Turkey Beyond The Turtle

The great Turkish artist, archaeologist and also the founder of first museum in Turkey, Osman Hamdi Bey, has painted his masterpiece, at the beginning of 20th century, in 1906; 'The trainer of turtles'. I think, it is late enough to understand and train the turtle beyond Turkey.

As time was wining and dining in endless curves of this meander, perhaps the matrix has always had its turtle form in Anatolia. This genetic influence dominated its first known significance in Aesop's fables. A turtle could challenge a rabbit, and won the race. The classical oriental phrase; 'Do it slowly slowly!' was defining a step by step progress to the glory, including being calm and patient, undertaking all the difficulties and moving without any interruption to complete the digestion.

However, the new world of fast food, cigarettes and instant coffee was not quite consumable for the kebap, water pipe and Turkish coffee habitants of this very country. For so long, they were used to stir two hours with one glass of tea. The world was revolving faster than its fastest times, but Anatolian dervishes could only whirl around a lazy folkloric podium, after peacefully enjoying their undigested diet.

On the other hand, the pompous procrastinators who, willy-nilly, started their modernisation and westernisation campaigns in the 19th century, established either political, or ideological, or theoretical, or bureaucratic obstructions, but never practical paths of law.

Soon after, the fast declared as 'the devil rabbit', and the slow as 'the angel turtle' fulfilling the daily tasks and following his destiny. Unfortunately that turtle had already lost his characteristics in Aesop. His old friends Socrates and Homer were gone. His later friends Mevlana and Yunus were sleeping. He was lazy and careless. He was ignorant and unhealthy. He was interrupted and interfered. He was overworked and underpaid. For sure, the inertia of tradition was not the sole responsible for the packed traffic in this country sitting astride on two continents.

To be delayed and/or cancelled became top priority items on his agenda. He tried to promote himself, but that was a turtle PR. He tried to be a member in EU, but that was a turtle walk. He tried to survive after disasters, but that was a turtle survival and first aid organisation.

As time was wining and dining in endless curves of this meander, perhaps the matrix has always had its turtle form in Anatolia.

Now, all we need is to TRAIN THE TURTLE.

Umit Ozaydin
Your guide in Turkey

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