Carnival celebrations in Istanbul: The changing perception and experience of Apokries and Baklahorani

This thesis examines the transformation in the perception and experience of the carnival celebrations in Istanbul during the late Ottoman and Republican era. I attempt to problematize the nostalgia and revitalization of Apokries and Baklahorani, and situate it in the socio-political context in which it transformed. Methodologically, I approach the celebrations from within to discover the experience from the voices of the real subjects of history by incorporating first person narratives and contemporary newspapers. Carnival celebrations in Istanbul provided opportunity for public manifestation of identities, ideas and memories through material culture and performances of maskaras. The socio-political transformations in the early Republican era had resulted in an expansion of the festivities but at the same time emergence of a negative perception of the celebrations. This has further intensified with the traumas of the second half of the 20th century. As a result Apokries and Baklahorani disappeared from the public space, but continued to be practiced in the private spheres. It turned from a carnivalesque celebration to a commemorative ritual within the Rum community. The recent attempts to revive Baklahorani in urban sphere in 2000s were short-lived experiences restricted with the contemporary socio-political conditions in Turkey. Overall, by looking at the entertainment culture and everyday life of the ordinary people in the city, this thesis attempts to understand the Rums' urban experience in Istanbul and collective memory.