THE SAD LEGACY OF THE POPULATION EXCHANGE

The Lausanne Exchangees Foundation (LMV) was founded in 2001. Since its establishment, the LMV has raised awareness about the exchange. The children and grandchildren of the exchangees are organizing rapidly. In the settlements where the exchangees live; foundations, associations, federations are being established. The interest of our universities in the subject is increasing. The number of undergraduate, graduate and doctoral theses is increasing day by day in our universities. Scientific meetings, symposiums, panels, panel discussions are organized. Documentaries, feature films are made. Theater plays are staged. Exhibitions are opened. Museums are established. Poems, stories, and novels are written. The children and grandchildren of the exchangees are conducting research and studies to ensure that the cultural heritage that their ancestors brought with them and in their memories from the lands they called “home” is kept alive and passed on to the younger generations. This is exactly what Süreyya Aytaş does and aims for in this book.

Süreyya Aytaş’s family was settled from the Jerveni village of Kesriye (Kastoria) to the Mustafapaşa (Sinasos) town of Nevşehir during the exchange. The exchangees, who came from a forest/mountain village of Kesriye to the stone mansions and rock-carved houses of Sinasos, a town famous for the stone mansions and rock-carved houses of Cappadocia where the Greeks lived before the exchange, had long-term adaptation problems due to the fact that their mother tongue was not Turkish and due to the physical and geographical conditions. They lived a closed life for many years. They spoke a language that was a dialect of Slavic in their family environment and among themselves. They sang songs in this language, which they called “Macedonian” in their own words. They were sad and joyful in this language. They have made an effort to maintain their culture, traditions, customs and traditions to this day. Süreyya Aytaş, who is also of Jerveni origin, was born and raised in such an environment in Mustafapaşa. He knows this language, which they call “Macedonian”, very well. Süreyya Aytaş, with long years of patient work, compiled the characteristics of the language spoken by the Jerveni refugees, their daily lives, superstitions, birth, death and funeral customs, and food culture. She prepared this book, which contains very valuable information about the living heritage (intangible cultural heritage) of the Jerveni refugees.

The book you are holding in your hands is Süreyya Aytaş's second book published by LMV Publications. His first work, "Endless Immigration", sold out in a short time.

This study will be an important reference source for those who will study folklore/folklore, and will also encourage new studies to be conducted by the children and grandchildren of the exchangees. We hope that such studies will increase.

Sefer Guvenc

Secretary General of the Lausanne Exchangees Foundation

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Publisher: Lausanne Exchangees Foundation

Author: Sureyya Aytas

Translator: Fatih Karlıoğlu

Translation Editor: Leigh Saris

Foreword Translation: Belgin Çalıoğlu

Graphic Design: Kudret Güvenç

Cover Photo: Birol Malçok

Size: 14.5×21 cm

Number of pages: 224

Inner paper: 1. Dough 90 gr.

Print: Monochrome

Language: English

Printing House: GM Printing and Trade Inc.

Print date: October 2018, Istanbul

ISBN: 978-605-81398-2-4