“Masqueraders” of İstanbul: The Apokries Carnivals in the 1930s

Authors : Göktuğ Ipek

Pages : 15-45

View : 40 | Download : 282

Publication Date : 2024-03-29

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Some contemporary carnivals, such as Rio and Venice carnivals, date back to pagan and ancient times. However, another carnival, which is not as well known as these two carnivals, but has a long history, was also celebrated in İstanbul. This carnival was Apokries (Apukurya), now known as Baklahorani Carnival. Apokries was a Greek Orthodox carnival tradition. It was celebrated in places such as Galata, Pera, and Tatavla where the Rums densely populated. Especially, Tatavla was identified with this carnival. While Apokries traditionally came to end after three weeks, in Tatavla it was extended for another day. On its final day, the carnival entertainment was reaching a peak, with people coming from all over the city, as well as those who had been walking around İstanbul in various costumes for three weeks. Those who dressed in these costumes were called “masqueraders”. The number of masqueraders gradually dwindled towards the end of the 1930s. The carnival started losing its importance in the early Republican era due to state policies against minorities and it was prohibited by a general law of the early 1940s, excusing the Second Worl War. The aim of this study examines how carnival was celebrated in the 1930s, the Turkish approach to the carnival, and the participation of other communities in the city. For this purpose, the Istanbul Press, which contains the most important information on the subject, was used as the main source, considering that there is very little information in other sources .
Keywords : karnaval, apukurya, baklahorani, maskara, istanbul