ALCI
k.balci@todayszaman.com
National
30.01.2007

Ashura, pluralism and the creation of a new mosaic

Yesterday was the day of Ashura according to the Islamic calendar. In
the Shia world this was a day of mourning commemorating the murder of
Huseyin, the grandson of the Prophet of Islam, Mohammed.

In the northern Sunni world of Turkey, Pakistan, Malaysia and
Indonesia, this was a fasting day. Some Shiites express their feelings
by inflicting pain on themselves, flogging their backs to the point of
bleeding. Sunnis express their feelings at the esoteric dimension:
fasting of the mouth, of the tongue, of the eye.

Fasting in the Sunni world is not only about abstaining from eating,
but also about eating as a congregation. A classic meal for the day of
Ashura is a sweet dessert also called ashura. Probably an Armenian
tradition Islamicized later on, ashura is a mixture of many
ingredients that would not give the sense of a meaningful meal at
first sight. Think of de-husked wheat, chickpeas, white beans, rice,
dried apricots, dried figs, raisins, orange, rose water, walnuts,
pomegranate and sugar in the same cup of sweet! The number of
ingredients are so high that folk legend has it that Noah prepared
this pudding from the last bits of food remaining on the Ark when he
wanted to celebrate the landing of the Ark.

Ashura is a symbol of modern-day life. On December 4, 2004, the famous
Abant Platform was having its eighth meeting in Brussels at the
European Parliament.

The topic of discussion was understandably Turkey’s place in the
EU. Then the discussion on Turkey’s bid to join the EU was
concentrated on the `EU’s abs orbing capacity.’ Columnist Hüseyin
Gülerce was one of the speakers there and he opened his speech with a
recipe for ashura. Using the symbolism of ashura, Gülerce told the
audience that ingredients that seem to be no match atfirst sight might
become a delicious delight if put in the hands of a skilful cook. `
Turkey is an ingredient that is hard for the EU to absorb, but once
done, it will enrich the taste of Europe,’ said Gülerce.

Two years since that speech and today we know that the absorption
issue is a real challenge, not only for Europe but for Turkey
too. Turkey has always been a mosaic of cultures thanks to its Ottoman
past and the central attraction of Anatolia. In the last ten years,
the Aegean and Mediterranean coastlines of Turkey have become
attractions for Northern European ex-pats willing to settle down in a
warm environment. British, Russians, Germans, Dutch and Norwegians are
acquiring houses in Turkey and adding new ingredients into this
mixtureof nations, this huge cup of ashura.

The cooks know that ashura is ready to be served by the white beans in
it. This is the most resistant ingredient that needs to be integrated
into the general taste of the delight. Given the perceived historical
realities of the Armenian minority in this country, they are the white
beans of our ashura in this allegory. And on this Ashura Day, I have
more faith in the potential of this nation to become the tastiest
delight of this mosaic world.