KARAÖZ HACIVAT Reanimated
500 years of tradition, combination of theatrical show, shadow play and story telling supported with music is protected by UNESCO as the “Intengible Cultural Heritage”
“Karagöz and Hacivat" are the lead characters of the traditional Turkish shadow play, popularized
during the Ottoman period. The central theme of the plays are the contrasting interaction between
the two main characters: Karagöz represents the illiterate but straightforward public, whereas
Hacivat belongs to the educated class, speaking Ottoman Turkish and using a poetical and literary
language. Karagöz's native wit always gets the better of Hacivat's learning.
Karagöz and Hacivat themselves are supposedly modeled on two laborers whose banter entertained
their co-workers (and slowed down the work) during the construction of a mosque in Bursa during
the reign of Orhan I (who ruled the nascent Ottoman Empire 1326–1359). They were executed for
the resulting delay of the work, but became folk heroes. One version of the legend says that a
contemporary of theirs, one Şeyh Küşteri, made camel-hide puppets of them and began to perform
plays.
Karagöz-Hacivat plays are especially associated with Ramadan. Until the rise of radio and film, it
was one of the most popular forms of entertainment in Turkey. It survives today mainly in a toneddown
form intended for audiences of children.
Tivimedya is now promoting Karagöz-Hacivat in a way that will present a totally different
experience to the spectators with the help of light and visual effects as well as high tech recording
which will attract all socio-economic groups.
