Dianne Wampler  04/29/2008 12:29:32 PM  From  DB/Inbox:  Dianne Wampler

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UNCLAS        ANKARA 00800

SIPDIS
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    ACTION: PA
    INFO:   POL PMA ECON AMB DCM

DISSEMINATION: PAO /1
CHARGE: PAS

APPROVED: A/DCM: KDEBLAUW
DRAFTED: ACAO: JANDERSON
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VZCZCAYI116
RR RUEHC
DE RUEHAK #0800/01 1200558
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 290558Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 6099

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000800 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/PPD ALTMAN-WINANS, EUR/FO FOR DAS GRAFFY, R/PPR FOR 
GRETCHEN WELCH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP SCUL KPAO TU
SUBJECT: Turkey Visit by Native American Storyteller a Resounding 
Success 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Embassy Ankara hosted Native American storyteller and 
singer Redfeather Woman for 21 performances from April 7-20, 2008. 
Redfeather Woman (AKA Rose Haywood) performed to over 4,000 high 
school and university students in eight cities in southwestern 
Turkey and in Ankara.  The program was part of an Embassy-sponsored 
series of visits by U.S. storytellers, supported by R supplemental 
PD funds that Mission Turkey received for youth outreach activities. 
 Redfeather Woman's presentations helped the Embassy counter the 
strong anti-Americanism felt by the majority of Turkish youth and 
foster a dialogue about minority issues and Turkish identity (end 
summary). 
 
Performances Soared Above Expectations 
¶2.  Rose, a Turkish student interpreter, and an Embassy officer 
visited schools and universities in Izmir, Aydin, Manisa, Denizli, 
Isparta, Mugla, Antalya, and Ankara.  At each venue, Rose told two 
stories, one of the origins of the peace pipe, and another about the 
importance of respecting different cultures.  She also performed an 
original song  and ended each show with a circle dance involving the 
audience.  In planning the venues, the Embassy expected about 50-100 
students for each performance; however the actual attendance often 
exceeded 500.  In total, over 4,000 young people attended her 
performances. 
 
¶3.  Several performances were particularly memorable.  In Aydin, a 
small city in the Aegean region, Rose was to give two performances 
at the university in a hall with a maximum capacity of 150.   For 
each performance, over 400 people showed up, including classes of 
students from elementary schools whose teachers had read about the 
event on the university's website.  The response was so positive 
that Rose added an impromptu third show.  the room was full, though 
the performance had not been announced. 
 
¶4.  Local press covered Rose's visit at nearly every venue.  In 
Isparta, for example, the high school principal invited the local 
press.  Six television, radio and print journalists covered her 
entire performance.   Performances in other cities enjoyed similar 
coverage. 
 
Effective PD Programming in a Challenging Environment 
¶5.  Turkey has one of the most anti-American publics in Europe. 
Recent polls indicate  only 9-15 percent of the population has a 
positive view of the United States.  Anti-American sentiment is 
particularly strong among young people.  In many universities, the 
Embassy has been unable to program speakers or cultural events due 
to resistance or apprehension by university administrators. Despite 
the challenging environment, Redfeather Woman's program was 
enthusiastically received by students, teachers and administrators, 
with many asking the Embassy to sponsor further activities. 
 
¶6.  During each program, Rose gave students an opportunity for 
questions and comments.  Students took her up on the offer.  One of 
the more commonly posed questions was whether Native Americans were 
bitter over their treatment by the U.S. government.  Each time, she 
answered that injustices occurred, but happened over a century ago. 
 She always added that now, the U.S. Government actively supports 
Native Americans, including by funding programs to teach native 
languages, build museums, and through programs such as her visit to 
Turkey. 
 
¶7.  Adding to the program's success was the reoccurring theme that 
Native Americans and Turks have common ancestors.  Some scholars 
believe that Native Americans come from the Turks' ancestral 
homelands in central Asia.  Several audience members pointed out 
similarities between Native American and traditional Turkish 
culture:  symbols found in Native American beadwork is similar to 
those found on Turkish carpets; both Turks and Native Americans have 
medicine men as part of their tradition; and the Native American 
religion is similar to that practiced by Turks before their 
conversion to Islam. 
 
¶8.  The Embassy's involvement in the program was also highly 
visible.  The American officer introduced Rose for each performance, 
and at the conclusion of each performance, Rose specifically thanked 
the Embassy.  Each time, the audience applauded the Embassy for its 
support of the program. 
 
A Tool to Explore Turkishness 
 
¶9.  Ethnicity and minority rights (including language and cultural 
rights) are highly sensitive and divisive topics in Turkey, which 
has fought an ethnically-based, separatist terrorist organization 
for over 24 years.  The program gave participants an opportunity to 
reflect on Turkishness and it fostered a dialogue on what being a 
Turk means. 
 
... and reflect on Genocide 
 
¶10.  In response to students' questions, Rose acknowledged that 
genocide had been committed by "the Americans" (students' emphasis) 
but--she added--that was well over 100 years ago, the nation had 
moved on and  today the Native American population celebrates its 
rich cultural heritage. The distinction between the US handling of 
this topic with modern Turkey's sensitivity to publicly discussing 
the tragic events of 1915 could not be missed by the adults in the 
audience. 
 
Upcoming Programming 
 
 
¶11.  To build on the success of Redfeather Woman's visit, Mission 
Turkey will organize two additional storytelling programs later this 
year.  At the end of April, an African American storyteller will 
visit schools and universities in southeastern Turkey and in 
September another storyteller will perform to students in the Black 
Sea region. 
 
¶12.  Post thanks R for the supplemental funding that made this 
program possible. This project helped break stereotypes about 
Americans, and gave us an opportunity to promote discussion and 
reflection on topics too hot in Turkey to address directly.  The 
program gave our audiences a chance to see for themselves that a 
strong nation can consist of many cultures, that diversity can be 
empowering not threatening, and that acknowledging historical 
events, including tragedies, can build dialogue that strengthens 
rather than weakens a country. 
 
WILSON