Gezi Park’s Linguistic Legacy: Words, Chants and Song Lyrics
T shirt, Taksim Square, Istanbul (Photo: Dalia Mortada)
When Prime Minister Erdogan called the protesters çapulcular (pronounced cha-pul-ju-lar), he wasn't paying them a compliment. The term translates roughly to "looters", "marauders" or "bums".
To make sure people around the world knew how to use it one protester made a tutorial video. He starts by teaching viewers the simple present tense, "I chapul everyday…he chapuls everyday." He moves onto the present continuous tense, "I have been chapulling for six days." To protect him from teargas while "chapulling", the instructor dons a surgical mask and some swimming goggles.
Turks now have been using the English -ing form, "chapulling". It means "a resistance to force, or to demand ones rights." Some protesters wear t-shirts with "chapuller", or the Turkish form "Chapulcu" , scribbled across them. Others labeled their tents at Gezi Park things like, "No. 1 chapul street". With this word it seems like a wave of creativity and humor was unleashed amongst the protesters.
A choir from the Bosphorous University took a traditional Turkish song and outfitted it with some new lyrics. They sing of gas masks and protests. They sing that the teargas is sweeter than honey.
Community activist Ezgi says protesters used ironic humour every chance they got. Graffiti scribbled across walls and sidewalks as well as signs played with Turkish words and Erdogan's name.
One night, a group of football fans even commandeered an earth digger and charged it at one of the police's "public intervention vehicles", or TOMA for short. They called it the POMA, for "police intervention vehicle." To add insult to injury, protesters later painted it pink to soften its look. "The earth digger was lying here like a killed beast," Ezgi says, "as if a captured enemy."
The humor was also present in the chants and songs protesters created. Ezgi gave the example of a group of women came up with a slogan that said "Dear Tayyip [Erdogan], thanks to you we will look great this summer, because pressurized water is good for our cellulite!"
In Taksim Square guys chanted, "Let's see you use that pepper spray. Take off your helmets, drop your batons and let's see who's the real man" Meanwhile, feminists warned Erdogan to "run away, because the women are coming."
Not everyone could make it out to the street to have their say, so they did so from home. Every night at 9pm for the past two weeks, neighborhoods throughout Istanbul have erupted with the clanking of wooden spoons against pots and pans, silverware against plates.
It's not the first time pots and pans have been used to express discontent in Turkey or abroad. But this time, the sound has inspired musicians.
Kardes Turkuler, or Songs of Fraternity, are a well known ensemble. This song they just released has become a sort of anthem for the protests. "Enough with the headstrong decrees and commands," they sing, "We're really fed up!"
Music has played a major role in the Gezi Park protests. Throughout the park, many played instruments, from beating their drums to blowing into bagpipes. Others danced to the music and chanted. Some created new songs based on the protests, and while others sang traditional ones that passersby joined in on.
Many of the protesters say they want to hang onto this spirit of humor and creativity especially now that their argument with the government seems to be entering a more complicated phase.
Our coverage reaches millions each week, but only a small fraction of listeners contribute to sustain our program. We still need 224 more people to donate $100 or $10/monthly to unlock our $67,000 match. Will you help us get there today?