Erdal Kara is a Köyceğiz based teacher, author and award winning film director. Erdal is originally from Artvin in the Black Sea area and a source of great stories and information about his home region. Three of his books are now available in English translations and hopefully there are more to come.

Erdal was invited to appear at the 2nd Green-Gold-Silver Sea festival (Yeşil Altın Gümüş Deniz Festivali) which is a mixture of literature, music, food art and community. Indeed the municipality of Fındıklı where the festival was sited has been practicing something known as MECI, which comes from the Turkish word Imece. This is a concept of people pulling together and working on a basis of mutual cooperation, sharing and assistance for the good of the individual and therefore the community.

Fındıklı is in the north of Turkey and known for its agriculture, lush forested mountains and excellent cuisine. All those I’ve met from there speak glowingly of the regions delights and offer to take us there immediately regardless of distance! This spirit of generosity and friendship is reflected in the MECI concept and a notable attribute of the Karadeniz people we meet. Erdal speaks of the Laz who are an ethnic group living in the Black Sea area with their own language, customs and history. Their culture and place in history is fascinating and the region well worth visiting.

Erdal paid tribute to his time at the festival and the positive attitude he experienced there in a recent post which is translated here.

(Translated from Turkish- with notes on the local terminology used.

“MECI AND WELL-BEING FESTIVAL IN VİÇE
Viçe, meaning “corner,” is located in the district of Rize, and is the city closest to Artvin, where I spent my childhood.
In Fındıklı, also known as Viçe in the Laz language, I witnessed a festival centred around the interesting concept of “MECI,” which is a type of cultural collective production that comes to life in the urban-rural context.
During the MECI festival, the town square is transformed by local women, from making Hamsili-ekmek , buttered tandır bread, unsweetened and oil-free termoniye (aşure) using pekmez, to the harvest of ferns (nimxana ) being carried on women’s backs to the festival grounds, which we witness being turned into bardi (harman). The delicacies crafted by women’s hands are shared and enjoyed equally among the people.
While MECI seems to stem from our ancient “imece” culture, it has evolved into a form of cooperative for societal unity and communal welfare, rather than just being a concept drawn from the past.
A saying goes, “Feeling others’ pain as our own reminds us of our humanity.” Another teaching adds, “When empathising with others’ pain is virtuous, but it’s not enough – ACTION is required.”
In the book “Empathic Brain” by Neuroscientist Cristian Keyser, it’s explained that when causing harm to others’ mental well-being the action of mirror neurons leads to unhappiness for individuals and society, similarly acts of kindness and cooperation increase the sense of “goodness” in individuals and communities.

After the festival ends at night, I find myself in an authentic village house in Çağlayan village. Returning to the Uzun Hasanoğlu pansiyon , I inhale the cool and refreshing village air and close my eyes as the chanted refrain of “oy oy” echo’s alongside women and girls dancing the horon in unison with lively folk music. Upon awakening in the morning, greeted by a sunny mountain view, I feel compelled to write countless mythological tales and poems. In the century-old stone house, I indulge in the “mıhlama” breakfast, skillfully prepared by the hands of Laz women.
Due to the festival’s intensity, we decide to showcase our MECI – Scenario-Essay Workshop and our award-winning “Best Educational Film” at international film festivals outside the festival scope.
The challenges of life, in fact, present opportunities to strengthen us. As men and women dance the horon, the Viçe Book Days commence, and I begin signing my books. Beneath my signature, I write “17.08.2023,” and beneath the date, I inscribe “Viçe Festival,” which I’ve learned means “the place in the corner” for the first time. I hope my written stories will sail toward unity, friendship, brotherhood, and peace through MECI.
MECI, in Viçe,
Negotiation,
Equality,
Courage,
Transformation into goodness.
Thank you, President Ercüment, and the team!
Fındıklı Municipality
Ercüment Şahin Çervatoğlu

Erdal KARA
19.08.2023″

Notes-

–Hamsi ekmek a traditional favourite in Turkey, Black Sea anchovies on fresh bread.

Tandır – Tandir baked bread is baked on the sides of an open stone oven heated by wood embers

Termoniye Aşure – Aşure is an Eastern Mediterranean sweet dish prepared using nuts, dried fruit, and beans. Termoniye is a Black Sea version using pekmez and cracked corn.

Pekmez is grape or pear molasses.

Nimxana –nimxana is a type of fern used in roof making and weaving (bardi/harman)

Horon- is a communal Black Sea dance where lines of dancers link hands and synchronise their movements and footsteps to lively traditional music.

Mıhlama – a Black Sea breakfast using melted home made butter, corn flour, water and local cheese to create a tasty savoury sauce for bread dunking.

Erdal will be speaking and signing books at the Karadeniz book fair which is on between 30th September to the 8th of October.