istanbul, turkey arrive: tuesday 20 july 0800 depart - University of ...

-------------------------------------------------------- FRIDAY, 23 JULY --------------------------------------------------------
IST28 POETRY LUNCH & DISCUSSION (1045-1500 Friday, 23 July) Minimum 8/Maximum 10 (PRICE:
$21 + OOPEX)
[FDP: JOST]
A small group of participants interested in the poetry of different countries will meet Professor Esra Melikoğlu,
chairman of the English Department at Istanbul University, and Ms. Gonca Özmen, a poet in her twenties who has
won numerous prestigious prizes for her work. Over lunch at a restaurant near the University, Professor Melikoğlu
and Ms. Özmen will engage us in a group discussion about some of the readings of Turkish poetry in Professor Jost’s
poetry course and introduce us to the work of some contemporary poets in Turkey. Please note: Out-of-pocket
expenses include approximately 50 Turkish lira for lunch and public transportation costs. Please be sure to have
appropriate local currency to pay at the restaurant.
IST29 FAMILY BUSINESS IN TURKEY: HEREKE TEXTILE & CARPET MANUFACTURING (1200-
1700 Friday, 23 July) Minimum 15/Maximum 20 (PRICE: $54)
[FDP: LITZ]
Students in Professor Litz’s Family Business course will especially appreciate the opportunity to tour a locallyowned
family business located just outside of Istanbul: Hereke Textile and Carpet Manufacturing. During the
hour-long drive, participants will cross from the European side of Istanbul to the Asian side via the Bosphorus
Bridge, the fifth-largest span between two continents. Upon reaching Hereke, enjoy a quick seaside tea break in a
town famed for its carpets and textiles. Then proceed to the Hereke Carpet Factory, built in the 19 th century to
produce hand-woven floor carpets for the Ottoman palaces in Istanbul. Hereke carpets were prized for their fine
knots and intricate patterns, and the carpets came to adorn palaces throughout Europe.
The factory operated as a state establishment until recent years. Today the complex still produces fine carpets and
textiles. During this tour, view various manufacturing processes including patterning, hand knotting, and looms.
Visit one of the family-owned establishments to learn more about the past and present of the industry. Upon
completion of the visit, return to Istanbul.
IST30 SUFI DERVISH CEREMONY EXTENDED – GROUP B (1845-2130 Friday, 23 July) Minimum
32/Maximum 140 (PRICE: $47)
You have probably heard about the Whirling Dervishes in Turkey. In contrast
to the main body of Islamic belief, dervish groups extol the virtues of music
and dance, including a whirling ceremony that represents a union with God.
The music is vital to this tradition and serves as a vehicle of enlightenment
and revelation. The ceremony’s pesrev and saz semai compositions, and the
instrumental ensemble of ney, tambur, kanun, küdüm and rebab formed the
foundation of the glorious Ottoman classical music that, like the Sema, was
suppressed in the early years of the republic. In these Sema ceremonies, the
so-called “Whirling Dervishes” use their mystical music and dance to reflect
the transcendent value of the heart’s purity, the image of the perfect being, and
the belief that the Sema is one way of reaching total peace with oneself and with the universe at large. These
ceremonies are not mere “performances” but spiritual rituals dating back to the 13 th century. Participants should
be respectful of this ritual and should dress conservatively. In keeping with tradition, men and women may be
asked to observe the ceremony in separate groups. We will use this practicum to explore how spirituality, ritual,
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