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3/20/1954 - A Village in Anatolia and Mahmut Makal by Richard D. Robinson

NOT FOR PUBLICATION INSTITUTE OF CUKELENT OELLD AFFAIELS Lindfield Gardens A_ Anto Mahmut Makal London N W England Mr Walter S Rogers Institute Current World Affairs Fifth Avenue New York New York Dear Mro Rogers Now important about Turkey appear since World Bank economic study country The volume which carries title A Village in_An I tolia consists annotated translation books Mahmut Makal young Turkish village school teacher The books Bizlm Ky Our Village Kydde_ From My Village created enormous Turkey their publication there The first record sales Turkey doubtless considerable political impact coming prior general election which upset years single party Turkish literary critics lavish excited their praise content literary style Makal dotes sketches village And indeed Makal notable landmark powerful Anatolian movement carrying contemporary Turkish literature these books constitute first literary expression genuine Anatolian villager Here first taken Anatolian village society afforded glimpses innermost structure movement through raised embrace society Not Makal literary ability possible identify ourselves emotionally human situations scribes To anyone would understand problem modern Turkey volume uniquely valuable Having strong caution The translator Sir Wyndham Deedes taken consider liberty rearranging sequence Makal sketches Vailehine Mitchei Co mpany L London throwing chronological order This rearrangement gives apparent contradictions which noted editor volume However neither editor trans lator pointed adequately these village sketches cover period nearly three years three villages indicated foreword introduce A important criticism Sir Wyndham English rendition Makal volumes sharp Makal pungent colorful breathless staccato style dulled translation I think examples below demonstrate Makal earthy style sacrificed Sir Wyndham parent effort urbane original talking about unlikely subject urbanity Sir wyndham Sext More Literal Translation People villager They villager dries burning crazy thing craziness fields better spread You hastily scribbled fields You scientific articles across people subject Ah scientific articles could subject My reader would count ourselves lucky heads And villager doesn treat respect His How villagers world And there firewood suppose villager Just doesn dried Has I wonder villagers You It appears contrary usual nearly literal translation would reader better under standing these books literary political event Turkey The introduction notes Dr Paul Stirling social anthropologist London School Economics veteran considerable field Turkish villages RDR great providing pertinent information guarding readers unfamiliar Turkey judging modern Turkey basis C It Dr Sirling points villages described Makal barren impoverished parts Turkey although I worse Makal wrote these sketches during Turkey severest winters recent years It winter doubly tragic disastrous failure preceded In these respects villages though means unique substandard Nonetheless Dr Stirling leans rather backward warnings admonitions possibly important points He seems guilty generalizin scanty evidence suestso Makal I believe Dr Stirlino introducto remarks about Makal shortcomings observer peculiarly unfortunate largely unwarranted Let explicit Certainly justified Dr Stirling editorial warning Makal interpreting reacting village feels ordinary villager But there basis criticizing author doing Dr Stirling proceeds Makal makes pretense writing ordinary villager He obviously unordinary villager better anyone realizes The editors overlook entirely significant feature which simply given years modern education Anatolian emerged citizen Century Western civilization capable reacting village environment manner would I Tis accomplishment profound significance Turkey future Makal others prove individuals least tremendous cultural effected single generation without individual concerned leaving native environment What happened Makal demonstrates extraordinary which Western thouoht Anatolian villager exposed Western learning This major reason Mahmut Makal books interest The editorial approach Dr Stirlin informed West Turkey influenced desire those concerned publication please Turkish Government Turkish officials reluctant English translation because average Western reader would erroneous impression modern Turkey Turkish leadership An excellent translation Makal first OUr__Vi Turk never submitted publication because informal governmental pressure rought translator In making these remarks I anyway aspersion value praiseworthiness efforts Sir Wyndham Dr Stirling Dr Lewis V Thomas wrote foreword My comments merely point extraordinary difficulty presenting controversial foreign reader unfuiliar context which lifted still render language accurately portraying original RDR V9 Page And about author Mahmut Makal Mahmut September village Demirci Turkey Salt Lake It village families first village region possess primary school Mahmut father village farmer owner roughly acres devoted grain farming MahO S bright child Friends village schoolmaster started education Many village children after schooling enough their parents fields Bu Mahmut stayed years which implies father permission perhaps encouragement In winter spring Mahmut school summer watched village sheep hillsides At Mahmut entered Ivriz Village Institute RDR province Konya there spent years He discovered there books world other little textbooks primary school He became grossed excellent translations Western classics Ministry Public Instruction works younger Turkish writers He began write poetry It poetry attract patron S eeing merit schoolboy poetry editor Varlik Istan literary magazine wrote suggestetht would better Write about things Thus began Notes Village Teacher monthly feature Varlik From start these pieces considerable attention By Mahmut completed Institute course teaching NurEuz Village community walking hours birthplace After years Nurguz shifted ardak Village where continued write rural mOVed about He already resolved spend fighting against village ignorance those preyed His first Our Village appearance February immediately became seller In cause extremely sordid picture village because publication three months before general election which drawing unprecedented interest stirred political storm A commentator Ulus official organof dominant PeOple Party wrote It apparent young teacher possess character either improve environment effect development village The editorialist Zafer official organ oppositlon Democrat Party declare I heart Mahmut Makals protecting villages strengthened increased number Meanwhile columnist unpubiished Mak written Nrs Nermin Nenimenciolu Streater Kudret Nation Party exclaimed fervently Mahmut Makal Youare village child And lesson great labelled learned intellectual I On April cities Mahmut Makal arrested alleged subversive activity Though Governor Nide Province considerab pains point Makal grossly exaggerated plight villagers Governor explained great Makal ested because statement during People House cultural center Aksaray market The Governor press Mahmut Makal accused hawing At present children being educated children But three yearsfrom government founded The bread peddler barber blacksmith educated together equally The accusation enough cause authorities suspect Mahmut communist leanings He jailed village searched Meanwhile sober heads among People Party leaders endorsed On April Nihat Erim Minister State Assistant Prime Minister wrote I Our Village It definitely useful because exist villages Of describes especially central eastern Ana tolia From Personally I profited greab nourish feelings toward cheer wrote On April after great outcry opposition independent press group nationally famous layers intervened Makal released Apparently Charge manufactured nothing This local authorities dealt considered ebarrsssing situation Thst emergence Turkey something close national public opinion natioual conscience Our Village second edition third After first brought success recog nition Istanbul newspaper offered Makal journey great Though airplanes dsolate tracks village another never Tramcars buses bhildings paved streets His urban experience single visit provincial capital Nide where What impressed during wonders rather villages around Bursa Here fertile pleasant Here orchards green grass dreamed wastes homeland But Minister Public In struction hearing admiration these villages offered transfer Makal turned offer He asked instead posted village birth Demirci where wished spend Ands I where moment It Ankara during press sponsored I Makal Though I ardak May visit enjoying found reedom Demirci variety reasons impossible pursue there The picture suggest these reasons Makal impressed being serious mature young filled sense humility shortcomings He seemed sitting garden Ankara expensive hotel It partic ularly awkward embarrassed rather perhaps realized artificial setting country million villagers difficult discuss stark realities Ana tolian gentle surroundings He spoke needed study desire learn foreign languages Then might write something really worth while Of thing I certain Mahmut Makal reacts people situations Westerner understand The whole Makal episode indeed underscores vitally important which properly education Shaping personality attitudes Page THESE PICTURES OF AKSARAY AND ARDAK VILLAGE WERE TAKEN IN MAY OF On between Aksaray ardak Village Spring drive track takes minutes weather From behind ardak looking across village Salt Lake basin Mahmut Makal ardak village mosque A ardak village surrounded piles dried ardak village school where Mshmut Makal taught lived RDR V9 A group villagers ardak A group 9ardak villagers inside village store Page IX