FIRST BOOK OF ART TRANSLATED INTO ARMENIAN

Hurriyet
m/n.php?n=-2010-03-30
March 31 2010
Turkey

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.

‘EÅ~_ik’ (Cradle) is the first book that breaks the trend of
translations only touching on historical problems between the
neighboring countries

Hasan Erke, writer of ‘EÅ~_ik.’

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 "EÅ~_ik" (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 Hurriyet 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

"EÅ~_ik" 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 TUYAP 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 ‘EÅ~_ik’ 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
Cetin’s "Anneannem" (My Grandmother) and Nobel laureate writer Orhan
Pamuk’s "Kar" (Snow). In her book, Cetin 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 ‘EÅ~_ik’,"
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.