Karagöz,
known as "Zıl-ı Hayal" or "Hayal Oyunu", is an original
shadow play genie which has been developingfor six centuries. Shadow plays have been shown in many countries for many years. The place of origin of shadow playing is generally considered to be the Far East and Java. However, some researchers, such as Berhald Laufer and Herman Reich, hold the view that shadow playing originated in the Mediterranean region. We are in agreement with them.
The existence of Hittite Reliefs, which are three to four thousand years old, and the shadow play Harohus of Byzantine, which resemble today's Karagöz, Hacivat and Beberuhi figures, supports this thesis. As with other branches of art, Turkish Karagöz was influenced by other cultures, in the main Mediterranean and Anatolian Culture, as would be expected. Karagöz however, has been revered in Turkish culture for centuries. All Turkish Folk History maintains that Turkish Karagöz, was begun in Bursa. According to legend, Karagöz and Hacivat, two workers on Orhan Mosque, held up the building of the mosque by their constant joking together. As a result, Sultan Orhan had them executed.
The Sultan later regretted their execution, and had Şeyh Küşteri make figures of them and have them shown
on screen. Thus was Karagöz shadow play given birth to. Evliya Çelebi, who lived in the 17t h century, gave a different
version at first but subsequently wrote that Hacivat was a Bursaite and that the comic pair first met and talked to
each other in Bursa, also. The connection between Karagöz and Bursa is substantiated by more than legend. The play-songs have always quoted Bursa as the birthplace of this shadow playing.
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The existence of a district named Karagöz in Bursa in the 15th century,
Hacivat Inn (Kervansaray) and Hacivat River is not mere coincidence. The
grave of Şeyh Küşteri, creator of Karagöz, was just opposite the
Municipality Building in Bursa, adjacent to Ulucami (The Great Mosque)
until 1960. It can be easily understood that the Karagöz shadow play was the most outstanding item on the Turkish cultural agenda during the 15th century, and that it was first shown in Bursa, as Bursa was the capital of the Ottoman Empire and, therefore, the Empire's cultural centre.Bursa's artistes and Bursaites in general, concerned at the 20 th Century waning of this traditional art, have,in the past number of years,taken steps to reinvigorate it, with resounding success. Happily, this year the fourth Karagöz Festival has been organized for November to further advance awareness of Karagöz and its place of birth, and, please God, (inşallah) there will be many more. |
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penniless. His costume consists of a hat called işkirlak, a tunic, a cummerbund and his footwear is red yemeni. He typifies the public with his round face, beard and large eyes. Each Karagöz shadow theatre production is performed by
one artiste. The figures, made of translucent camel leather, are coloured only by natural dyes.The figures are placed on
sticks and are projected onto the screen by the puppeteer by means of a light placed behind. The performer both
operates the figures and does the voice-over of each character.The unwavering popularity of Karagöz and Hacivat can be
seen everywhere in Bursa, as many places and establishments are named after them. Not least is the beautiful monument to the pair on Çekirge Road. Enjoy Karagöz and Bursa !..
Karagöz
is a shadow play whose true form is the moving of beings named as designs
made from skin of a camel or cow with sticks on a white curtain by
reflecting light behind them. The play takes its name from its main
character “Karagöz”. The source of
shadow plays is accepted as southeastern Asian countries. There are
different views about it coming to Turkey. One of the views is that the
plays such as “ember armlet” and “dream tent” known in Middle East
are shadow plays and they’ve been brought to Anatolia during migrations.
Other view is that the shadow play has come into Turkey after Yavuz Sultan
Selim, who had conquered Egypt in 1517, had brought the shadow play
artists to Turkey.| Karagöz had
become one of the most enjoyed entertainment methods of public, which
mainly focused on public types beginning from the 18th century.
Karagöz is played depending on the talent of an artist. Moving the design
on curtain, voicing them, dialects or imitations are all made by the
artist.The subjects of
Karagöz plays are funny elements. Double meanings, exaggerations, verbal
plays, imitating accents are the main elements of the comedy.
1. The beginning section in which Hacivat comes to the curtain singing semai and Karagöz’s calling him after saying a lyric poem and in which Karagöz and hacivat quarrel is called “Mukaddime”. In this section, the play’s philosophical and Islamic mysticism and showing the realities are underlined by the lyric poem Hacivat said. |
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| 4. At
the ending part of the play, the ending is informed with the conversation
of Karagöz and Hacivat and apologies are made for any mistakes of the
event to the spectators and the announcement of the following game is made
and the play ends.
In Karagöz play, there’s satire and irony. These ironies may reach to the state administrators with a humorous style.The main characters of the play are Karagöz and Hacivat. Karagöz represents the public’s morals and common sense. He speaks as he is. Hacivat is educated in Moslem theology school and he’s unreliable and following the order. The other characters are Tuzsuz (Salties) Çelebi, Drunk, Baberuhi, Albanian, Jewish, Circassian, Kurdish, Laz, Addictive, males taking female parts etc. |
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