Dear neighbours, what is the thing that makes you feel the closest to turkish culture?

Question

According to you, what is the thing which is really a common point in both cultures ?
Having lived together during several centuries has probably changed many things in both nations, as they influenced each other...

Answer 1

Our souls. No one of both of us will ever admit it but that's the truth. We had lived together once. You can have a plastic surgery a change your face, your body, everything but you cannot change one thing: Yourself! That's how it is with Greeks & Turks too. Everything changed but 1. It was like a long friendship like you love someone & you are jealous him at the same time like you are afraid that you'll loose him or even loose yourself. He's your idol but you are his idol too. Something so strong that cannot be described with words. It's funny but some people say "you really love someone when you hate him at the same time, but you still love him and you don't know why.."But you know power usually is behind all those. Turks & Greeks were like 2 little children from "different worlds" that grew up together, learn to help each other, learn to create, to share together, even to have respect to each other and suddenly one day their parents "woke up" took them violently apart and told them: "You are never going to talk to him again! He's your enemy now! Fight Forget him! You are not equal" If you ask today no one remebers how everything started. Maybe they don't want to remeber..The word "Turk, Turkish, Istanbul are words that sound bad in greek ears as Junan or Greek in Turkish ears..Greek children in schools learn that Turks were "bad people" and it goes like that.. How did everything started? We suddenly stopped sharing things, ideas. We even stopped talking. Suspicious looks. "Is he better than me?" "No I will show him I'm more powerful" Both Turks & Greeks were poisoned. Human Greed destroyed everything. No one is better now. Racism. This is the result. But I guess we will all have a big "why" inside even so many years have passed how 2 little innocent kids, 2 working people, 2 women, 2 countries, 2...were actually 1 without even knowing and suddenly became a descease. Like cancer, it never tells you why, how, it just happens and everything ends there, you have no choice. We both lost. Places, houses, objects, beloved faces but most of all it was they Way of Living that we lost. That Feeling will never be forgotten. We will always pretend that it's over but it's not the same. "Yabanci Damat sucks" I heard someone say but he still watch it. The next day & the next day. But he doesn't like it. Then why he watch it?
And then you hear another one: "I love that series! I'm a fan!" And everybody laughs and leaves him alone with a look like: "you dare to watch Turkish series?!"
And racism doesn't end there. You know, till today you'll probably listen someone say: "Where are your grandparents from?" "We are 100% Greek!" "You are what? Refugee! From Constantinopul?! Ahhh, so you are not real Greek...
After the war we were "Junans" for the Turkish people that once were friends and "Turkish" for our Nation..This is how we end up.
But what am I talking about! That's an old story like fairytales. We were once little naive children and used to play with Turks. But now we are matured and we have to go on and forget the past. We took our places on the map and that's all. Now go to sleep because tomorrow you have school and I have work. A kissy from mummy..ok nighty night

P.S.*Istanbul (-->which comes from the greek word "Εις την Πόλη"=" to the city" "Is tin Poli"->istanbul*) that shows how much Greeks were feeling like home there. Greek used to say: I'm going to "The City".. everyone's city.

Well, i hope I've helped to your question. It just happens we both became more shallow with years passing. There are many people that like this "enemy" situation but there are some others that murmur differently.They don't really want to forget the past. Those happens to be the sensitive ones. I hope one day Turkey to get in European Union but it's not on my hands to decide unfortunatelly..



And i have some answers for the posters too:

-Tolla I love your post!

-aikl100 You are so right. And yes they are going to hate us for that..

-vivet I can feel you..It was a shame for all of us believe me.

-The Aegean Janissary i Agree SO much with u (and yes i'm a proud (half) smyrnian too ;-))

-anlarm You are so right! Your post should be chosen as best ;-)

Answer 2

Food, for sure. It is the best part of Turkish culture for me. I don't mean that in a degrading way for Turkish culture at all, I appreciate architecture etc. , since i am an architect, but turkish food, with its Greek and Byzantine roots, is a heritage that really puts it on top of teh world. Sure Turkish architecture is iteresting, but it is not no 1 in the world. the food is, and it is a common thing we have, as we totally share it (mostly us Greeks from Asia Minor). Gastronomy is more and more an important art, and Turkey and Greece share its highest form, despite what many people may think about the french cuisine. No 2 is Italian, and with my also Italian roots I am glad to share that too!

Answer 3

Being honest with you, I don't know that much about the Turkish Culture in order to name similarities or differences.
From what I know we share some common cooking recipes. There might be more but as I already said I don't know. Besides, I come from a certain part of Greece (Ionian Islands) where our local culture was influenced from the Italians not the Turks.

Answer 4

I am inclined to agree with Tolia. Indeed Turkey and Greece have many things similar. These are mostly human values that are difficult to see in many western countries. Both Turks and Greeks give great value to friendship, neighbors and relatives. They even show great respect to strangers and try to help in any way they can. They will share their food with strangers. This is something that comes from centuries of traditions.
I will not go into details about the two peoples living together for centuries or whether one treated the other vulgarly or not. These are topics that are two sided and are often exploited by people who lack good will and understanding.
Let me tell you something else. We Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots have been in ethnic conflict since mid 1950s. We killed each other, we hurt each other etc. We are still officially 'enemies'. However, when we look closely we can see that we have many human values that are common. We have many traditions that are common/similiar. Our cuisine is almost the same (except for pork), our music and folk dances are almost identical. Despite all the efforts of imperialists and some local politicians/interest groups, we are still so similar to each other that you can say we are 'brothers' (and I am not talking about blood or genes, if you know what I mean).
Looking at Turkey and Greece from this point of view, I see the same thing.
Yia Xara (did I write it correctly?)

Answer 5

Corruption, nepotism, some food and aspects of what some people call "music".

Obviously, I don't find "the" common point between these two cultures. But I am always open to suggestions.

Things not to forget:

Edit 1: Between Greeks and any other human beings, genes are by 99% identical. Any other phenotypic similarities are typical of the Mediterranean region and shared by all nations in the region.

Edit 2: Approximately, half of the Greeks live outside Greece (8 million people). May we please respect their ideas as well?


In what way are Turks more similar to Greeks than -lets say- Libanese people? Armenians? Syrians? Palestinians?

There too, the food/music/manners are the same.

So Turks and Greeks are not particularly similar. In fact, when one compares Turkey as a whole (not just the relatively very small Aegean coast), the differences are not just "some". The differences are dramatic. Not only with Greeks. But even with the Aegean part of western Turkey. Not mentioning European culture (as we perceive it today).

Answer 6

Our language because Turkish also spoken in some parts of Iran also your music is copy of Persian music.

Answer 7

I shall try and elaborate what has been asked for those who obviously have problem understanding this simple, extremely clear question.

“what is the thing that makes you feel the closest to turkish culture?”
This MEANS “what are the common points between two cultures, if there are any?” Do you understand?

Now I fail to notice where there is the slightest reference that suggest two cultures are ONE and the SAME. Our culture is unique this MEANS it is not the same with any culture in the world, including the Greek one. Why do you even feel the need to mention this? If this question was asked on the United Kingdom section no one would say such a thing. But wonders of wonders, some people feel obliged to emphasize on the fact that we’re two different countries. Oh how ingenious!

I know you asked this question to the Greeks but allow me to express my opinion. Only music and food are ‘similar’, but these similarities can also be found among other Balkan nations such as the Serbs, Bosnians etc. It is all due to the reign of the Ottoman Empire, thus Greek culture is not the only one that we have similarities with regarding food and music.

ALSO we DO NOT have Greek blood, even in Cyprus intermarrying was so rare. Janissary system was used only for 350 years and their numbers were not high. Janissaries included mostly Slavics since they were considered to be very skilled at combat. Sorry to disappoint you but there weren't many Greeks at all.

Turks are Turks and I don't give a whit about the rest.

p.s.

Some of the points mentioned are common between Mediterraneans, not necessarily between Greeks and Turks.

Answer 8

Maybe a bit of the music.
Also the TV show "Τα συνορα τις αγαπης"
Thats a minor detail tho!
but i dont know maybe also the food.

Answer 9

well I'm not Greek but since this is an open forum id like to write...
we have something common such as food, vocabulary and so on. but when i look carefully we "are" very different. sorry but i don't sympathize anyone just because he or she is Greek and we share "a lot". they can be my friends if i like them personally as an individual. yes we did live together but it was years ago. we need to see today and future learning from the past. for me i don't feel closest to Greek culture i don't know what it means to you but i love Latin American culture even though it is something completely different :)

Answer 10

I feel closer to Georgia, Azerbaycan and Greece.