Intercultural communication: The communication between Turks and Macedonians living in Macedonia

For understanding the intercultural interaction or the relationship between two or more cultures and the conflicts or good-wills between them, first of all, the cultures themselves and the communication they practice or not should be examined. The topic of this research has been generated from the intercultural communication between the Turkish and Macedonian people living in Macedonia. In order to find out and define the current situation among the Turkish minority (Macedonian Turks) and the Macedonian people living in the territory of the Republic of Macedonia, their cultural characteristics, identity, intercultural life and more specifically the intercultural communication between them were researched and analyzed. The data used and presented in the research was collected with the method of deep interviews. The interviews were conducted with 10 Turks (5 male/ 5 female) and 10 Macedonians (5 male/ 5 female) living in the capital of Macedonia, Skopje. Every participant was asked in total 19 questions. In order to research and define the general cultural characteristics of each culture, in the first part of the interviews the Macedonian and the Turkish participants were asked the same 9 questions. In the second part, for defining their cultural identity characteristics, belonging and acceptance feelings, the symbols, traditions and lifestyles they share together or differentiate them, the next 10 questions were presented differently. In addition, each of the 19 questions was contributing to the better comprehension of the actual intercultural communication between the Turks and Macedonians in the territory of Macedonia. According to the results it was concluded that Macedonian and Turkish cultures are very close and similar to each other. These communities are not just living on the same territory but sharing similar cultures, life styles, perceptions, attitudes and values. Each of them feel free, act freely and percept life in the same way. They are having defined and strong cultural identities and none of them feel or sees themselves as minority or majority group in the society. Even more, the analysis showed that because of their integration together even their cultural identities are coherent one to another. Keywords: Culture, Communication, Intercultural Communication, Identity, Etnisities