Calis Beach and Fethiye Turkey Discussion Forum

Turkey Related Subjects => Turkey Discussion Forum (Not Calis specifically) => Topic started by: JohnF on November 10, 2016, 12:54:13 PM

Title: Today is 78th Anniversary of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's death
Post by: JohnF on November 10, 2016, 12:54:13 PM

There are a number of commemoration ceremonies being held throughout Turkey today to mark the 78th anniversary of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's death, at the Dolmabahçe Palace in Istanbul on the 10th November 1938.

This quote, from the Smithsonian (http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/his-name-meant-father-turk-and-that-he-was-1-39886596/?no-ist) in 1996, in my opinion sums up (just some of) the man's achievements:

In a little more than ten years he did the work of ten centuries. He got rid of the sultanate, exiled the caliph, and closed the religious courts, thus, unique in the Middle East, separating religion from politics. He banned the fez, symbol of traditional orthodoxy, instituted the European weekend, outlawed polygamy and championed women's rights.

I wonder what "the father of all Turks" would think of the nation he created now? 

JF

Title: Re: Today is 78th Anniversary of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's death
Post by: marina on November 10, 2016, 13:23:22 PM

Thanks for that John, explains some of the posts on FB from a Turkish friend. They don't always translate very well   :(

Title: Re: Today is 78th Anniversary of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's death
Post by: kevin3 on November 10, 2016, 13:57:34 PM

   What Ataturk would think doesn't bear thinking about. The Turks I know revere Ataturk and

   to them he IS  Turkey.        What a difference 2 individuals can make to a country eh.!!    :(

Title: Re:http://www.calis-b Today is 78th Anniversary of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's death
Post by: Colwyn on November 10, 2016, 14:13:36 PM

Thanks John. Let's add to the list: full voting rights for women (before the UK achieved that); changing the calendar from Islamic to Western dating (so this year is 2016 and not 1438); changing written Turkish from Arabic to Roman script (imagine how well Brits, on holiday and ex-pats, would do when confronted with signs saying   بازار  and imagine the army of scholars Ataturk deployed to agree a Western translation of all of the Arabic Turkish alphabet into Roman - it must have months of work and argument just to invent the yumuşak ge).

P.S. The mysterious (to me) Arabic sign means market or bazaar and is pronounced as the latter.

Title: Re: Today is 78th Anniversary of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's death
Post by: Jacqui Harvey on November 10, 2016, 14:29:59 PM

He would turn in his grave if he found out what was happening to all his good works today.

Title: Re: Today is 78th Anniversary of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's death
Post by: Colwyn on November 10, 2016, 16:31:40 PM

Village school parade on Republic Day, 2009.


(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a138/ColwynJones/Turkey%202009/AK49_zps3dd71e38.jpg)

Title: Re: Today is 78th Anniversary of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's death
Post by: kevin3 on November 10, 2016, 16:43:57 PM

  It's lovely to watch the kids when the national anthem is played. Without prompting they

  stand bolt upright, chins up high, standing still, fingers stretched out straight at their sides,

  and the look on their faces says "pride."      :)