Istanbul's past Easters remain only in memories

Thursday, April 1, 2010

VERCİHAN ZİFLİOĞLU

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

In previous times, Istanbul Easters were very different and were celebrated in the streets not only by Christians, but Muslims as well. Speaking to City Brief, Takuhi Tovmasyan says those days have become fairy tales now, 'all because of politicians'

Over six decades ago, before the black clouds of divisive politics descended upon our lives, Christmas, Easter and religious Muslim holidays were celebrated throughout Turkey with a festival air. The wide doors of wooden houses were kept open as neighbors shared delicious food with each other. Tables were set up in gardens as Turks, Armenians and Greeks enjoyed life with music.

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Speaking to City Brief, Takuhi Tovmasyan, a prominent Turkish-Armenian writer, said in those times they waited for all religious holidays enthusiastically.

“I would not blame you if you do not believe me,” she said. “[But] politicians have stolen these beautiful things from our lives. We were just ordinary people, like a big family. Now, everything has become a fairy tale.”

Matters changed for the worse after the Sept. 6-7, 1955, provocation against religious minorities, Tovmasyan said. “Politics crept into our ordinary lives. Our Greek neighbors left Istanbul a few years later. I was only 10 years old, but I could see things would not be the same again.”

Tovmasyan’s first book, “Sofranız Şen Olsun” was published a few years ago by Aras Publications. In her work, she tells the story of Turks and Armenians through things shared, cuisine and smells.

Remembering her childhood in Yedikule, Istanbul, Tovmasyan is visibly moved. “We had a big, big wooden house. Easter meant spring and the smell of flowers,” she said.

“All the windows were opened, curtains fluttered in the wind and the cleaning would begin. Stuffing was prepared, cakes were baked. On the eve of Easter, Armenian and Greek women would carry cakes to bakeries. As they came back, the smell of those cakes would fill our entire street.”

She made her first Easter cake at the age of 11. “I got the recipe from Madam Fofo, a Greek lady. Then, my grandmother taught me how to make Easter bread,” she said.

“Greek women were experts at sweets, while Armenian ladies were the best at ‘mezes,’ [appetizers]. All the food was presented to the neighbors. We would not lock our doors as everyone was part of this big family. We had nothing but love in our hearts for each other.”

A typical Armenian home’s Easter menu included spinach and especially fish, which represented fruitfulness, she said. “And don’t forget stuffed grape leaves and stuffed mussels. On Sunday mornings, after mass, we would give painted eggs, cakes and milk to the children.”

Tovmasyan said she was a naughty girl at the time. “I would play with egg paint, smearing it to all my face and body. I would steal mussels and fish from the kitchen. I’d cover the fish in handkerchiefs and then put them in mussel shells.”

The best memory for a little girl in Easter would be shopping for a red dress and a pair of red shoes. “Dressing up in them was like magic.”