ISLAND FRAGRANCE
A Poignant Longing
 
In the subtle lines of the Island Fragrance, there is a poignant longing for the places, people, and festive moments of those bygone beautiful days... Written by Oktay Güldüren and Kubilay Han Kıray, the book is a memoir, history, and story book crafted and based on meticulously researched texts gathered over many years. It is a lament, a document, and a work steeped in longing and nostalgia for the rapidly fading town and neighborhood culture; in other words, the shared life culture produced by both non-Muslim and Muslim communities in the final era of the Ottoman Empire.
 
We delve into the way of life created by people of different religions and ethnic backgrounds who come together in different neighborhoods and, when necessary, in communal areas.
The class and status differences expressed in the proverb “The poor man’s bell rings less”, humble masters, apprentices, tradesmen, and of course, artisans form this life with their hard work and modest happiness.
 
In the Island Fragrance events, situations, places, and characters are presented in a simple, flowing, and authentic narrative within the framework of daily life, where laughter and sorrow are always intertwined. We read about the labor-intensive, delicately nuanced lives of craftsmen and tradesmen, living each day to the fullest.
 
In the final section of this historical landscape, Çatalca, Florya, and Makriköy (Bakırköy) are added. We look at the “Villager Memoir Diary” narrated by Kallistenis Hourmouziadis from Çatalca Çakıl Village. Through the narrator we observe the authentic relationships established by those who later came and settled in the island of Bozcaada with local people.
Songs, poems, stories, laments, and folk tunes expressed in coffeehouses, taverns, entertainment gardens, fairs, and social events remain the most refined literary products of this shared culture...
 
The Girl from Samos
When are you going to Samos?
I will scatter pomegranate seeds into the sea in Samos
I will scatter rose petals on the beach
Where are you going with the boat?
I will attach golden sails
I will make my oars from gold
And come to pick you up
Three-eyed Samos Girl
With black eyes
 
With the Island Fragrance, Oktay Güldüren and Kubilay Han Kıray modestly contribute to local history studies.