Traces of Cyprus culture in contemporary Cyprus Turkish poetry

. The parallelism between language and culture emerges as a reality accepted by everyone. The individual living in a certain society carries the cultural elements of the society in his own life. The poet, who is in the society in question, reflects the cultural characteristics of the society to his poetry through language. When we look at the formation of Cypriot identity in Turkish Cypriot poetry, it appears as a result of the movement initiated against Turkish nationalism by the 1974 Generation or the Red B elt. In the poems of Fikret Demirağ, Feriha Altıok, Fatma Akilhoca, Saygın Akanyeti, Gür Genç (Gürgenç Korkmazel), Tamer Öncül, M. Kansu, Osman Türkay, Altay Burağan, Orbay Deliceırmak and Faize Özdemirciler, which are considered to have begun in 1943, Contemporary Turkish Cypriot poetry is included. There are many elements to Cypriot culture. In this study, many determinations about the Cypriot dialect, Cypriot life, Cypriot plants and Cypriot food and beverage culture are presented in the poetry books of the above-mentioned poets.


Introduction
Cultural background is the most important factor in introducing the existence of a society.The cultural values of certain geography form their original identity.The word "culture" is defined as " the unity of all material and emotional values owned in the historical and communal development process, reflecting the amount of human interest in natural and environmental domination and transferring them to future generations, culture," "A unity of mind and arts peculiar to a certain group of people or community", "Judgement, pleasure, and criticism skills improved by learning and experience" These definitions indicate that culture is the reflection of the moral and material values of a community.On the other hand, language is the tool that effectuates cultural reflections, institutionalization, transferring it to future generations, and survival.Culture and language should not be considered to be two same elements.While language is the means that carries culture along, culture includes the necessary elements needed to form the language [1] When literary products are considered, it is noted that poetry plays a great role in language phenomenon.While language is a tool targetting specific meaning in everyday life, novels, tales, plays, etc., poetry focuses on an aim, which creates a new language rather than explaining something.
When we examine a geographical area with its cultural identity, cultural language, and its poetry, where language occupies the biggest part, we can say that poetry has a great role in the existence of Cyprus culture and its transfer to future generations.
A poet living in a certain community acts mainly through poetry according to the values of the people.
In this respect, it is quite natural that a poet, living in Cyprus, reflects traces of Cyprus culture.A connection between culture and poetry always exists in every society.The first type of poetry, sagu, entertainment, and sığır were told in relıgous ceremonies by holy men, among Turks.People sang babies to sleep, moaned at funerals, and sang sweet songs at weddings.
Throughout the development of poetry in Cyprus in the verbal period chansons, cradle songs, and tongue twisters were frequently heard, which is an indication of a connection between poetry and culture.In different eras, particularly the 1974 generation, called Red Generation, the question "Is there Turkish Literature?" was frequently asked.The same question may be put as "Is there a culture different from Turkish culture in Cyprus?"Every society forms the political, historical, and social culture of the geography they belong to.When this is considered, it can be seen that culture has gone through different stages in Cyprus from the Venetian era, the Britısh administration, and the Ottoman era to form the culture of the community.Therefore, every cultural background in every geographical area is different.In this respect, it is important to notice the traces of Cyprus culture in Turkish poetry.
The flow of immigration from Turkey to North Cyprus started particularly in 1974 and onwards.Today, the cultural variety in North Cyprus put the Cyprus culture in the minority position.At this stage, it is important that Cyprus culture is dealt with in Cyprus Turkish the Oghuz languages.Towards the second half of the XVI century, the Turkish period started in Cyprus the people who came to Cyprus from Anatolia [2].
Turkish Cypriots adopted standard Turkish used in Turkey while using Cyprus dialects.Although Turkish used in Turkey was seen in literature, traces from Cyprus culture/dialects are also observed."probable he never came" "perhaps he never came" an illusion falls on like a ply" [3] "belki de hiç gelmedi bir yanılsama düşer geçkin zamandan içe gatmeri" [3] As can be noted in the lines above from the poem "Saltlake" by Fatma Akilhoca, the word "gatmeri" (multi-fold ply) reflects Cyprus dialect/dialects.
"unable to keep his mother alive a bit longer Washes her with snow to see her off to make love with warms" "az daha yaşatamadığı anacığını yıkayıp sarar karlarla yolcu ederken sevişmeye kurtçuklarla" "when it was still dark... [3] ve etraf hâlâ daha hâlâ daha karanlıkken…" [3] In the poem," White and Black" in the same book by Akilhoca, "anacığını" (darling mother) is often observed in the Cyprus dialect.The diminutive "cık, cik, çık, cik, cuk" suffixes are affection and pity.The word "kurtcuk"(little warms) in the line "when seeing his mother off" reflects the Cyprus dialect.In another part of the poem, the expression "hala hala" (still) is used to emphasize the duration.
"stew the delicious flesh around nails and lets spoon it up" [3] "tırnak kenarının lezzetli etçiklerini yahni yap kaşıklayalım" [3] The word "etciklerini" (the flesh) in the poem "About to go mad", consists of contracted forms of the Cyprus Turkish dialect.
"I noticed the marble in the darkness of your eyes-black" [3] "gözlerimdeki pirilliyi kaçıramadım gördüğü ışığında -kara" [3] In the poem "Pirilli" (marbles) above, the word pirilli is used in Turkish used in Turkey meaning playing marble.
"while moving your hidden hand around me, my hair rises on my arm please let noone see" [3] "dolanırken saklı elciğin içimde  [3] In the poem (Bebek) (baby) by Aklhoca the word "elciğin" (your small hand) consists of a contracted suffix used in Cyprus Turkish dialect.
"I thought the shades gliding through the doorway were your hair" [3] The word "tüycüklerin" (your tiny hair) in the poem "Güvercin Suçu" (Fault of the Pigeon) reflects the Cyprus dialect.
"kapı aralığından süzülen gölgeleri tüycüklerin sanıp" [3] "what was more to do we looked around" [3] "ne kaldıydı yapacak bakındık sola sola" [3] Another aspect of the Turkish used in Cyprus is that instead of the learned past simple, the narrative is used.In the first line above by Akilhoca the word "kaldıydı" (what was left) is used as "kalmıştı" (what had been left).The same word "kaldıydı" (was left) is used in the Cyprus dialect referring to the past.
" In the poem "Sinir Okşaması" by Akilhoca, the word "zarincar" (moans with agony) is peculiar to the Cyprus dialect, meaning leaving in pain and moaning.The word "kedicik" (little poor cat) is a word used in the Turkish dialect.
"your finger-prints are in the bubbles in my heart" [3] "parmak izin var yüreğimin gandilli bölgesinde" [3] In the poem, "You or" above by Akilhoca, the word "gandilli" refers to bubbles filled with water in Cyprus dialect.
"fear was a blue beret in the mirror of water throwing chocolate and pointing him the barrel" [3] "korku bir mavi bere'ydi aynasında suyun; Hem çukulata atıyor hem namlu gösteriyordu ona" [3] Fikret Demirağ, in his book, "Tanrı Müziği Bir Sessizlikte" (Music in God Silence), presented important samples from the New Trend 11.In his poem "It Was A Small Olive Branch" the word "çikolata" (chocolate) is used as "çukulata" (chocolate) in the Cyprus dialect.
"You left and mines were planted; along the road, you followed; there are wires and bush along the roads; you will come back; so many hot summers we had since you left" [3] "Gittin ve arkandan mayınlar döşendi gittiğin yollara, döneceğin yolları teller, çalılar bürüdü; kaç çıngır sıcak yaz yaşandı sen gideli" [4] In the last line of the poem "Ölen Sardunya Çiçeği, Taşlanan Barış Tarlaları" (Faded geranium, stoned peace fields", the expression the last line "kaç çıngır sıcak yaz" refers to many hot summers in the Cyprus dialect. "I asked you to orange blossom it lost its smell on its broken branch" [5] "portokal çiçeğine sordum seni, kokusunu yitirdi kırılan dalcığında" [5] SHS In his book, poet-writer Tamer Öncül describes the historical periods of Lefkoşa (Nicosia) in a poetic language.In the expression "kırılan dalcığında" (on its broken branch) in the above poem, the word "dalcığı" took a diminutive suffix to express it in the Cyprus dialect.
"frowned eyebrows; two broken cypress branches; dowry chest with no key" "Çatık kaşları kırık, iki selvi dalcığı ağzı abanoz, anahtarsız çeyiz sandığı… "dropped his looks; to the Lafgara handcraft round his neck" [5] Boynundaki Lefgara'ya düşürmüş kırık bakışlarını;" [5] Another sound event seen in Cyprus Turkish language is the change in k>g., which is usually at the beginning, in, and the end [2].In the poem titled XXXX1V in the same book by Öncül, the k>g change in the word "Lefkara" became "Lefgara" to fit into Cyprus culture.
"Hey, city these are ; what left behind for me" [5] "İşte bunlar ey ŞEHER senden kalanlar bana" [5] The word "şeher" in the lines above is used to replace "Lefkoşa" in the Cyprus Turkish language "A hall, with an army photograph; my mother keeping her eyes on; and with tales by an old; grey-haired granddaddy" [5] "Annemin gözlerini yapıştırdığı bir asker resmi ve ak saçlı bir dedeciğin masallarıyla dolu bir salon…" [5] The word "dedecik" (grey-haired granddaddy) in the above lines has a diminutive suffix used in the Cyprus Turkish dialect.

Come come, all of you;
There is plenty of lands here; More than enough foeveryone; [7] Gelin gelin, siz da gelin toprag çog burada hepimize yer var altında" [7] Several bits of the language used in the above lines in the poem "The latest expressions of the System" by Gür Genç (Gürgenç Korkmazer) in his book titled "Sakanur" is peculiar to Cyprus dialects.
As in the above lines, a consonant mutation was used to refer to the "Greek" to express it as" urum".The word "çıngı" meant a little piece, and the word "fasariya" is used to express "problem, difficulty, hard work" [8] Another characteristic observed in the Cyprus dialect is that the "de", "da" (too OR also) connectors in the standard language is used only as "da".In the Turkish language in Turkey, the sentence "Ben de oraya geleceğim" (I'll be there, too" ) is expressed as "Ben da oraya gelecem) in Cyprus dialect.The "da" connector in the lines above by Gür Genç "Gelin gelin, siz da gelin" (come come, you too) is an example.
A phonetic change (k>g) occurs in the Cyprus dialect.In the line "toprag çok burada" (there is plenty of land here), diminutive suffixes can be observed in the words "toprag" and "çog".
"the moon was just about to lick; poked and awakened his wife saying; you are snoring" [7] "Tam yalamak üzereydi ki ayı dürtüp uyandırdı, "horlan" dedi karısı" [7] In the word "horlan" in the above lines by Gür Genç "Licking the Moon", a nasal "n" was used, which is in the Cyprus dialect.In the common language, the word "horluyorsun" (you are snoring) is used as "horlan" (you are snoring) in the Cyprus dialect.
"mutual jokes; He would give marbles from one pocket; gannavuri from the other...." [7] "Gannavuri" (a kind of small seed used as a drug-cannabis) "Jeste karşılık jest: Bir cebinden pirilli, diğerinden gannavuri verirdi…" [7] SHS The words "pirilli" (marbles) and " ganavuri" (cannabis) are both peculiar to the Cyprus dialect " the only surprise of the night; was the Turkish teacher who asked; what do you want me to show you" [7] " 'Neyi isten göstereyim' diyen Türkçe öğretmeniydi gecenin tek sürprizi" [7] Interference of the Greek language in the Cyprus dialect is in the word order.In standard language, the verb is at the end of the sentence in the Cyprus dialect [8] In the poem by Gür Genç, "Neyi isten göstereyim) (what do you want me to show you?) is peculiar to the word order in the Cyprus dialect.
"a small İsland, divided into two; its history is written by strangers;" [11] "İkiye bölünmüş bir adacık tarihi yabancılar tarafından yazılan" [11] The word "adacık" (a tiny island) in the above lines by Faize Özdemirciler, a poet and writer, uses a diminutive suffix at the end of the word "ada" (island) as used in the Cyprus dialect.
"a north wind says to another north wind; Hey north wind; Let's go to Karpaz; For the sake of this country" [12] Bir Poyraz bir Poyraz'a "Be Poyraz, Gel beraber Karpaz'dan girelim Bu ülke için."[12] Another example of the Cyprus dialect can be observed in the lines above by Burağan.The exclamation "be" in the Cyprus dialect (trying to attract one's attention) is often used "as they burn the coalpits; they pollute the environment; and kill the trees" [12] "Yaktıkça gaminilerini gaminiciler Çevreyi kirletiyor, Ağacı kurutuyorlar."[12] As an environmentalist, Burağan tries to explain in his work "Coalpits" how they pollute the environment."Gamini", in the Cyprus dialect refers to "Coalpits".
"they sit in a circle; Around us "keep sleeping mom; "with the little boy" "çember olurlar, otururlar çevremizde: "sen uyu ana, oğlancık da uyusun yanında" [13] In the poem "I came from the earth and came I!m around now" the word "oğlancık" (the little boy) has a diminutive suffix peculiar to the Cyprus dialect."we say nothing; "you can't hear a sparrow singing; or a vulture screaming" [13] "Bizden hiçbir ses çıkmaz; ne bir serçe cıvıltısı ne bir gigsi çığlığı" [13] In Kansu's work "Toz" (Dust), the word "gigsi" refers to a sparrow hawk living on dead animals and is peculiar to the Cyprus dialect.[2] "I wanted to listen to; that warrior's sad stories; where screams were not heard; and disappearing into the depth of the sea; "o savaşçının marazlı öykülerini dinlemek isterdim, çığlıkların işitilemediği denizin derinliğinde ve karışan denize" The word "maraqzlı" (worried, sad, ill) in Kansu's "Wounded Warrior" is typical of the Cyprus dialect expressing "grief, fear, and aggrievement.[2] 3 Food and drink in the Cyprus culture Every community has its own food and drink culture which is expressed in different words.This feature is also observed in contemporary Cyprus Turkish Poetry, in which several food and drink names are seen.
1 "baby gazelles ice cream; while teens bang into the concrete; make the coffee and let's clink" [3] yavru ceylanlar dondurma ergenler tostlaşırken betonda sal kahveyi üstüne tokuşturalım" [3] The lines above by Akilhoca, reveal the addiction to coffee among the people of Cyprus and the coffee culture.
"I made the coffee; to my best; I added everything; but I forgot to add the present" [9] "ettim kahveyi iyi mi iyi ekledim gerekli her şeyi ah ah bir de koymayı unutmasam şimdiyi![9] Like other poets, Saygın Akanyeti also takes up drink culture and expresses the coffee culture in Cyprus.
"we had watermelon, buns, and Cyprus cheese happily; and we felt death growing like a sapling; in our stomachs" [7] "Karpuz hellim, çörek yedik gülerek, ve bir fidan gibi büyüdüğünü duyduk ölümün, midemizin içinde" [7] In Gür Genç's poem "The Death of the Cruel" traces of the types of food in North Cyprus are mentioned.Meanwhile, the popularity of having watermelon and "hellim" (Cyprus cheese) is also stressed.

Life in Cyprus
Culture reminds one people's way of living.The cultural atmosphere where food and drink are consumed and the way of living has always been a matter of interest.Many poems talk about people gathering for coffee, reading coffee fortune, stringing jasmine together in a necklace, and selling them, incenting to prevent bad luck.
"While coffee is made; Varicella springs; From the center of the blue; let's pick them" "ateş görünce kahve Su çiçekleri fışkırır Karnından mavinin toplayalım II."baby gazelles ice cream; while teens bang onto the concrete; make the coffee; and let's drink" [3] yavru ceylanlar dondurma ergenler tostlaşırken betonda sal kahveyi üstüne tokuşturalım" [3] Coffee culture has a great place in Cyprus Turkish Culture.That is why this issue is often in poetry.In North Cyprus, people start the day with a cup of coffee wherever they are; at home, in the village, when with neighbors in the summer or winter.The above lines by Akilhoca reflect the coffee culture among the people.
"children would sell jasmine; strung together; in the streets" [3] "ipliğe dizili yasemin satardı çocuklar yollarda eskiden" [3] In Cyprus Turkish Culture, jasmine flowers strung together in necklaces to be sold was a way of living.In her work "Mourning", Akilhoca reminds children to sell jasmine necklaces in the streets.
"incensing with olive leaves; İn the morning" [3] "tütsüler zeytin yaprağıyla sabahı edince" [3] Incensing is a traditional belief among the Turkish Cypriots who wish to have a baby or keep away from every kind of evil eye or malignancy.[14] .Akilhoca brings up the issue in her work "Mualla" and talks about incensing with olive leaves.
"he couldn't finish the dodgeball game; with his bleeding knees" [3] "yakantop oyunlarından yarım kalmış kanayan dizleri" [3] The lines above talk about dodgeball games, a part of the Cyprus Turkish culture."I was about to win the backgammon game by far; I was ahead, but both dice were the same; I lost the game at the last second" [9] "tavlada kazanmama ramak kala, özellikle de açık farkla öndeyken her 2 zarın da denk gelerek kılpayı kazanamadığım o son saniyede, hele hele" [9] In his work "Trial" Akanyeti reflects on the backgammon game peculiar to the Cyprus Turkish culture., "months and days and red roses" Come back again; and spoil our poet, as my mother says; a boy woke me up during the best part of my coffee fortune" [11] "aylar ve günler ve kırmızı güller Tekrar gelir, annemin dediği gibi "puşt" ederdi şiirimi Bir çocuk uyandırdı falın en güvercinli zamanında" [11] In her work "Balkon-11" (Balcony-11) Özdemirciler talks about coffee and fortunetelling culture among Turkish Cypriots.The expression" puşt ettin falı" (You spoiled my fortune telling) is used when someone interrupts while fortune telling."Puşt" (homosexual) is used in a poetical dialect.
"who had created the swamp inside us; who had put the viper; into the bottle filled with alcohol" [13] içimizdeki o bataklığı kim yaratmıştı.alkol dolu şişeye, kim doldurmuştu kıbrıslı engerek yılanını" [13] In the poem "We would become a Big Bird" in the book titled " Walking Barefoot Across the Desert" above "by M. Kansu, one of the famous poets in Cyprus Turkish poetry, samples from Cypriots' lifestyle.The writer reminds putting a snake into an alcohol bottle by asking, "Who filled the bottle with a viper?", which is a reflection of the Cyprus culture.
"I will never let anyone put into pieces the narcissus flowers sold by children in Nergisli" (a village in North Cyprus) (Deliceırmak, 1994).
A member of the Turkish Cypriot poetry, Orbay Deliceırmak gives examples of the lifestyle in Cyprus in his book titled "Leyla and Köroğlu".In the above line, he talks about the children selling narcissus flowers in Nergisli village in Magusa district.

Cyprus plants
As called by many, the island of Cyprus "Pearl of the Mediterranean" is overwhelmingly famous for its plants in a cultural sense.
There are not plants only peculiar to the island, but different plants from different geographical areas, and these plants are named differently in the Cyprus dialect.For example, the word "kuşkonmaz" (asparagus) in Turkey is called "ayrelli" in Cyprus and is frequently used in contemporary Cyprus Turkish poetry.
"smiles the plant louse; on dying branches of; roseberry" [3] "gülümser kuruyan dallarında zakkumun yaprak biti" [3] Known as "ayçiçeği" (sunflower) in the Cyprus dialect is peculiar to the Mediterranean region and is known as the pearl of the Mediterranean.The expression is used in Cyprus Turkish poetry, as can be observed in the poem "Sabah Çişi" (Morning Pee) by Akilhoca.
"it was half smiling; forgotten on her lips; hidden in the roots of; güldamlası ( a kind of plant with a sweet odor) [3] "dudağında unuttuğu yarım gülüşüydü köküne gizlediğim güldamlasının" [3] In the above lines of the poem, "Güldamlası" is a kind of plant grown in Cyprus, which in common language is known as "geranium" "You don't care what happens around you; only two trouble gnaw you; unpicked several olive trees; your grandchildren with good people" [9] "dünya yansa umurunda değil sadece 2 dert kemirir seni toplanmayan ıssız/ sayısız zeytin ağaçları ve torunlarının kıymetli ellere düşmesi" [9] In his poem " 69 Mirror 96" Akanyeti mentions olive trees, which are important on the İsland.The two trouble mentioned refer to unpicked olives and grandchildren in good hands.
"If love didn't exist; Orange blossoms wouldn't smell so nice; Spring wouldn't strike that much" [10] "Aşk olmasaydı ne çarpardı böyle bu bahar ne böyle kokardı çiçeğinde portakal…" [10] The impact of love is clearly expressed in the lines " Aşk Olmasaydı" (If love didn't exist) above by Altıok, in which the role of orange and citrus is emphasized to be an example from Cyprus, an island famous for its citrus.
" "formoza" as expressed in the poem above is a kind of plum grown in Cyprus.
"I remembered funerals of my childhood; İn the streets; Gecetütenler blossoming on graves" [11] "gecetüten" is a kind of flower with a sweet smell, particularly in the evenings) "trunks of olive and carob; And citrus trees; Are all guests of cal mine for tens of years; One after the other" [12] Zeytin ve harnup kütükleri, Ve narenciye ağaçları Bir bir, kömür ocaklarının Konuğudur on yıllardır" [12] As in many other poems, citrus, olive, and carob trees, plants peculiar to the Cyprus culture are expressed in Altay's work "Are These People Crazy".The writer draws attention to the destruction of such trees.
" Tülümbe, thymus, and rock-rose" [12] "Bastığım her çalıdan Her bitkiden Çeşit çeşit kokular geliyor Sanki bir aktar dükkanı Tülümbe, laden ve kekik…" [12] "tülümbe" (a kind of wild bush peculiar to Cyprus) In the work, "Tülümbe Odor" by Altay Burağan, expresses the plant as a bush that grows on mountains and is used to make a bush brush to brush front yards in houses or barns.
"The Earth cracked; dirt flowing everywhere; as if a smell coming from jasmine" [12] "Yarılmış yer küre, Pislik akıyor ortasından, Bir yasemin kokusu yayılır gibi" [12] Like many other writers, Burağan too picked up the jasmine smell in his work "I'm Walking In The Dark".He compares dirt with a jasmine smell to draw attention to pollution.
"when jasmine blossomed in our garden; there was love and respect" [12] "Yaseminler, Açtığı zaman bahçemizde Sevgi vardı saygı vardı."[12] As in other poems by Burağan, in his work "Jasmines" he compares the present when jasmine blossoms with the past and draws attention to the respect and love in the past.While doing so, he mentions a plant peculiar to the Cyprus culture.
"As you get ready for a peaceful sleep; with olive trees, vineyards, and orange orchards; decorating your chest" [16] "Sen, güzel ve ince göğsünü süsleyen Zeytin ağaçlarıyla, bağlarla ve portakal bahçeleriyle Sakin ve rahat bir akşamın uykusuna Hazırlanırken" [16] Osman Türkay in his work "The Blue Pearl of the Mediterranean" published in his book titled "Roaming About Universe" he mentions Cyprus plants; olive and citrus, as in the above lines.
"The soil was virgin; the area was dry; I made it green with olive and orange trees...." [15] "Bakireydi toprak, dölledim… In his poem "Deli mi bu insanlar" (Are these people crazy?), Altay Burağan, follows an ecological policy in the Cyprus Turkish poetry and expresses the word "harup" as "harnıp" in the Cyprus dialect.