The centennial of late Turkish literary giant Rıfat Ilgaz’s birth was celebrated last week in his hometown of Cide with the annual Rıfat Ilgaz Sarıyazma Culture and Arts Festival. There was a surprise documentary by director Önder Uygun, chronicling Rıfat Ilgaz’s life that was spent with much suffering, courage and writing The northern town of Cide is one of the few places in Turkey that truly owns up to its legacy. The residents of Cide are proud their town is home to one of the greatest literary names in modern Turkey, Rıfat Ilgaz.
Last Thursday, July 7, was the 18th anniversary of Ilgaz’s death, coinciding with the annual Rıfat Ilgaz Sarıyazma Culture and Arts Festival, held in Cide for the past 16 years. Last weekend witnessed a string of events celebrating the life and works of Ilgaz, a striking being captured in the premiere of the first documentary featuring Ilgaz.
Çınar Publishing House has been honoring Ilgaz’s legacy for years, co-publishing the master’s complete works with İş Bankası Culture Publications, another publishing company responsible for the most comprehensive website on Ilgaz, Rifatilgaz.net, and part of the festival’s organization. Kadir İncesu told Hürriyet Daily News this year was the centennial of Ilgaz’s birth, and “that’s why it was important to have the documentary ready to mark the occasion.”
İncesu recited one of Ilgaz’s most famous poems to summarize the sentiments of the work they have been doing for the centennial: “I split my century into four parts. / Each part, a season, / One left, three gone. / Summer has gone, so has autumn, / Winter, with its snow and blizzard, has gone, / There is only the evergreen spring left!” İncesu and a group of devoted fans, including his son Aydın Ilgaz, are making sure that they are able to create the spring Rıfat Ilgaz was never able to have.
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