'ÇAK ÇAK!' is a RIDICULOUS UPLIFTING SONG COMMENTING on SNOBBERY in TURKEY in the FILM: 'ABÜZER KADAYIF'[The name of a fictional Arabic-Style Turkish Singer, and the name of a Turkish PUDDING] from 2000 is an example of the dramatic changes appearing in Turkey and Turkish Cinema over the last 10 years. SORRY NO ENGLISH SUBTITLES.
'Abüzer Kadayif' is a complicated light comedy on the surface about a mischevious university lecturer [Metin Akpınar] who, for fun, creates an 'Arabesk Babası' [A 'father'-like singer of Turkish popular music in the style of Arabic Music]. However, the singer he dresses up as becomes incredibly popular in a way that 'Arabesk Babaları' ['Arabesk Fathers'] can... It is the struggle with the 'fame' of 'Abüzer Kadayif', balanced with the quiet life of a popular elderly college teacher.
A recent comment on 'Yazı Tura' ['Heads or Tails'][1999] made a relevant point: "Turkish films are still not 'International Cinema'.." - Meaning that Turkey is a complicated country with complex society and history, one needs to know a bit about Turkey to completely grasp the references in movies from and about the Turks.
'Abüzer Kadayif' is no exception. The deeper plot of 'Abüzer' revolves around aftershocks of rapid urbanisation of Turkey and legacy of two decades of art and media that was devoted to the pain and celebration of the migration from rural life. Now in the cities, that rural life and two decades of folk dance and countryside singers are some source of 'discomfort' to some strands of Turkish Society, particularly the urban Youth who appear to need to be seen as 'American' for some reason?
The 'Kadayif' movie creates an Arabesk star like Müslüm Gürses or İbrahim Tatlıses who had unbelievable power and popularity in the 1980s. Now, the melancholic Arabesk is a reminder of a rural life, a peasant Turkey that now makes parts of Turk Society shudder with 'shame'. Yet, just a couple of decades ago this kind of singer was like a 'father' or 'king'. The Arabesk singer, like the Spanish Flamenco singer, could make the people cry and weep. The decades ago youth would cry so much that they would self-harm by cutting their arms with razor blades. It was common to see youngsters with very scarred arms. This Arabesk Culture may have had some vague connection to Sufi Islam?
'Abüzer Kadayif' is a film that really laughs at contemporary Turks and their perceived 'Countryside Terror' which is articulated in one word in the cities now: "Kro". The word 'Kro' is apparently from Kurdish meaning 'Brave Man' but it is used as a put-down to mean countryside people who migrate to the towns for work. They are characterised as wearing guady clashing clothes and white shoes with bad teeth plus low manners....
'Abüzer Kadayif' is just such a 'Kro'. His bright 'Cafcaflı'[over -the-top] clothes, white shoes and rural speaking of "Ay-yee!" and various references to God's Blessings are a hilarious tease on what 'City Folk' Turks really hate in countyside manners. It is a harsh satire of all the countryside roots and migration pain, and maybe in some ways, regret of the loss of that simple life and rich Turkish Heritage that Globalisation has swept away...
The word 'Kro' was such a strong put-down by the city middle classs, aimed at destroying Arabesk and rural culture in the cities, that eventually the Turkish Government made it a crime to use the word 'Kro' to describe anyone.
But, the damage was done.. by ONE WORD: 'Kro'. Therefore, any music or dress that was 'Eastern' or 'Rural' was frowned on and removed from the culture and became a 'shame' to be connected to....Thus 20 years of Ankaralı Havası [A folk pop genre 'The Wind of Ankara']; Arabesk; Karadeniz [Black Sea folk pop]; Halk [Folk pop] and the Sanat Music [Turkish Art Music - A kind of oriental palace music in a pop form] that had been so popular were either destroyed or santised to a point that and 'culture' was neutral...Strangely, the 'pop' genre itself, which was always clearly 'pop' added a very 'Arabic' sound which debased Turkish pop as some thing more like 'Weak Arabesk'??
Further to this Arabesk Music and the 'Babalar' were officially 'removed' from the street by a law from the Turkish Government that: "Prohibits bus and taxi drivers from playing cassettes in their vehicles. Only the radio [Turkish sanitised pop] may be played..."... Like the 'Smoking Ban' in public places, there is an 'Arabesk Ban' across Turkey too...
Hence the satire of film 'Abüzer Kadayif' which is looking at contemporary Turkey and its 'Arabesk Phenomenon' which has been forced to Americana. Then looking further back to the formation of The Turkish Republic which lost Turkey its Ottoman writing and poetry, plus hats, clothing, social order and Sufi Cults...
