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

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it'sme

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 ;-)

Dellarovere

Cuisine and music: Because of the common Bysantine background...

..Tolia..

i ll say in short, cause otherwise I would need 3.000 words!!

1-food

2-music

3-some customs, i.e we "knock wood" when we want to send away the bad spirits/situation , we "read"the coffee pots!(the remainings after we drink coffee),

4-we have the same values regarding family and relatives. We are close to them (we used to be more in past) and our houses are full of noice and people

5-we are "old fashioned"regarding relationships (hehe I wont say more!! ;)) )

6-we have the same sense of humor, and we entertain our selves in same way!

7-we look alike :)

8-we share the same love and desire about Istanbul :D

and many more

♪♪ vivet ♪♪

Green line of shame in Nicosia, Cyprus changed my life and my view of civilized world : how can it bring neighbors closer ?

cpinatsi

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!

єуℓüℓ

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 :)

dvatwork

Because Greece and Turkey are in such close proximity, I had always assumed that Turkey would be very much like Greece. But when I visited Turkey, I was surprised at how different it was!! Aside from the common foods, I don't feel like their cultures are at all similar.

Greece = Europe
Turkey = Middle East

slaveof12gods

some Food ,and on a map we are next to each other ,but that would be all!

aikil100

well i know that my answer will recieve lots of thumbs down from the greeks mostly. but i personally believe that after so many years living together i think that our blood is mixed with yours and that we are actually the same people. the map is dividing the two countries but the people have the same characteristics.after 4 centuries it is normal. i mean the greeks that were neighbours with you were actually friends and i also have heard stories about how the citizens were helping each other. of course you did a big catastrophe to our lives and your people were tough and impolite dont want say more cause there wouldnt be any ending. but anyways we have common traditions, food etc. and our character has been influenced from you as you have from ours.

Kicky

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.

asso

i'm not a neighbour,my ancestors are from Marach,Zeitoun..
we were ottoman subjects,what brings us together even
now is the turkish food which i adore,and the turkish language
we still speak at home.
i'm armenian.

reifguy

regarding similarties ,turkish music is close to greek,food also,but culture is a big word,,,u cant compare it ,for every nation its unique and like a signature identity,turkish culture is different from its neighbours,even within turkey its diverse, but i have seen the greek and the turkish ,,and its big difference

Leonarda

We have some similarities in food,as neighbour countries, but i dont see any more...
Each country has its own ruls culture and traditions...
I cant see anything common...

Antonio

no and i wouldn't wanna have to relate to anything with the turks..!!!

ele

well, as the other users have mentioned there are some things in common...I'd rather say that it is more an influence than something that was forced on us...there are similarities in most neighbouring countries however, neighbourly behaviour is what keeps the good relations...

anlarm

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?)

Frank B

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).

vaggos1944

my great grand pop told he had lost a brother when he was little the Turkish took him to make Janissary out of him i guess now on you question maybe some blood!!

habisce

Are the two cuisines really alike? I haven't tasted Greek cuisine yet but sure I will! Then I could give an answer.

Μακεδών

Sorry but nothing! Maybe some food but thats all.

Isabelle♡

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.

JASON BOURNE Aegean Janissary

I am very disappointed by the answers of many users here...Zig-Zag, I think you have a problem with the Turks, but you don't have the courage to clearly express your racism... And Zol Irini,Leonarda , Makedon too...

Turks are not interested in being a part of other ethnicities, but maybe many Greeks should make some genealogic investigations about their own genes ( instead of criticizing the Turks)...There had been mixing in both side of the Aegean......

Trotsky vs Kerensky- НекIо!

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.

Zoi ((Ζωή))

I distinguish an optimistic tone in your question.
We can't deny the interaction between the people that used to form the Ottoman Empire.
I will agree with Dellarovere. I also think that we are both folks with warm people.
But you see, there is a great difference between us that is called education. An average Greek has the free mind to distinguish by himself where he is misled by his politicians, why his politicians say this or that in a specific way...I am talking about the average Greek.
In my personal opinion, that's why the average Turkey hates Greeks so much, because he don't understand that his politicians are RESPONSIBLE for the bad things that are going on in their state.
I have many good friends that are Pomaks or Turks, as I am living in Xanthi. I am gonna meet them in an hour in the Night High School that I am working.
Hello to you, guys from Turkey!

王

Don't miss understand me but
what is exactly the Turkish culture?

When you can laughing with that culture
than we have a common point, yes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCNi9I1dHk4&mode=related&search=

The Humanity

zigzag

I can see the answers of my compatriots here, and the thumbs down they got(and i will also get).I have noticed something.The turks are always doing steps to approach the greeks for friendship, or whatever else..For them it is surely an honour to ressemble to us, because of our history and hour past..
For the greeks it is different, and it is true..As greeks, we dont see any similarities, and certainly we wouldnt like to have.The fact that we lived some years together,doesnt mean anything, we didnt live with our will..You forced us..I respect the turks as persons or as users, but as you have seen, we dont deal so much with them, or with the others, they deal more with us, and i never understood why..
There is not any similarity, it has been expressed by other users too, and they are attacked with thumbs down, because they said their opinion.Is it so important for you to have similarities with us?For us no..
Living together we didnt get anything, at least the greeks...
Better each country keeps its traditions and civilisation(whatever it is)without the influence of anyone else, at least this is what makes a country unique, Greece, Turkey, or anyother..

Templar

Mount Ararat its ours and yours at the same time. also we have a similar love for Kebabs.

ooh sorry I just noticed this was a Greek question.
I am one of the other nieghbours. sorry for that
the Kebab bit still stands though. LOL

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