Musicians in Turkey: ‘State wants to create a society of beggars’

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One of them has been a solo singer for 36 years, another has been working as a trap drummer in bars and nightclubs for nearly 30 years. With his wife bedridden, an oud player wants to give private lessons at home due to unemployment and economic hardships.

Several music hall and nightclub workers, dancers, roadies and tonmeisters have been unemployed in Turkey due to the pandemic.

While most of them criticize the Ministry of Culture and Tourism for planning to give them only 1,000 lira (~120 USD) in aid, some think that this amount will help the ones working for a daily wage, at least a little bit.

'They want to create a society of beggars'

"They should not help us because of the pandemic, they should provide us with social security. The state does not fulfill its duty of inspection," says Ufuk Ünek. He is of the opinion that their problems that have become visible with the outbreak of the pandemic in fact lie much deeper.

Ufuk Ünek is 52 years old; he has been working as a trap drummer in bars and nightclubs for 30 years. "To me, what is done now is only for the show of it," he tells bianet, adding that musicians and performing artists cannot do any other job. Ünek adds:

'We have so many friends in need of this money'

"It is not easy for people who work on the stage to adapt themselves to another, different job at once. On my part, I do not want to get this aid; what the state wants to do is to create a society of beggars.

"But, on the other side, we have so many friends who are so deeply in need of this money. Some artists more in the spotlight might be right, but they cannot speak on behalf of all of us. Musicians are in a very bad situation. Some sell their instruments, some cannot bring bread home. The state has never extended its hand to us.

"The Article 64 of the Constitution says, 'The state shall protect the artistic activities and artists.' But it remains on the paper, there is no such thing in practice. If you listen to the problems of musicians, it will take ages."

'I will at least pay the maintenance fee'

Elçin Can is a solo singer. She has been on the stage for 36 years. "We were practicing our profession, but the conditions have left us helpless," she says:

"Just imagine being in our shoes: What can you afford with this 1,000 lira? If you have children as well, how will that happen? We would rather prefer our jobs going well than getting an aid like alms given to a beggar.

"I am retired, but I do not own any property apart from this. I received a loan during the pandemic, thinking that I could pay it back with the money I would earn by singing. But we could not start working. I am paying the loan debt now. There are people in a much worse situation than me.

"I am 61 years old. I will of course apply for the Ministry's project. The municipality gave 500 lira as well. I will at least pay my maintenance fee.

"Thanks God that I have collected friends over the years though I have been unable to save up money. My landlady did not receive the rent for five months; my friends that I borrowed money told me that I did not have to pay it back straight away.

"But there are thousands of fellow musicians who do not have these opportunities. It is also questionable for how long they will give the money they are talking about. It will be much better if they pay our fellow laborers at least 1,000 lira a month until this process comes to an end."

'Erhan Güleryüz does not represent us'

Another musician who worked as a tonmeister also talks to bianet about his living conditions amid the pandemic. He says that musician Erhan Güleryüz, who has recently denounced the Ministry for giving musicians only 1,000 lira in aid, does not represent them:

"People want to apply for it even if it is for 100 lira, let alone 1,000 lira. I am talking about several performing artists from Edirne to Hakkari. Yes, the amount is low, but it will still help. The Ministry of Culture has at least shown that it has taken a step for musicians who have been ignored.

"The protest of Erhan Güleryüz is his own, we are not the ones that he represents. Several of our friends will pay their bills thanks to this support."

'Artists in the spotlight manage their affairs'

Musicians Union (Müzik-Sen) Chair İpek Koçyiğit reminds us that "they, as the union, represent the laborers who do not have any job security."

Expressing her respect for the artists criticizing the aid planned to be made by the Ministry, Koçyiğit says, "The artists who are in the spotlight manage their affairs in some way, but what about the ones singing in nightclubs, roadies, belly dancers, technical crews and folk poets working for a daily wage in wedding ceremonies? What will they do?"

"Our phones do not stop ringing. People are out to get the aid of the municipality and this 1,000 lira that we are talking about. You can protest whomever you want, but it is not the group that we represent."

'Musicians should be registered'

Emphasizing that the ones working in this sector do not have any security, İpek Koçyiğit says that basic issues such as the law on retroactive indebtedness for retirement, depreciation, social rights and personal rights should be resolved as soon as possible:

"These people should be registered. Until when can belly dancers work? There are really desperate laborers. Artists are not without an identity, personality or honor. They have endured so far, they endured it all for 9 months. They have had to cry out after everything became unbearable.

"Of course, I respect the ones who protest, finding 1,000 given by the Ministry low. But this is the general problem of the musicians that I am really angry about: They cannot unite. I am talking about people working underground like miners. There are no longer nightclubs, either. Where will these people work? It is time to put aside individualism and unite." (AÖ/SD)