed what I wrote to my parents. I was not encouraged to do so. As I look at it retrospectively, it looks like my being a writer was something inevitable and quite natural.

How did you become a professional poet and writer in this process that developed spontaneously?
Before learning how to write and read, I made up stories and sentences that sounded like a poem. Then as I began to read poetry, I was inspired by other poets. My first poem was published in a school magazine at the age of 11. I don’t know how it developed, the poem is created spontaneously. My family probably had an influence on me... When I first shyly handed in a file of my poems to a publisher in Istanbul, I was a 25 year old postgraduate student. Some of my poems were published in several magazines in Turkey. Without thinking of the consequences of publishing a book and how this will change my life and without being prepared for the consequences, I tried to get my first book published so that I could dedicate it to my mother who were to die of cancer soon before the first print. This first book won two poetry awards in Turkey in 1985 and was reprinted in Istanbul. It was well received both in Cyprus and in Turkey. Therefore I half-consciously found myself in the world of literature. I saw my name in newspapers and magazines and it felt like “Mehmet Yaşın” was someone else, different from the person I myself had come to know. Perhaps this process of self-alienation which every poet and writer must go through happened to me earlier and harsher than it was supposed to be...

THE FIRST BOOK THAT CAME AFTER 25 YEARS
Everest Publications is now reprinting all of your works. Have these reprinted editions caused you to face the creative process of your past, have they stimulated a self-reflection? Is there anything in the past that you wish you had or had not done?
It is really interesting to reflect on the 25 years of poetry and how, why, and in what direction it developed. Of course you view your old poems from a distance and see things that you wouldn't write or you would definitely add if they were written in the present. You also think whether it was better to wait longer before the publication because you face much wider creative potentialities in your works. Nevertheless you hope that the reader will make the connections and unveil those potentialities himself/herself. In this sense, it is fruitful to read my poems in a collected edition. Therefore, the newly printed "Collected Poems" is like a finalized first book. It covers a period of 25 years and almost 200 poems. For the first time it feels like a whole...

You said that life in Cyprus is completely centered around the subject of the Cyprus problem. The TRNC is internationally non-recognized and isolated. How do you think isolation affects the Turkish Cypriots individually?
It affects them very deeply, in every sense. There are very few communities, especially in Europe, who have lived such an isolated life. Usually the political, economic, commercial, and administrative deadlocks caused by isolation are emphasized. I believe there is a psychological deadlock which is much more determining. Feeling disconnected from the world, being punished and unwanted, being surrounded by hostilities and developing very unhealthy psychological defence mechanisms in reaction to these hostilities. Individuals perceive themselves through a mirror of unrecognition, unacceptance, and exclusion and this perception makes them either very fragile or very aggressive, or fragility and aggressivity feed each other.

Isolation undoubtedly affects the Turkish Cypriot literature. What can you say about the Turkish Cypriot literature?
The Turkish Cypriot literature is under the pressure of a definition of "Cypriot Literature" in Greek monopolized by the Greek Cypriots. Only the Greek Cypriot writers can use the cultural advantages of the European Union membership. Turkish, which is one of the official languages of the 1960 Republic of Cyprus, was not accepted as an official language in the European Union. The Turkish Cypriots unfortunately have not applied to the EU courts to seek their very understandable right in this matter. Any writers association in North Cyprus could have made that application. However, the isolation of North Cyprus leads to the formation of a shallow, isolated mindset in the world of Turkish Cypriot writers... In order for the cooperative bicommunal activities between the Turkish and Greek Cypriot poets and writers to have positive results, the Greek Cypriots need to accept the Turkish Cypriots as equally rightful owners of the island. This cannot be solved with naive brotherhood/sisterhood slogans. If you think that the 3,000 year old Cypriot literature only consists of Greek elements and leave the Turkish and many other elements out of this common history, then the problem is bound to remain unsolved. Therefore the most important issue is the Turkish language... I know from my own experience that whatever I write, the fact that it is written in Turkish and I am related to Cyprus causes disturbance. They think that I subvert the image of Cyprus as a Greek island and the equivalence of Cypriot literature to Greek Cypriot literature.

TURKISH LITERATURE
The honorary guest of this year’s Frankfurt Book Fair (one of the most important literary activities in the world) is Turkey. Will you participate in this fair?
All of my Turkish books published by Everest will be there. There will also be some French, Italian, English, and Letonian translations. I am not sure whether the German translation will be completed by then.

Are you happy to be represented in Frankfurt under the category of Turkish literature? Is the literatary works of Mehmet Yaşın a part of the Turkish Cypriot literature or a part of the Turkish literature?
These categories are not mutually exclusive. A writer who was born in Cyprus can simultaneously be part of the Cypriot, Turkish Cypriot, Turkish, European and at times English literature. Moreover I consider Turkish literature to be a "Turkish language" literature. My Turkish Cypriot literary works can therefore be considered as contributions to a wider conception of Turkish literature. There are many strands of literary currents that are rooted in the wider Ottoman-Turkish tradition without belonging to modern Turkey.

Are there new books on the way?
In 2007, Everest Publications published five books of mine. This year they will publish some more. Currently most of my time is spent on following the translations of my novels and poems. They will be published, also as poem DVDs, in English, Italian, French, German, Letonian and Russian.



Mehmet Yaşın’s works
Born in 1958, Lefkoşa, Mehmet Yaşın lives in Cambridge. Several of his novels have been published in English, Italian, Greek, Hebrew magazines and anthologies. "Soydaşınız Balık Burcu" and "Sınırdışı Saatler" are being currently translated into English and Italian.

Novels: Soydaşınız Balık Burcu (1994), (1995 Cevdet Kudret Novel Award), Sınırdışı Saatler (2003)

Poetry books: Sevgilim Ölü Asker (1984), (1985 Akademi Poem Award/A. Kadir Award);
Işık-Merdiven (1986); Pathos (1990); Sözverici Koltuğu (1993); Hayal Tamiri (1998); Don’t Go Back to Kyrenia (2001); Adı Kayıplar Listesinde (2002); Collected Poems / 1977-2002 (2007)...

Essays and reviews: The Anthology of the Turkish Cypriot Poetry (1994); The Anthology of Ancient Cypriot Poetry (1999); Poeturka (1995); Step-Mothertongue - From Nationalism to Multiculturalism: Literatures of Cyprus, Greece and Turkey (2000); Kozmopoetika (2002); Diller ve Kültürler Arası Bir Edebiyat İncelemesi: Kıbrıs Şiiri Antolojisi: MÖ 9. yy. - MS 20. yy. (2005), (2005 Memet Fuat Award); Collected Essays / 1978-2005 (2007)...

Music of Cyprus 2

Music of Cyprus

“Music of Cyprus” is an album of traditional Cypriot music composed by Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot musicians. Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol, a Turkish Cypriot musician born in Istanbul, and Theodoulos Vakanas, a Greek Cypriot musician born in Nicosia, cooperated with two more musicians from the mainlands Turkey and Greece in this album.
The title “Music of Cyprus” completely reflects the content of this album: traditional music Cyprus. What motivated Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol to create such an album was an attempt to archive Cypriot music with the bi-communal collaboration of musicians.
The colourful diversity in Cypriot music is reflected by the wide variety of instruments used in recording the album such as ud, reed flute, lauto, horn, flageolet, tambourine, violin, fiddle, drums and percussions... Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol who is also an ethnomusicologist says that throughout the last century both Turkish and Greek Cypriots have played the violin as their main instrument. The instruments mentioned above have been played in the album in various arrangements.
The repertoire of the album includes such categories as “Wedding Songs”, “Love Songs”, “Sacred Music”, “Village”, “Reconstruction of Cyprus”, “Folk Dance” and “Music of Cyprus”. This categorization clearly shows that Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol's approach to this album is thoroughly scientific for the purpose of better understanding the Cypriot cultural identity.

“In the morning at sunrise”...
The album opens with “Wedding Songs”. The first song is “Kozan Marşı / Syrtos” sung by both Turkish and Greek Cypriots and in which almost all the instruments mentioned are played. The second track titled “To Tragoui Tou Gamou” is a Greek Cypriot wedding song. The lyrics "May this time be blessed in gold / and this ceremony be powerful / Today the sky and the day are shining bright / Today is the day an eagle marries a dove" depicts a Greek Cypriot wedding ceremony.
The third song is from the section "Love Songs”. “Sabahın Seher Vahdında” is one of the most emotional songs of the album. The lyrics goes as follows: “In the morning at sunrise / She sits reading the Bible / I don’t understand her language / So I thought a nightingale”. The song is sung by Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol who also plays the ud. This song highlights the conception of the album quite well by reflecting the view of the “other”, the struggle to understand the different and the joy of living together with the other and the different.
After this emotional love song, the same ud melodies carries us to a more joyful song: “Dolama / Na Sou Goraso Mihanin". Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol sings the lyrics "Dolama dolama / Bring over the bağlama / How did you learn / to dance like this?...”. Theodoulos Vakanas replies in Greek accompanied by violin melodies played by him: “I will buy you a sewing machine / To sew, you proud one / So that you need no one’s help / In this very neighbourhood”...

“The sema is joy, and it is good for body and soul"...
After a short Byzantine sacred music, the Greek Cypriot religious song “Ta’i Giorki” opens the section “Sacred Music in Cyprus”. Dedicated to Aya Giorgis, this epic song tells the story of a religious hero.
The sixth song is an Anatolian chant “Şem-i Ruhuna”. “Listen to what I’m saying, it’s about another way / What a dervish needs is the love of God / What the lover possesses is sacrificed for the Beloved / The sema is joy, and it is good for body and soul...” This mystic chant is important because it represents the importance for the Turkish Cypriots of the Mevlevi belief system.
“The Village” section opens with drums and horns. “Abdal Zeybeği /Aptalikos” is followed by the section “Cyprus Reconstructed”. This section displays the more traditional instruments used before the violin took its place in the Cypriot tradition as the main instruments of the islanders.
The tenth song of the album opens the “Dance Songs” section. The album presents two great dance songs that represent not only the Turkish and Greek Cypriot culture, but also the Aegean culture: "Varys Zeybekikos" and "Sarhoş Zeybeği / Ime Tze Ganomatzis".
The final section which has the same title with the album, “Music of Cyprus", presents more familiar and popular melodies. "Agapisa Tin Pou Karkias", "Feslikan/Syrtos", "Orak/To Mashairin" and "Dillirga/Tillyrkotissa” are the songs in this section that reflect the warmth of a Mediterranean island.

Listen to the music of Cyprus...
“Music of Cyprus” presents the multicultural diversity of identities on this beautiful Mediterrranean island. The name of the album itself is totally reflective of its true message: The music of Cyprus is neither Turkish or Greek. Any cultural and artistic endeavour in the name of “Cyprus” must tell the story of the bicommunal identity of the island. This is what you will hear if you listen to the music of Cyprus.

Burçin Tuncer

Music of Cyprus 1

Listen to the music of Cyprus

A collaboration between Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot musicians, the album “Music of Cyprus” sheds a musical light on the cultural identity of the island of Cyprus. This is a very precious piece of work in academic, political and cultural terms. As the songs in the album play one after the other, you can’t escape the feeling that you are sailing toward a wildly different world. A world very close to Cyprus yet so far away from it. A world of both past and present and a world full of hope where self and other identify with each other...


The island of Cyprus is known for its multicultural structure, a historical legacy of thousands of years of inter-civilizational interaction. For long years, Greeks and Turks have lived on this island together, enjoying and disliking similar things. Despite their different religious convictions and different ethnicities, Greeks and Turks of Cyprus were never deprived of a common language that can represent common joys and sorrows. There might not be too many cases of inter-ethnic marriage in Cyprus, but there certainly were recurring cases of common celebrations in which both people shared their folk dances and sang folk songs in both Turkish and Greek.
It is known that this rahter peaceful equilibrium was disrupted. The why and the how of this disruption is the subject of another, perhaps a politically more engaged article. Nevertheless the outcome is obvious: One’s joy becomes the other’s sorrow, and vice versa. Different national flags wave at each other across an entrenched border. The people of Cyprus start looking at each other from distant barricades.
What is fortunate is that this border and different nationalist sentiments did not suffice to destroy the common cultural heritage of centuries. The nearly 40 year separation of these communities could never eliminate the 400 year common tradition uniting Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots. Every cultural artifact on this island bear the mark of both communities.
One day, two children of two different historical ancestries, two different religions and languages come together and the common tradition that links them and has blessed the island of Cyprus for so long is brought to surface under the light of musical fervour. "Music of Cyprus” is an album made possible by a historical partnership.
Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol, as the child of a Turkish Cypriot family born in Istanbul and Theodoulos Vakanas, a Greek Cypriot born in Nicosia, meet in Boston, Massachusetts and discover their common cultural roots through musical collaboration...

A “bi-communal” album...
It won’t be an exaggerated claim to say that “Music of Cyprus” unites those spiritual elements of the two communities of Cyprus which have been materially separated from each other since the 1960s. Produced with academic concerns in mind and within the framework of an ethnomusicological study, “Music of Cyprus” has been released by “Kalan Müzik”. The project was first conceived when the ethnomusicologist and musician Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol, in cooperation with his Greek-Irish colleague Panayiotis League, gave a concert reflecting the Cypriot tradition in Boston in May 2006.
That an album of Cypriot music must be prepared b—communally was the sine qua non of Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol. Sanlıkol believed that music made by either Turkish Cypriots or Greek Cypriots separately never reflects the true nature of the island. Moreover, such a mono-communal album can reflect, consciously or unconsciously, a biased cultural perspective which would be anathema to an academic principle of objectivity.
“As the son of a Cypriot family, I was aware that this project lacked something essential: A Greek Cypriot", says Sanlıkol and starts telling the story of how "Music of Cyprus" was born: "I knew the right person for this project: Theodoulos Vakanas. This friend of mine was also a graduate from the New England Conservatory and I knew him from our collaboration in Boston almost five years ago in a few concerts and recording projects. As we discovered our common love for Cyprus, we quickly and joyously started exchanging stories, memories and also several folk songs. Although Theodoulos was not able to take part in the 2006 concert, this project was first conceived thanks to him.”
Of course, Sanlıkol has a powerful message in this album: Another Cyprus is possible! Sanlıkol hopes that the “Music of Cyprus” project could stimulate some Turkish and Greek Cypriots to engage in a humanist dialogue.

About music...
Despite all the social factors involved, “Music of Cyprus” is essentially about music. It is a great musical achievement. Instrumentation in line with the musical tradition and arrangements that reflect the songs’ historical nature are some of the powerful aspects of this album. It is a musical journey into the spirit of a common history of Cyprus.
Sanlıkol is intent on archiving the common musical heritage of the island. In order to form the repertoire of the album, he brought together a vast accumulation of materials that he collected from both North and South Cyprus. However, it can be safely said that personal experience was a more important ingredient than field work during the formation of this album.
Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol tells it all: "The repertoire of this album first of all reflects the past experiences of the elders of the Sanlıkol and Vakanas families who provided us with a firsthand account of the basic characteristics of Cypriot music. The two most important figures in these families are my grandmother Leman Necati Özkan and Theodoulos’s uncle Polydoris Vakanas.”
Both Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol and Theodoulos Vakanas were brought up in families that loved music. Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol's grandmother is a recognized lute player, whereas Theodoulos Vakanas’s uncle Polydoris is a professional violin player.

Repertoir...
The repertoire shows that this album is the product of a disciplined academic study. The songs in the album are presented under different categories like “Wedding Songs”, “Love Songs”, “Sacred Music”, “Village”, "Cyprus Reconstructed”, “Dance Song” and “Music of Cyprus”. This is therefore a new outlook on the traditional music of Cyprus. As Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol stresses, the common link between the music of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots is not only the Cypriot dance songs. The detailed information about the repertoire is related in Sanlıkol’s thoughts printed in the album booklet. For the most part, the selections under the sections of this album entitled “Wedding Songs”, “Music of Cyprus", “Dance Songs” and “Love Songs” are found exclusively on the island of Cyprus and are performed by Greeks or Turks or both. Some of the songs (such as, “Feslikan/Syrtos” #13 and “Dillirga/Tillyrkotissa” #15) have separate Greek and Turkish versions or are sung in a mix of the two languages.
“Section "Sacred Music from Cyprus” celebrates the great importance of both Greek-Orthodox Christianity and Islam to the history and culture of Cyprus.
“In section “Cyprus Re-constructed” we have taken an imaginative step and attempted to recapture the kinds of sounds that would have been heard in Cyprus a hundred or more years ago. By coupling the small Turkish folk lute cura with the Greek bowed lyra we wanted to bring back the sound of the tambura/lyra duo which most probably was in use in Cyprus before the introduction of the violin.

The “true” music of Cyprus...
A collaboration between Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot musicians, the album “Music of Cyprus” sheds a musical light on the cultural identity of the island of Cyprus. This is a very precious piece of work in academic, political and cultural terms. As the songs in the album play one after the other, you can’t escape the feeling that you are sailing toward a wildly different world.
A world very close to Cyprus yet so far away from it. So close, because this music belongs solely to the island of Cyprus. So far away, because it is not all about a geographical location. A world of both past and present and a world full of hope where self and other identify with each other... Listen to the music of Cyprus. There you will find both yourself and your long forgotten neighbour.

‘Kıbrıs’ın Sesi’ (Music of Cyprus)
Kıbrıslı Rum ve Türk müzisyenlerin Kıbrıs adasındaki müzik geleneklerini
birlikte sunduğu bir çalışma
Greek and Turkish Cypriot Musicians Present the Musical Traditions of the
Island of Cyprus

DÜĞÜN MÜZİKLERİ | WEDDING SONGS | TOU GAMOU
1- Kozan Marşı | Syrtos (Turkish and Greek)
2- To Tragoudi Tou Gamou (Greek)

AŞK ŞARKILARI | LOVE SONGS | TIS AGAPIS
3- Sabahın Seher Vahdında (Turkish)
4- Dolama | Na Sou Goraso Mihanin
(Turkish and Greek)

KIBRIS’TA DİNİ MÜZİK | SACRED MUSIC FROM CYPRUS
THRISKEFTIKI MOUSIKI TIS KYPROU
5- T’ai Giorki (Agios Giorgis, Greek Orthodox para-liturgical song)
6- Şem-i Ruhuna (ilahi: Sufi devotional song)

KÖY | THE VILLAGE | TO HORKON
7- Abdal Zeybeği | Aptalikos (Turkish and Greek)

KIBRIS’TA “GECMİŞE YOLCULUK” | CYPRUS “RE-CONSTRUCTED”
KYPROS: “MOUSIKI ANADROMI”
8- Kartal (Turkish)
9- Sousta (Turkish and Greek)

ZEYBEKLER | DANCE SONGS | ZEYBEKIKOS
10- Varys Zeybekikos (Greek)
11- Sarhoş Zeybeği | Ime Tze Ganomatzis
(Turkish and Greek)

KIBRIS’IN SESİ | MUSIC OF CYPRUS | TRAGOUDIA TIS KYPROU
12- Agapisa Tin Pou Karkias (Greek)
13- Feslikan | Syrtos (Turkish and Greek)
14- Orak | To Mashairin (Turkish and Greek)
15- Dillirga | Tillyrkotissa (Turkish and Greek)

Burçin Tuncer

Vamık Volkan:

We were like birds in a cage

Vamık Volkan, who left Cyprus in 1950 for Turkey, then America to study medicine, has been away from his homeland for 57 long years. The author of several books which have been published in many different languages, Volkan is the leading figure in the field of political psychology. Prof. Dr. Vamık Volkan visits the island for holiday every summer...


You have been away from Cyprus for 57 years. What was your relationship to the island in this long period?
Cyprus was always in my heart. Let me explain: In 1957, I went to America and three months later I received a letter from my father. Attached to the letter, there was a newspaper clipping with a picture of Erol, my flatmate in Ankara. Upon his return to Cyprus after he learnt that his mother was sick, Erol was killed by the Greek Cypriots. I was not aware of the true extent of this event's influence on me. There is a famous approach in psychology: “Survivor guilt.” I was affected by this syndrome. I was not able to leave American until 1968. It was a long time since I've been home, I nearly forgot my native tongue. Of course, while I was away, the unfortunate events unfolded. In this period, I had no contact with my family except for the occasional letter which a friend of mine brought on his return from his visits to Cyprus. The 1968 intervention of Turkey opened the doors of the ghetto. I was immediately on the island. After that year, Cyprus became a part of me.

I believe you regularly visit the island...
Yes, insofar as I find the economic opportunity. Additionally, I have a mission. In every conference I attend, in every book I write, I mention and present Cyprus to other people. Even when I write on schizophrenia, for instance, I mention Cyprus.

You have been living in the USA for 50 years. Which country makes you feel at home?
Definitely Cyprus. After I began to visit the island regularly, I cry every time on the way from the airport to my house. Every day, I wake up before the sunrise, touch and smell the soil in my garden. The garden of my house in America is nearly ten times larger than the one in Cyprus, but I don’t feel like smelling the soil there. It’s an interesting emotion.

CUTTING THROUGH THE FABRIC OF THE TENT
First you studied psychiatry, then psychoanalysis, and finally, the less known field of political psychology...
Actually this story is a bit accidental. In America, I was studying on psychoanalytic psychiatry, and, despite my young age, I was writing books and giving lectures. At that time, an association called "Psychiatry and Foreign Policy" was established. Together with a Greek friend of mine, I was selected to be the youngest member of this association. Usually, we were invited for a drink and chatted with other members! Of course, it was a pleasant situation. We were drinking for free! When we were not around, they were actually working on Turkish-Greek relations...

So, were these meetings influential in shaping your interest in political psychology?
While we were attending these meetings, the Egyptian President of the time Enver Sedat stated on his visit to Israel that the reason behind the conflict between Arabs and Israelis is psychological. Ecevit told the same thing for the Turkish-Greek conflict, but no one paid attention. What was happening was that the historical aspects of these conflicts were overemphasized with regard to their psychological aspects. After the statement of Enver Sedat, a council was founded and the USA sponsored studies in political psychology. Trips to Egypt and Israel were made. Three years later, I was the head of this group. Of course, when you are the head of such a group, you must learn and accumulate a wide range of knowledge. So, I started studying political psychology. This went on until 1986. During that period, we made preliminary studies for the dialogues between the Russians and the Americans. A team including psychiatrists and diplomats was formed. Then I visited the Soviet Union. We worked with Gorbachev for two years. I never met Reagan, but I am sure Gorbachev found our studies useful.

Then you visited many other sites of conflict, such as Israel, Albania, Palestine... Did you see common reasons for these ethnic-religious problems?
Actually, they are all the same. Only when religion is involved, things get a bit more complicated. The most important concept in these cases is the “large group identity”, that is to say, superidentites like Turkish, Kurdish, Catholic. Generally, all human beings belong to a superidentity which might change a little when we are drunk or asleep, but most of the time remains constant. We live in a tent together with thousands, even millions of different people. I use "tent" as an analogy for the concept of large group identity. The fabric of the tent represents the large group identity. There is a political pole which holds the tent upright. Every morning, we wake up under the Turkish flag, we read Turkish newspapers and we live a Turkish life. Yet, most of the time, we do not go through this consciously or it does not strike us as something special to be noticed. But whenever someone tries to cut through the fabric of the tent or whenever the political pole is not holding the tent strongly —and this is what is exactly happening in Turkey right now— everyone pays attention to the tent and is concerned about its continued existence. As the fabric of the tent is damaged, you cannot even think about the clothes you wear, an analogy for subidentities. This is the story of group identity... We are living in an age of ethnicity. Identity conflicts, questions like "who are we?", "how are we different?". The whole world is in decline and the worse is yet to come because religion is gaining significance, too.

TURKISH CYPRIOTS ARE NOT KNOWN
How do you analyze the Cyprus problem in light of this?
All large groups have their own processes. So does the current trauma lived in Cyprus. Turkish Cypriots can visit any place around the world, but without a passport that can show who they really are. This causes a big misrecognition. We can give many examples to this. For instance, the Serbian leader Milosevic was able to mobilize Serbian nationalism by making references to certain historical figures. He showed around and exhibited for one long year from village to village, and finally brought to Kosovo, the dead body of a Serbian killed 600 years ago during the Ottoman period. The body was buried every night but only to be digged up on the next day to repeat this cruel exhibit again and again. Can you imagine the consequences of such an event? Are there no reasonable people in Serbia? Is every Serbian born a killer? All great human tragedies are the result of such traumatic processes.

Is there any way to prevent these tragedies?
We may not prevent this once and for all, but we must surely enrich our diplomatic skills. The groups in conflict must gain an awareness regarding each others’ thoughts and this might help us develop arguments better suited to the psychological process. And this takes time.

As a Turkish Cypriot, how can you describe the psychological condition of your community?
I really want to make a serious study on this topic. My general theories might be correct with respect to Turkish Cypriots as well. Nevertheless, detailed research is necessary. 20- or 21-year-old young people do not know anything about the years of war. The new generations must be informed of their past. Most of us think of Cyprus as the whole world, as if there is nothing beyond Cyprus. The annual budget of a hospital that I worked with at the Virginia University is more than the annual budget of the TRNC!

As a Turkish Cypriot who have worked in many different countries, how do you think the world perceives the Cyprus problem?
Turkish Cypriots are not known in the world. This island has only one recognized state: The Republic of Cyprus, a EU member state. Those who learn that there are Turkish people and a political problem in Cyprus say "then, let's make everyone Cypriot". Maybe one day everyone can feel themselves to be Cypriot, but this is very unlikely for the moment. A Greek Cypriot can completely feel that he is a Cypriot. But what is his large group identity? No doubt that it is the one thousand year old Greek identity and you cannot expect that he will easily get over this identity. This goes for the Turks as well; and we are currently trying to figure out our identity! Hypothetically speaking, if a Greco-Ottoman empire was to be established, all the problems would have been solved. But, no! They have transferred the Turkish-Greek strife to a smaller country.

THE SPONGY CHEESE THEORY
During the Annan Plan period, you came up with a theory called “Spongy Cheese”. Has this theory worked in practice?
Actually what is happening now reflects what I told then. During the Annan Plan period, Alvaro de Soto visited Cyprus. We talked in my home before he started working on the subject. I told him my “spongy cheese" theory. But I don’t know whether he took me seriously. In order for the Cypriot people to find peace, they need to grant each other their different identities. There has to be a boundary. If you establish a spongy, that is, a permeable boundary, there will be exchange —not in the sense of today's market exchange! A psychological exchange. In the past, Cyprus was always like a spongy cheese. Both in the Ottoman and British periods. For instance, it was exceptional when a Turk and a Greek married. And today, the boundary is the main reason behind the feeling of safety.

As far as we know this spongy cheese theory was inspired by your studies in Estonia. Is there a resemblance between the situation in Estonia and that in Cyprus?
We studied in Estonia for 6.5 years. There is a similar situation in Estonia. The population is 1.5 million and 500,000 of them are not Estonian, but Russian. They are not even Estonian citizens. Estonians say that if they want to be citizens, they need to learn the native language! Faced with such a condescending condition, no one wants to learn that language. We made a psychoanalytic study on 40 people consisting of the leaders of both communities. They decided on the spongy cheese solution. They wanted to preserve their private spaces and their own communities, but also keep points of exchange between the communities. In the end, this worked out. But the Cyprus problem has a chronic nature! Sometimes I find in the house newspapers printed a decade ago. Believe me, the news, even the headlines are the same. And unfortunately there is nothing we can do about it.

BIRDS IN A CAGE
What kind of a trauma was created by the “Yes” of Turks and the “No” of Greeks as a result of the Annan Plan referandum?
This proved that the condescending attitude is still present. One sincerely believes that we can live together, the other damns the possibility.

Turkish Cypriots have been isolated and embargoed for a long time. What are the psychological repercussions of this?
If you live under disadvantageous circumstances for a long time, after some time you begin to direct your reactions toward yourself. This goes for both individuals and communities. This is the case for Turkish Cypriots. There is also the “booty psychology”. My neighbor is rich, I am not; I lost my property, he became a property owner... Because of these problems, we were divided among ourselves. And we are tired of it. Now there are more issues that we have to deal with: The old rich, the new rich, the old rich; those who came from Turkey but who are now Cypriots; Greeks; Turks; those who like Greeks, those who don’t...

On the other hand, it is as if the Cyprus problem is the only problem in North Cyprus. When other problems are discussed, there is always a mention of the Cyprus problem. Isn't there a risk of awaiting for the solution to the Cyprus problem and therefore postponing the solution to other serious problems?
Yes, today we have a traditional political structure. I think, the most serious problem is the application of the laws that we made. If we are a legitimate state and we have laws, we have to learn to live with them. You will have a military, you will have a state, but most important of all, you will have laws and law-abiding people. If we become a truly legal state, our communication with the outer world will change dramatically! What we need to do is focus on our internal affairs...

What do you think about the relationship between Turkish Cypriots and Turkey?
In the 1960s, when Turkish Cypriots were forced to live in ghettos, they needed a “motherland”, a sense of security. Interestingly, almost every Turkish Cypriots had birds in their houses. I think we were like those birds. There was a motherland who fed us and looked after us. This of course meant nationalism, which today has a perverted meaning. Turkish Cypriots were a product of the patriotism in Turkey. That was the reason why Turkey intervened in Cyprus.

Finally, tell us about your new projects. Will you analyze Cyprus in the near future?
Yes, I have something in mind, but I cannot possibly change the direction of the current process. At least for now. Because it is inevitable that I will be seen as someone partial. I can easily communicate with the Turkish people. But will the Greek Cypriots listen to me? Of course not...



Who is Vamık Volkan?
Vamık Cemal Volkan was born in 1932 in Lefkoşa. He graduated from Cyprus Islamic High School in 1950, and the Medicine Faculty at the Ankara University in 1956. He went to the USA in 1957 and stayed there. He was the president of the International Political Psychology Association fo rlong years. His books have been published in Finnish, German, Japanese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish. In 2003, Volkan received the Sigmund Freud award in the field of psychoanalysis. In 2004, he was chosen the educator of the year in the USA. He was nominated for several international awards. Volkan still lives in the USA.

Cyprus

Tour North Cyprus in Seven Days

Days are longer, weather is warmer; the clocks hit the perfect time for a real dreamer! Come to your dreamland Cyprus and enjoy your week in the sun! Keep your magazine with you for you will find a comprehensive one-week Cyprus tour guide below...


1st DAY
As your plane descends to land in the skies of Cyprus, you may easily see the beautiful spot on the north coast of Cyprus, Kyrenia. If you look more carefully you may even point the Kyrenia Castle, with its quasi-square plan; and the ancient harbour beside. If you have a seat in the aisle or you are afraid enough to look down from your plane, never mind. For our tour is mainly centred in Kyrenia and its environs. So you can get enough of it. Kyrenia is approximately 45 minutes far from Ercan Airport. The tourism centre of Cyprus, Kyrenia houses a good number of hotels, ranging from modest taste or bungalows to luxury and elegantly furnished ones. As soon as you check in your hotel, you may swim in the warm blue waters of the Mediterranean, just in order to get rid of the dizziness of a long plane journey. Kyrenia is naturally adorned with many beaches. One of the favourite points of the locals and foreigners is the very beach where the Turkish troops landed during the Peace Operation, 1974. On this magnificent beach, you may find a restaurant and chaise-longs to sunbathe. After cooled by the waters of the Mediterranean, our next stop is Kyrenia Castle. Built in the 7th century by the Byzantines as a fortification against Arab raids, the castle today stands solid as it was 400 years ago. A museum today, Kyrenia Castle is a gate to the life-style of Byzantines and Venetians in the Middle Ages and Renaissance years. Leaving the castle, we head for the ancient harbour, situated just beside the castle. This little bay, still bearing traces from medieval times, exposes the tissue of a little Venetian town with its narrow streets. Usually there are ships anchored in the harbour and these may give you a good ride along the coastline. Many a restaurant and cafe are lined in the harbour. You may sit by the sea and sip a glass of cold beer and taste chips made from the famous Cyprus potatoes. The first day of our tour should better be not exhaustive. Therefore, we turn back to the hotel.

2nd DAY
Kyrenia was established by Achaeans in the 10th century BC. The city has the traces of a long history. Not only in Kyrenia, but all across Cyprus, the rich cultural heritage is observable. Maybe the most important of all these monuments is the Bellapais Abbey, situated on the heights of Kyrenia. The abbey exposes the elegant gothic style; pointed vaults seem like reaching heaven. The effect is doubled with the positioning of the abbey on steep hills. Refectory is the least damaged building of the abbey and today it serves as a concert hall. Bellapais is also the name for the little village, composed around the abbey. This village is famous for the air of idleness that dominates and takes hold of every new-comer. British writer Lawrence Durrell lived in this very village, of which he gives an account in his book ‘Bitter Lemons’. Departing from Bellapais Abbey, we head for St. Hilarion Castle, which holds the highest point in the mountain range lying at the back of Kyrenia. Following a short climb by car, we are welcomed by the fantastic view of the castle. Built by the Byzantines in order to observe and countervail Arap raids, the castle promises a journey into the depths of time surrounding you with its medieval tissue. Situated on a steep hill, the castle presents a complete view of the north shore, and tens of miles away into the Mediterranean. It is even possible to see as far as Turkey; the Toros mountain range on a clear day. But to be honest, the castle has a much more mystic atmosphere in winter. As clouds descend on the mountains and below, a trip to St.Hilarion offers a Tarkovskian experience of epiphany. Overwhelmed by its grandiose, we depart from St. Hillarion Castle and head for the mountain road plunging into the forests. This road is the alternative of the one laying along the coastline. You may find places to stop by and picnic. Follow Lapta signpost that will take you down to the city. The road is a feast as it winds its way through authentic Cypriot villages. It is time to live the pleasure of evening. There are a number of beaches on our way, but Camelot and MareMonte are exceptionally beautiful. We take a break to swim in the faint sunlight without getting burnt by direct sunlight.

3rd DAY
The greenest region in Cyprus is Güzelyurt without doubt. The first stop on our way is the Cape Koruçam. You need to follow the road to Güzelyurt then take the way signposted Sadrazamköy. Cape Koruçam marks the westernmost tip of the northern coast. Do not stop as the asphalt road ends; instead follow the gravel road till the end. Cape Koruçam promises an extraordinary experience with its exceptional geographic tissue. Following the road back to Sadrazamköy, we head for Koruçam Village, alias Kormacit. This village is mainly inhabited by Catholic Arabs, namely Maronites, who speak Arabic and Greek. There is a restaurant just across the cathedral, Yorgo Kasap Restoran. Offering a wide range of mezes from authentic Cypriot cuisine, Yorgo is also famous for its delicious Kleftiko. Now having enough energy to continue our trip, we head for Güzelyurt, “the citrus garden of Cyprus”. Do not leave without visiting St.Mamas Church and the Museum of Archaeology beside. On the way from Güzelyurt to Lefke, we stop by the ruins of the ancient city of Soli. One of the nine kingdoms on Cyprus, Soli hosts one of the oldest churches ever built in Cyprus; that is a fifth century basilica still observable today. Boasting a marvellous view and a 4-thousand spectator capacity Roman theatre, Soli deserves attention. Heading forth, we arrive at Yeşilırmak. This tiny village houses the biggest vine tree of Cyprus, documented by Guinness Records. The vine tree has an 85-cm diameter and produces three tons of grapes each year. There is a beautiful and inviting beach in front of the record vine. This is perfect place to swim and relax.

4th DAY
On the fourth day we will plunge into the streets of Nicosia, the very last divided capital in the world. The capital of both states on the island, Nicosia was founded in 300 BC. Nicosia is famous for its star shape. Also called “the star-shaped city”, Nicosia bears the traces of Venetian, Lusignan, Ottoman and British reigns. Inside the walls, the streets of Nicosia are very narrow and complex, like a huge labyrinth. The centre of the ancient city is marked with Arasta Bazaar. Situated beside the Bazaar is Büyük Han, the most striking Ottoman building in the town. Made of indigenous Cypriot stone, the building comprises 68 rooms and 10 shops. Today it includes an authentic Cypriot restaurant, numerous souvenir shops featuring samples of Cypriot handicrafts, and a few cafes. Büyük Han houses concert performances in summer evenings in its courtyard. Just a few metres away from Büyük Han is Selimiye Mosque, another monument. Almost 800 years old, this building was originally built by the Lusignans as St.Sophia Cathedral. Following the Ottoman invasion, the church was converted to a mosque without any defect in its gothic structure. Only Christian components such as statues and reliefs of saints are removed and frescoes were covered with white paint. As we have said before, Nicosia is the only divided capital in the world. This division is highly felt at the park situated on Yiğitler Burcu. Here you encounter barbed wire entanglement that marks the borders of two countries. Still you can see the Greek side at a step’s distance. The streets, the people walking or the cars parking are astonishingly close. On the right-hand side of the park, you can see Hotel Ledra Palas. The symbol of country’s dividedness, the hotel is currently at UN’s disposal All along the Green Line that divides Nicosia, there are a lot of destroyed buildings still displaying the traces of the war.

5th DAY
One of the most important stops of our one-week Cyprus tour is Famagusta. This ancient harbour city served as the last stop before Jerusalem during the Crusades. Famagusta is encircled by fascinating walls, which bears fingerprints of Leonarda da Vinci. The ancient city of Famagusta, still in walls today, is home to many monuments. You may climb the Othello Tower and remember that this city is the exact place where Shakespeare’s famous tragedy Othello takes place. You may travel back in time by visiting the twin churches, a Templar church. Although little remains, the Venetian Palace deserves a visit. Famagusta is astonishingly packed with churches, one after another. St.George of the Latins and St.Nicholas Cathedral are the most important of all. Converted into a mosque following Ottoman invasion, St.Nicholas Cathedral was built taking Reims Cathedral model. The minarets are carefully annexed to the main building without any defect in its French gothic character. Famagusta comprises many Ottoman buildings as well. Kertikli Baths and Famagusta Bazaar are the most important of them. Famagusta Bazaar comprises a number of cafes, restaurants and bars for those who wish to enjoy authentic Cypriot atmosphere. If you pass under the remaining arches of Venetian Palace, just across the Cathedral/Mosque, you can see the dungeon where the Turkish poet Namık Kemal spent his last years. Departing from Famagusta city centre, we drive towards Salamis Ruins. An 8-km far from the city centre, Salamis ruins are worth visiting. You may also see the Royal Tombs and Monastery of St. Barnabas, once the centre of Cypriot Orthodox Church. Harbouring many icons today, the Monastery of St. Barnabas is a museum with a rich collection of archaeological findings gathered across Cyprus.

6th DAY
On our 6th day our destination will be the Karpas Peninsula, which deserves to be seen most for its historical importance and natural beauty. With its natural virginity and beautiful beaches, this peninsula has always been the favourite place that people chose to run away from the rush of the modern world with a willingness of monkery. This is the reason why it is the region which has the most monasteries regarding its size. We will give a break in one of these, Panaghia Kanakaria. After visiting this church, which is dressed with icons and mosaics, we head for Dipkarpaz over Yenierenkoy. Basically follow the signposts that read Apostolos Andreas Monastery. A special local kind of donkey lives in freedom in this untouched virgin nature. This means do not be surprised if suddenly one of them approaches towards you. The road winds its way through fragranced herbs. As we get farther the road becomes narrower. The road reaches the Monastery of Apostolos Andreas at one point. One of the centres of pilgrimage for the Orthodox world, the Monastery is considered holy by both the Turkish and the Greek. We drink from the holy water of the Monastery and continue our way. A few kilometres after, the asphalt road comes to an end. We continue further following the gravel path. This time we arrive at the easternmost tip of the northern coast. At this point you may feel the excitement of standing at a distinctive place in the map. This spot features a fascinating view. We depart from Zafer Cape and start our return journey. On the way we are dazzled by the breathtaking view of Golden Beach. Seen from above, this long beach is twinkling with its blue waters and golden sand. Golden Beach is the usual destination of Caretta Caretta sea-turtles to lay their eggs. Swimming in these waters is an exceptional delight. We take our time in this marvellous beach and then we depart.

7th DAY
This is the last day of our one-week vacation. Today, we will spend our time in the Besparmak Mountain Range. First we stop by Buffavento Castle on our way. Buffavento means “standing before the wind”. The castle is built on steep hills of 950 metres high. You can see both Nicosia and Kyrenia from the castle. After exploring the castle we head for the Beşparmak Mountain. Beşparmak means “five fingers”, and if you look carefully this hill has the shape of a fist. This is a beautiful way that winds amongst the pine trees that provide a cool shelter from the heat of the sun. At some point we come across a picnic place situated on top of a hill that overlooks the eastern shores of the Kyrenia. This area is very crowded with people who come here to picnic. A way plunges into the forests winding downward. If you follow this road, you arrive at an old Armenian Monastery: Sourp Magar. Once the spot of Armenian pilgrims on their road to Jerusalem, the monastery serves as a guesthouse today. On the way back, we return the road we have come and reach the mountain road again. This mountain road will take us to Esentepe, a lovely Cypriot village. Esentepe is on the foot on the mountains and traversing the village we arrive at the coastline. Time to go back to the hotel and pack up for departure!
Of course there is a lot more to be seen in this beautiful island. What we have covered in a week’s time was to make you have a quick taste; sort of a “prologue”. Waiting with open arms among the blue waters of the Mediterranean, Cyprus is always ready to re-accommodate you...