Meet me in Hasankeyf! 5-8 April/Nisan Hasankeyf'te buluşalım!

Hasankeyf Matters; Nature Iraq; and Birdlife International partners Doğa Derneği (Nature Association) extend an open invitation to the third Hasankeyf Ingathering, to be held Friday April 5 to Monday the 8th, 2013.

Hike in daytime, halay at night!

As with previous Ingathering events, the aim is three-fold:

1. To explore the city of Hasankeyf and its environs
2. To bring people from different cultures together for dialogue and mutual understanding
3. To call attention to local traditions and practices that could provide the foundation for environmentally sustainable economic development over the coming decades.

Art workshop at 2nd Hasankeyf Ingathering

Activities will include art workshops, bird watching, tours of the river and canyons, talks and workshops on traditional weaving, and music. Hasankeyf Hasbahçe is hosting an exhibit, Hasankeyf through Four Seasons / Dört Mevsim’de Hasankeyf – photographs by Civan Değer. Local residents are at the ready to help visitors explore this extraordinary city, the Tigris River and the adjoining canyons. As North Iraq Waterkeeper Nwenar Fatih observed during a recent visit to the area, “Hasankeyf has it all: trails, rivers and streams, and civilization!”

In addition, attendees will reap the benefits of three major initiatives:

Doğa Derneği, in cooperation with ECA Watch-Austria, will screen “Climate Crimes,” a documentary which challenges claims that dams provide ‘green’ energy.

Rafting on the Tigris at Hasankeyf

As part of the Tigris River Flotilla Project, representatives from Nature Iraq will guide visitors through the construction and use of the kelek, a traditional raft, which historically was an important element of Hasankeyf trade and commerce and today is a potential resource for ecotourism entrepreneurs.

Hasankeyf Matters will release a new Hasankeyf Lower City walking itinerary, produced with the help of Istanbul-based artist Melanie Mehrer and Hasankeyf archeologist Necdet Talayhan. This guide aims to show visitors that there is more to Hasankeyf than the Citadel (closed to visitors in 2012).


Hasankeyf needs friends and supporters, now more than ever.
Recent legal developments are hardly a reprieve for Hasankeyf. The Council of State has de jure halted work on the Ilısu Dam project; however, de facto construction in and around Hasankeyf continues. The Tigris River has already been diverted through tunnels at the dam site and related infrastructure work at Hasankeyf is altering the landscape and damaging historic monuments.

Hasankeyf and its residents still need the support of all those interested in the sustainable stewardship of cultural heritage and environmental riches. Ingathering organizers pose the question, “Is there a ‘middle way’ to address the needs, interests and aspirations of all stakeholders in the region – upstream, downstream, left-bank and right-bank?”


Practical information:
Turkish Airlines flies to Diyarbakır, Mardin and Batman. Public transportation to Hasankeyf takes 90 minutes (from Batman) and 2-3 hours (from Diyarbakir and Mardin).

Fresh grilled trout at Hasbahçe

Lodging is available at Hasankeyf Hasbahçe. Room rates are 50 TL per person per night; 25 TL per person to camp (showers available). Contact Firat Argun, owner, at +90.530.929.1527.

Guests should bear in mind that Hasankeyf residents share the traditional values of communities all over the region, including modest clothing (long pants and long sleeve shirts preferred for both male and female). Good walking/trekking shoes, sweater and coat (for cold nights), and a rain coat are recommended.

Participants are also welcome to make a financial contribution to the Hasankeyf school fund (for supplemental supplies, art and sports equipment, etc.)


For more information, please contact:
Doğa Derneği / Birdlife International partners in Turkey (Nature Association)
Turkish, English & Italian
derya.engin@dogadernegi.org

Hasankeyf'te buluşalım!  Meet me in Hasankeyf!

http://www.dogadernegi.org
+90.533.313.8015

Hasankeyf Matters
English, French, Turkish & Arabic
hasankeyfmatters@gmail.com
http://www.hasankeyfmatters.com
+90.539.304.4944

Hasankeyf Hasbahçe
Turkish & Arabic
Firat Argun, owner
hasankeyf_hasbahce@hotmail.com
+90.530.929.1527

Nature Iraq
English, Dutch
jantine@natureiraq.org
http://www.natureiraq.org
+964.771.029.7613

Set in Stone

Much has been written here about the history of Hasankeyf and the glories of its natural surroundings, but what of the very fabric on which the city stands and from which it has been hewn?

Hasankeyf, city of stone

The geology of the site is in fact one of its most striking features. As one approaches Hasankeyf, before even the citadel or other monuments are distinguishable, the sheer face of creamy gold limestone rising up above the Tigris and capping the nearby hills is impossible to miss. 

Approaching Hasankeyf from Batman (pre-roadworks)

The so-called Midyat limestone dates from the Lutetian age in the Eocene epoch; that is, between 40 and 48 million years ago. The limestone itself, while not particularly fossiliferous, does contain nummulites (large lenticular fossils, perhaps best known for the role they played in ancient Egypt, where they were for a time used as a form of currency). These fossils indicate that the limestone was deposited during a period when the area was submerged below the waters of an ancient sea.

The geology is important, too for the way in which it was exploited by the earlier inhabitants of Hasankeyf, who enlarged and added to natural caves to create a veritable city, carving out tunnels, stairwells and cisterns; exploiting natural features to provide secure homes and access to water and/or the river from the city.

Upper Hasankeyf from afar

And of course the very monuments of Hasankeyf itself were carved from the limestone close to hand, creating a deep sense of harmony between the city and its surroundings. 

The irony of these marine sediments again being consigned to a watery fate is not lost on all who care about the future of Hasankeyf...

-- Helen

It's all here: Trails, water and civilization

Reaching the top of Ra's Tibbah, the largest of the three hills surrounding the Lower City of Hasankeyf, Nwenar Fatih exclaimed, "This place is perfect!"  Nwenar is the Upper Tigris Waterkeeper in Iraq and has been visiting Hasankeyf with colleagues as part of the groundwork for the Nature Iraq's Tigris River Flotilla Project.

The view of the Citadel from Ra's Tibbah Hill

Hasankeyf has everything you could possibly want for a strong and profitable ecotourism program.  In Nwenar's words, "It's all here -- trails, water and civilization."

The Lower City Center viewed from Ra's Tibbah

We had started hiking four hours earlier, passing through the medieval Hasankeyf suburb of "Kasimiye" on a rambling walk that took us to Gunfa Springs, a cave mosque in the Zih Valley and then a moderately steep climb to the top of Ra's Tibbah.

Ghaowur Valley connects Gunfa Spring with Zih Canyon,
all within a leisurely 30-minute walk from Hasankeyf

Ghaowur Valley is short, but we spent at least an hour there picking the edible pırpızek flower and sampling mustard (hardal in Turkish) and other bitter herbs (such as humayyif, in the local dialect of Arabic).

Note for our botanist friends: We would be deeply grateful for any help you can offer with the Latin names.  Kurdish and Turkish variations also welcome!

Tasting fresh mustard, sour grass and spring flowers picked
along the trail.

Fırat Argun, who runs Hasankeyf Hasbahçe Bed and Breakfast, explained that humayyif, used in soups and salads, is good for the blood.  By itself, fresh humayyif (or "sour grass") is very pungent, but it's lovely when eaten with mustard greens.  The small iris-like pırpızek flower has a sweet, oniony flavor.

As for the dandelion-like ıstrızelk, you have to wash and cook it.  It makes a delicious side dish or can be scrambled with eggs in place of spinach.

 Istrızelk, which has a long root similar to dandelion,
is a popular spring delicacy in Hasankeyf.
(There are 300 species of dandelion, all of which are edible. )

Istrızelk

As we climbed toward the top of Ra's Tibbah, we crossed the canal that delivers water from the mountains to Hasankeyf's Salahiyye Gardens and found a healthy patch of tuzuk.  Necdet Talayhan, our tireless guide to the history, archeology and botany of Hasankeyf, noted that tuzuk (similar to watercress?) is good in salads.

Tuzuk

We continued walking across Ra's Tibbah toward the "Time Tunnel" leading back into the center of Hasankeyf.  The view from Ra's Tibbah is always exhilarating, but also troubling.

View of New Hasankeyf from Ra's Tibbah

Once back at Hasbahçe, Fırat and Emre prepared a hearty lunch of trout and salad.  Ellerine sağlık!

So there you have it.  A typical sunny Saturday in Hasankeyf.  Before you come, be sure to call Firat (+90 530 929 1527) and reserve a room at Hasbahçe.

--John

Facts on the ground in Hasankeyf

Anyone interested in ecological and cultural conservation in Hasankeyf has celebrated the Council of State decision halting work on the Ilısu Dam. Doğa Derneği has indicated, however, that work at the project site is ongoing, contrary to the court order. This is troubling.

Just as troubling, if for slightly different reasons, is the situation in Hasankeyf (60 km upstream from the Ilısu Dam site)

A last visit to the Citadel (20 August 2012)

Incremental developments are adding up to big changes:

• The Citadel remains closed. This is important not only because it attracts busloads of tourists who spend money in the local market but also because it is the ancestral home to local residents. Since being forced to leave the Citadel 50 years ago, Hasankeyf residents have regularly returned there to be close to the memory of their parents and grandparents. But these visits came to an end after Ramadan last year. 

New Hasankeyf (August 2012)

• The New Town sits half-finished at the base of the Raman Mountains across the river from Hasankeyf. Its street lights shine uselessly each night. Meanwhile, the magnificent monuments of bygone centuries are invisible in the darkness. Another banal example of the politics of memory and forgetting. 

Earthen foundation for new bridge at Hasankeyf (Jan 2013)

• Trucks work day and night piling up rock and dirt for the supports of the new bridge and four-lane divided highway. One can only speculate what damage this road will have on the visual landscape and natural environment. 

Imam Abdullah Tomb (November 2012)

• The Imam Abdullah Tomb -- one of the monuments of greatest spiritual significance to the people of Hasankeyf (comparable to the meaning of Eyüp Sultan for Istanbul) -- has been enclosed within a rock "vault," ostensibly to protect the tomb from the coming flood. 

Western entrance to Hasankeyf (27 January 2013)

Western entrance to Hasankeyf (April 2011)

• Construction crews have set up prefab housing at the western entrance to Hasankeyf, obscuring the sublime view of the Zeynel Bey Tomb rising majestically in front of the Citadel, Lower City and Artukid Bridge. 

The placement of the workers' dormitories is an unfortunate choice, and one resident explained its effect this way:

Zeynel Bey Tomb (27 January 2013)

"Whenever we spend time away, our love for Hasankeyf increases and we long to return. Now, unfortunately, we approach Hasankeyf with this sense of longing only to see our love afflicted by this horrible scene. It's not right."

A long-time observer of Hasankeyf affairs added: "The rapid rise of the new town last spring had already done enough damage to this beautiful landscape. Each new development takes its toll on the morale of people here."

Facts on the ground.

Where are the Rainbow Chasers?

--John

Less haste

The Ilısu construction site (source: DSİ)

While the Ingathering last weekend at Hasankeyf was a fantastic experience for all involved, there was also some sobering news: A worker at the Ilısu Dam site lost his life in an industrial accident on Sept. 5. We of course offer our condolences to his family; while we are unquestionably against the Ilısu project, any loss of life is a tragedy.

However, we are also concerned that this could be a first sign that the government is overreaching in the accelerated program for Ilısu (and in general for expropriation to faciltate HEP and other infrastructure projects) and perhaps also in its new incentive package for the Southeast.

Ilısu construction workers (source: DSİ)

Experts and friends of Hasankeyf alike have long protested that there remains no real plan (nor sufficient time) for protection or relocation of the town's cultural assets. Hearing of a site death in a landslide less than a week after diversion of the Tigris began, we are again reminded of this.

Whatever lies ahead for Hasankeyf and its residents, we would like to hope that the authorities are acting with all due consideration, and fully weighing up the options before acting...

If the opposite is the case, it will not be for the first time, but it will be a further tragedy.

--Helen

A city to inspire young leaders and innovators

Necdet Talayhan and friends in the Salahiyye Gardens

This weekend the people of Hasankeyf and their out-of-town guests demonstrated in miniature what Hasankeyf could become – a peaceful and visually inspiring retreat for spiritual reflection, cross-cultural understanding, and innovative thinking.

The second Hasankeyf Ingathering, held September 6-9, was organized jointly by Doğa Derneği, Hasankeyf Matters, and Nature Iraq with the help of various other voluntary organizations, local businesses, and individuals working across political and linguistic boundaries. 

The people who participated in the Ingathering, both adults and children, are as important as the events themselves. 

In the canyon on the way to Karaköy

Daytime hikes, coordinated by Hasankeyf Matters, included tours of the Lower City led by local archeologist Necdet Talayhan and a seven-hour trek to Karaköy Village and back, led by Abdul Kadir Faresoğlu Ayhan. Thanks also go to local merchant Arif Ayhan and Abdul Kadir Can, a local mountain climber and amateur fisherman, for help in arranging a special kelek tour on Sunday. 

Sulyon artists on the move in Hasankeyf

Nature Iraq coordinated the participation of 15 artists and environmentalists from Iraq (both Iraqi nationals and expatriates from Canada, Germany, Lebanon, and the Netherlands). Members of Sulyon – a Kurdish arts organization from Northern Iraq – performed an interpretive dance revisiting Mesopotamian legends of survival in the face of global flooding and environmental destruction. We are grateful to Hasankeyf Has Bahçe for the space provided for performances and to Batman Gazetesi for their help with the children’s art workshops conducted by Sulyon during their stay in Hasankeyf. 

Doğa Derneği sponsored the participation of Muğla University Professor Dr. Adnan Çevik, who spoke about the important insights into Islamic architecture and science provided by Hasankeyf’s Artukid and Ayyubid archeological treasures. For example, in Çevik’s view, to fully comprehend the genius of the Artukid inventor ibn al-Razzaz al-Jazari (el-Cezeri) you have to visit Hasankeyf and trace the canals that deliver water to the Citadel. 

What do you see in Hasankeyf? 

How many young Turkish inventors might be inspired over the coming years by exposure to the innovations and practices on display throughout this open-air museum of medieval Islamic arts and technology?

Professor Çevik’s excellent monograph, Hasankeyf Medeniyetlerin Buluştuğu Başkent, has been published by Doğa Derneği and Atlas magazine.

Special thanks go to Zeki Binici Hoca, of Hasankeyf Elementary School, and Hasankeyf Mayor Abdulvahap Kusen for arranging the meeting space for Professor Cevik’s seminar.

Stayed tuned to this site and our Facebook page for more photos and comments about last weekend’s activities in Hasankeyf. If you would like to be part of the next Hasankeyf Ingathering or if you have a group interested in spending a long weekend here, please contact us at hasankeyfmattersATgmailDOTcom.

--John

2nd Hasankeyf Ingathering, 6-9 September 2012

Water – Gardens – City

Let’s meet in Hasankeyf, an ingathering of civilizations.

This is an open invitation to anyone, children and adults, interested in Turkish culture and history, to join us, 6-9 September (Thursday-Sunday), as we walk, talk, and laugh, thinking of ways to preserve and sustain the city’s living heritage.

There’s hardly a better place to step back, unwind, and observe up close the vital connection between human society and the natural environment that feeds our towns and cities.

Why Hasankeyf? Cosmopolitan in some ways, Hasankeyf is also a small village. Most residents speak three languages – Arabic, Kurdish, and Turkish. The ancient city’s archeological treasures capture the ebb and flow of different civilizations in the region. The valleys surrounding the village are unspoilt and offer stunning vistas as well as hosting a wealth of flora and fauna. The village itself is home to a warm and welcoming population and traditional ways of life.

Morning activities focus on life and work in Hasankeyf. For example, visitors can:

• Pick fruit and discover hidden palaces in the Salahiyye Bahçeleri
• Accompany a shepherd into the fields 
• Apprentice with a textile weaver 
• Tour the river on a traditional Hasankeyf kelek
• Explore the old mosques, churches, schools, and markets inside the medieval town and the surrounding canyons and caves 

The afternoons are for visitors to explore the town and surroundings and talk with residents on their own. Evenings are for storytelling, performance, sharing the day’s discoveries, and pondering the road ahead. Everyone is invited to bring family photos, songs, and musical instruments.

The Ilısu Dam Project threatens the natural and cultural inheritance entrusted to the citizens of Hasankeyf. Seeking ways to increase economic opportunity while preserving world heritage, Hasankeyf residents and their out-of-town friends are coming together to share their hopes and fears for the future and relish memories from bygone times.

Logistics: Hasankeyf is easily accessible by bus from Batman, Mardin, and Diyarbakır (the nearest airports). For information about hotel accommodations and camping facilities, please contact us (hisnkayfaATgmailDOTcom). Late summer, the peak of the fig and grape harvest, is one of the best times to visit Hasankeyf. Count on hot, dry afternoons and cool evenings, and bring good hiking shoes, long pants and lightweight long-sleeve shirts.

Photos of Hasankeyf available here.

Come, join us!