Turkey Visit by Native American Storyteller a Resounding

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000800 SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/PPD ALTMAN-WINANS, EUR/FO FOR DAS GRAFFY, R/PPR FOR GRETCHEN WELCH E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP SCUL KPAO TU SUBJECT: Turkey Visit by Native American Storyteller a Resounding Success ¶1. Summary: Embassy Ankara hosted Native American storyteller and singer Redfeather Woman for 21 performances from April 7-20, 2008. Redfeather Woman (AKA Rose Haywood) performed to over 4,000 high school and university students in eight cities in southwestern Turkey and in Ankara. The program was part of an Embassy-sponsored series of visits by U.S. storytellers, supported by R supplemental PD funds that Mission Turkey received for youth outreach activities. Redfeather Woman's presentations helped the Embassy counter the strong anti-Americanism felt by the majority of Turkish youth and foster a dialogue about minority issues and Turkish identity (end summary). Performances Soared Above Expectations ¶2. Rose, a Turkish student interpreter, and an Embassy officer visited schools and universities in Izmir, Aydin, Manisa, Denizli, Isparta, Mugla, Antalya, and Ankara. At each venue, Rose told two stories, one of the origins of the peace pipe, and another about the importance of respecting different cultures. She also performed an original song and ended each show with a circle dance involving the audience. In planning the venues, the Embassy expected about 50-100 students for each performance; however the actual attendance often exceeded 500. In total, over 4,000 young people attended her performances. ¶3. Several performances were particularly memorable. In Aydin, a small city in the Aegean region, Rose was to give two performances at the university in a hall with a maximum capacity of 150. For each performance, over 400 people showed up, including classes of students from elementary schools whose teachers had read about the event on the university's website. The response was so positive that Rose added an impromptu third show. the room was full, though the performance had not been announced. ¶4. Local press covered Rose's visit at nearly every venue. In Isparta, for example, the high school principal invited the local press. Six television, radio and print journalists covered her entire performance. Performances in other cities enjoyed similar coverage. Effective PD Programming in a Challenging Environment ¶5. Turkey has one of the most anti-American publics in Europe. Recent polls indicate only 9-15 percent of the population has a positive view of the United States. Anti-American sentiment is particularly strong among young people. In many universities, the Embassy has been unable to program speakers or cultural events due to resistance or apprehension by university administrators. Despite the challenging environment, Redfeather Woman's program was enthusiastically received by students, teachers and administrators, with many asking the Embassy to sponsor further activities. ¶6. During each program, Rose gave students an opportunity for questions and comments. Students took her up on the offer. One of the more commonly posed questions was whether Native Americans were bitter over their treatment by the U.S. government. Each time, she answered that injustices occurred, but happened over a century ago. She always added that now, the U.S. Government actively supports Native Americans, including by funding programs to teach native languages, build museums, and through programs such as her visit to Turkey. ¶7. Adding to the program's success was the reoccurring theme that Native Americans and Turks have common ancestors. Some scholars believe that Native Americans come from the Turks' ancestral homelands in central Asia. Several audience members pointed out similarities between Native American and traditional Turkish culture: symbols found in Native American beadwork is similar to those found on Turkish carpets; both Turks and Native Americans have medicine men as part of their tradition; and the Native American religion is similar to that practiced by Turks before their conversion to Islam. ¶8. The Embassy's involvement in the program was also highly visible. The American officer introduced Rose for each performance, and at the conclusion of each performance, Rose specifically thanked the Embassy. Each time, the audience applauded the Embassy for its support of the program. A Tool to Explore Turkishness ¶9. Ethnicity and minority rights (including language and cultural rights) are highly sensitive and divisive topics in Turkey, which has fought an ethnically-based, separatist terrorist organization for over 24 years. The program gave participants an opportunity to reflect on Turkishness and it fostered a dialogue on what being a Turk means. ... and reflect on Genocide ¶10. In response to students' questions, Rose acknowledged that genocide had been committed by "the Americans" (students' emphasis) but--she added--that was well over 100 years ago, the nation had moved on and today the Native American population celebrates its rich cultural heritage. The distinction between the US handling of this topic with modern Turkey's sensitivity to publicly discussing the tragic events of 1915 could not be missed by the adults in the audience. Upcoming Programming ¶11. To build on the success of Redfeather Woman's visit, Mission Turkey will organize two additional storytelling programs later this year. At the end of April, an African American storyteller will visit schools and universities in southeastern Turkey and in September another storyteller will perform to students in the Black Sea region. ¶12. Post thanks R for the supplemental funding that made this program possible. This project helped break stereotypes about Americans, and gave us an opportunity to promote discussion and reflection on topics too hot in Turkey to address directly. The program gave our audiences a chance to see for themselves that a strong nation can consist of many cultures, that diversity can be empowering not threatening, and that acknowledging historical events, including tragedies, can build dialogue that strengthens rather than weakens a country. WILSON