Family Histories from the Cross-Border Region Bulgaria–Turkey

Bulgaria–Turkey IPACross-Border Programme CCI N: 2007CB16IPO008-2013-3-040 FAmIly hIstorIes FrOm The CrOss-BOrder regION BulgArIA–Turkey PROJECTS WITHOUT BORDERS The collection of stories ”Knowledge for Generations” is developed within the project ”Festival of Generations” funded by the Bulgaria- Turkey IPA Cross-border Programme 2007–2013. It is a result of the partnership of three organizations in the cross-border region: Association ”Platform AGORA – branch Burgas”, Secondary School ”Episkop Konstantin Preslavski” – Burgas and Lüleburgaz High School, Lüleburgaz, Turkey. The publication includes authentic family stories recorded by students from 9 to 12 grade from Secondary School ”Bishop Konstan- tin Preslavski”, Burgas and Lüleburgaz High School, Lüleburgaz, Turkey who participated in the project. This publication is an ele- ment of developed and applied model within the project for bridging the generation’s gaps and building communication channels between them, based on shared experience and values. Contribution to this edition have the students from both schools who researched their genealogical trees, the teachers’ teams who supported methodically the students, as well as the team of ”Plat- form AGORA – branch Burgas” who developed the methodology, edited the texts and issued this edition. © Platform AGORA – branch Burgas, 2015 Translated from Turkish language by Tatiana Blagova The project is co-funded by EU through the Bulgaria–Turkey IPA Cross-Border Programme (CCI number 2007CB16IPO008). The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of Platform AGORA – branch Burgas and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union or the Managing Authority of the Programme. 1 The collection of stories titled ”Knowledge for Generations” is a product of the altered communication environment between generations within the project ”Festival of Generations”. It contains family histories recorded by students in school age who searched for their roots with the emotion and curiosity of the youth. The family histories presented here show the experience and wisdom of the previous generations viewed through the youth sensitivity. The publication contains small part of the family stories recorded by students from Secondary School ”Bishop Konstantin Preslavski”, Burgas and Lüleburgaz High School, Lüleburgaz, Turkey. In meet- ings with their relatives they researched the lifestyle, customs, tra- ditions, the speech, tastes and clothes (fashion) of their families. They researched the history of their family name, flipped through the pages of old photo albums, searched and recorded the stored memories of their families. Through communication, they have en- hanced their culture, have learnt new words, new recipes, as well as became aware of traditional practices and models of behavior. The youths’ knowledge development has led to consciousness for belonging to something bigger and significant – their family and community. This interaction turned out to be extremely useful and important for both parties. The issues the elderly were concerned with, opened up a space for the youth, filled with values and life lessons. The knowledge and experience gained through the years proved to be invaluable source for support. 2 Touching to the past strengthened the solidarity and tolerance between generations and made the youth more sensitive to the prob- lems of the other. At the same time, the image of the elderly people was bridging yesterday and today making them the carriers of the cultural codes of the future. The youth on the other hand are con- stantly in search for the meaning of reality. Charged with emo- tions, courage and self-confidence they are going to find out for themselves what is valuable and significant in life. Sometimes the answers lay in the past experience, in the ancestors’ memories and the value of the family. The knowledge for generations turned out to be the knowledge of how together we carry the hope for a better future. Searching for the values of the past, the young people have found the roots that keep us standing. Project Team of ”Festival of Generations” 3 Family histories From Burgas and strandja, Bulgaria 4 Karamfila My grandfather’s father had died in the World War II and his mother had been killed by the Germans. He survived as an orphan child. A woman named Fita found him and raised him as her own child. Lat- er, she sent him to study in Vratca. There he met my grandmother Damyana. She was from a wealthy family, while he did not have anything. They had fallen in love, she eloped with him as her family had refused to give her to my grandfather and did not bless their relation. They decided to run away from the Vratca region and set- tled in a small village – Tcerova koria – near Valiko Tarnovo, where the roots of my grandfather originated. As he was not educated, he was working whatever he was able to find as to ensure their living. They had a daughter. She was very little – only three days old when they took her with them in the field. They had to work! Suddenly, my grandfather saw a snake near the baby. They did their best but were not able to save her – she died in his hands. After a few hard years, my grandfather mastered the building and construction job. They had another daughter, named Karamfila – that was my mother. Recorded by: Stefani Tishkova survivor My great-grandfather Mehmed Adem came from a poor family of peasant origin. His father Adem had been collecting the eggs of their hens for a month, and then went around the nearby villages to sell them in order to earn money for his education. The earned amounts, he gave to his son and sent him off with the train to Shu- men, where he attended school. One day, as he was coming back from school, Mehmed Adem got off the train in Daskotna village as usual and started to walk to his father’s house. It was winter, it was snowing and blowing heavily. The distance to his village was about twenty five kilometers. Along the road to his home in Podgorec village, there was a grove. When he approached it, he heard a wolf howl. He anxiously looked around! He was alone! He climbed on a tree to protect himself and 5 waited. The wolves came and circled around the tree. My great- grandfather had to wait up in the tree until dawn. At dawn, the wolves went away. He jumped from the tree and came back home safe and sound. Recorded by: Ahmed Denis Hadjiibrahim the luck My grandmother, Pauna was seven years old. One day, as usual with her elder brother they headed for school. As they lived far from the town, it took them half an hour to walk to the school. That day was a cold one. It was snowing and the snow had covered everything around. They almost had reached the school when they saw a few children who were playing in the snow. Her brother ran to them and left her to walk alone. In a while, he came to her smiling saying they had cancelled the classes because of the heavy snow. At first, she was glad but as it was snowing heavily, she asked him to go back home. On their way back they passed along a peach garden. My grandmother loved it so much. In the summer, she played there and ate of the juicy sweet peaches. She stopped there and was carried away in her memories. When she turned around her brother was not there, his steps had disappeared under the heavy snow. She started to cry and hid to one of the peach trees along the pathway. Next, she remembered waking up at home under the thick quilts. An old man who was walking his dog had found her beside the peach tree by accident. The dog found her buried under the snow. Only one of her shoulders was visible. Recorded by: Mitko Kolev 6 the misfortune My father’s father – Osman Salim Ibryam was born in Karaveliovo village, Ruen municipality. He was the youngest – third child in the family. His father had a shieling on the hill and about 100 goats. Every day my grandfather and his brothers went with their father to take care of the sheep. They got up quite early in the morning, even did not have a breakfast and took the food with them to eat on their way. As usual, one day they got up early and headed for the shieling. When they arrived there, they saw two wholes in the shieling. They entered anxiously and what they saw was a disaster – all goats were lying lifeless! Later, it became clear that two wolves got there and killed all goats. My grandfather could hardly hold back his tears! He was very worried how his father will overcome that. Following that tragic event, my grandfather’s family did not continue raising livestock. They started growing crops and also worked as master builders. Since then, the family had lived life full of hardship. Recorded by: Myrem Osman 7 the test My grandfather was about eleven – twelve years old when he went with his brother and uncle (both of them young bachelors) to take care for the flocks of sheep. One day, at sunset his uncle told him: “Mitko we are going to the village with your brother Stoyan. You stay with the sheep and around midnight gather the flocks in the shieling”. Dark clouds were coming from Burgas and a light drizzle started to fall, followed by a downpour and lightnings. One could hear up from the mountains the howling wolves. The dogs scattered and the sheep run around in the field.

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