First book of art translated into Armenian

First book of art translated into Armenian

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

VERCİHAN ZİFLİOĞLU

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

Turkey and Armenia have initiated a common project. A theater play by Hasan Erkek has been translated into Armenian by the Armenian Publishers Union with the help of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. 'Eşik' (Cradle) is the first book that breaks the trend of translations only touching on historical problems between the neighboring countries

Hasan Erke, writer of 'Eşik.'

The Armenian Publishers Union and the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism have collaborated on a special project. Armenian readers will now be able to read a book on art rather than ones that examine historical problems between the two countries.

The book will be promoted at a ceremony in May at the Armenian Publishers Union. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism participated through subsidizing the translation through the Opening Turkish Literature to the World, or TEDA, a project, which works to publish Turkish cultural, artistic and literary works in foreign languages.

The writer of the book, titled “Eşik” (Cradle), Anadolu University State Conservatory member and the Playwrights and Interpreters Association Chairman Hasan Erkek said his book was published in Turkey, Azerbaijan and Armenia. “I hope this coincidence will make a contribution to peace among these three countries. I believe that we will progress more by developing a culture of empathy through art rather than harsh political statements.”

Speaking to the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review, the Armenian translator of the book, Meline Anumyan, who is a member of the Hracya Acaryan University Turkish literature department and the Armenian Society Radio Turkish broadcast editor, said, “I am very pleased to translate a book on art rather than history and politics.”

First contact in Istanbul

“Eşik” is a theater play. Depicting various periods of human life, the play tells about these stages in a very effective way through a young girl who grows into a woman. The play has been viewed by more than 60,000 people in different Turkish cities, according to Erkek. In addition to Turkey, Azerbaijan and Armenia, the book, which has many national awards, was published in France in 2001 with the title “Le Seuil” and initiated by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

The idea of publishing the book in Armenia came up in 2008. The Armenian Publishers Union President Vahan Khachatryan, who was the guest of honor at the International Istanbul TÜYAP Book Fair, met Erkek during the fair.

“It was a very nice meeting. I thought we would be able to collaborate, and I sent him my book,” said Erkek. “They decided to publish the book. TEDA gave a small budget for the project, and ‘Eşik’ met Armenian readers thanks to it. It makes me happy that my play reaches more people.”

View of Armenia in Turkish literature

During the time of the Soviet Republics, Turkish literature was followed in Armenia through Russian translations. Although the country gained its independence in 1991, the first translations into Armenian only gained speed during the last two years. The firsts were Fethiye Çetin’s “Anneannem” (My Grandmother) and Nobel laureate writer Orhan Pamuk’s “Kar” (Snow). In her book, Çetin tells the story of her grandmother, who was an Armenian, but became a Muslim and changed her name after 1915.

Right before he won the Nobel Prize, Pamuk gained empathy in Armenia and among the diaspora, saying, “one million Armenians and 30,000 Kurds have been murdered on this land.” But in his book, Erkek did not make any reference to the Armenian problem or give place to an Armenian hero. “I don’t know why they wanted to translate ‘Eşik’,” he said. “Maybe its poetic language, characters or folk songs had an influence.”

Themes same with Hovhannes Tumanian

Even though Erkek did not comment on why his book was appreciated in Armenia, Anumyan said: “Erkek’s style has similarities with the immortal poet of Armenian literature Hovhannes Tumanian’s themes. We thought this feature of the book would be familiar to our readers.”

Anumyan said more works from Turkish literature would be translated into Armenian. Erkek also said similar work could be done in Turkey. “Such things are necessary for both societies to know each other better. I hope my book will be the first step for common projects,” he said.