GREEN YAYLA FESTIVAL: A THIRD OCCURRENCE!
We are pleased to announce that the third Green Yayla Arts, Culture, and Ecological Festival will again take place. This year’s dates are: August 1-2-3, 2008. It is with joy and enthusiasm that we share about our preparations for this year’s time on the Eastern Black Sea stage. Our assorted cultural and professional experiences, young and dynamic nature, and proficiency regarding the local region, culture and environment distinguish us, the Gola Culture, Art, and Ecology Association, from other festivals of the region. We are sensitive to the needs of festival participants as well as the festival sites, and will take all necessary precautions.
Possessing the unique trait of a traveling festival, the Green Yayla festival will again take place, as it has in past years, in various locations rather than one permanent place. This year our hosts will be Fındıklı Abu-Çağlayan Valley and Hemşin valley. These locations are connected to and dependent on Rize- the natural surroundings of which are threatened by the founding of hydroelectric power plants and other environmental issues. Additionally, Hemşin has the unique characteristic of being one of the pilot regions for the production of organic tea.
As was done in the past two festivals, this year’s festival was created around one theme. Our theme this year is: STREAMS, a defining characteristic of the Eastern Black Sea region’s natural surroundings and culture. Participants will have the opportunity, through nature walks and trips, to view the streams and creeks of the region from a different perspective.
From streams to valleys, traditional architecture to handcrafts, local cuisine and music, the assorted events of the festival will again be distinct and impressive.
Here are a few examples of the guest artists participants can anticipate hearing from:
· Neşet Ertaş is a significant contributor to awareness in Turkey, and around the world, of the central Anatolian mournful folk tradition, Abdal Music. We look forward to listening to Neşet Ertaş, and sharing with pride the musical tradition he represents, in the Hemşin Çüpen Düzün.
· Group Helesa offers another example of the rich linguistic diversity of the Eastern Black Sea region. Listeners will be enchanted by their presentation of various musical traditions of the region.
· İlknur Yakupoğlu and Ayşenur Kolivar will share with us from their wealth of academic knowledge and artistic expertise in the “Black Sea Women on Stage” portion of the festival.
· Birol Topaloğlu, one of the pioneers in today’s Laz music, will add vibrant color to the festival with his performance of epic music. Partakers are sure to delight in this rare, but lavish, musical feast.
We have yet to be informed whether the festival will be accompanied by the Eastern Black Sea region’s characteristic precipitation, but this is, in NO way, viewed as an obstacle by the festival planning team. Rain is a necessary and welcome part of the natural and cultural makeup of the region. Accordingly, we would like to leave you with the charming quotation:
Everywhere under the sun is swimable!
Have you ever swum in a creek in the rain?
We hope to see you there!
Gola, Culture, and Ecology Association
3rd Green Yayla Arts, Culture, and Environment Festival Organization Committee
www.golader.org
You may find additional information about the 3
rd festival posted on our website in the upcoming weeks—along with pictures, videos, comments, and information about the programs of the 1
st and 2
nd Green Yayla festivals. Meanwhile, feel free to contact us at:
info@yaylafest.orggolader@gmail.com
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I write as the Executive Director of a California-based foundation created by Alan Christensen which has been funding internationally on environmental