Author Archives: giiray

Codex Cumanicus and “куаныш”

Codex Cumanicus is a 13th century manuscript written in Latin for Catholic Missionaries interacting with the Cumans, the nomadic, Turkic speaking people who were scattered around the Eurasian steppes at the time. The codex is part dictionary and part missionary book. The dictionary contains translations of Cuman words into Latin (and i think it alsoContinue reading “Codex Cumanicus and “куаныш””

Dracula and Baksheesh: Cultural Transports from East to West

What does a word have in common with a famous villain? I was reading Bram Stoker’s Dracula in high school. At the time, I wanted to improve my English by reading a proper classic, and what better book to pick than the one that created the first vampire? You see, I had just finished watchingContinue reading “Dracula and Baksheesh: Cultural Transports from East to West”

Hasan ile Röportaj: Sınır Dışındaki Türk Kültürü, Bir Dil Bir İnsan, Deprem Sonrası Hayat

Hasan ile Maraş’ın ilçesi Pazarcık’ta, Mart ayı 2023’te tanıştım. Beraber Toplum Gönüllüleri Vakfı (TOG) bünyesinde deprem gönüllüsü olarak Maraş’taki bir kampta kalıyorduk. Hasan’ın hayat hikayesi üzerine sohbet etmek isteyince, çocukluğundan deprem gönüllülüğüne uzanan yaklaşık 30 dakikalık bir röportaj yaptık. Arkamızdaki okulu ve AFAD çadırlarını görebilirsiniz. Erzak sığınağı olarak kullanılan, çatlaklarla kaplı fakat hala ayakta duranContinue reading “Hasan ile Röportaj: Sınır Dışındaki Türk Kültürü, Bir Dil Bir İnsan, Deprem Sonrası Hayat”

Global and Connected Bards

I want to create a network of people and a system of thought, that will allow the stories of the peoples of the world to be exchanged and introduced to each other again. Humans are a story telling species. News are stories. We tell each other stories of harmful events that happened in the past,Continue reading “Global and Connected Bards”

Ancestral Recall

Humans tell stories Humans tell stories of their ancestors and of ages long gone. Stories of the ancient past are so powerful, that nationalism used them to craft nation identities, with which they could bring the people together and lead them. Ancient Danish Kings claimed divine ancestry through stories, reinforcing their positions as rulers byContinue reading “Ancestral Recall”