Author: Koç, Canan Olpak

Annotation: In this study, it will be thought about the attitude of the Kyrgyz writer Cengiz Aytmatov against the orientalist view in the testimony of his life and works, and an evaluation will be made on the subject. First of all, the conceptual and cultural meaning of the term orientalism will be mentioned, and the reasons for the preference of this point of view by the other half of the world will be emphasized and the text will be started. As an example of this, Jale Parla examined orientalism around Turkish Myth in her work Mastership/Orientalism/Slavery. In this study, orientalism will be examined on the Central Asian myth by making a different reading. Orientalism, in its most general definition, is a term that corresponds to the West's view of the East. The knowledge of the eternal rivalry between the West and the East takes place in the memory and history of humanity. However, this information changes its direction after entering a period that is used for political purposes and opens the door to conspiracy theories. The desires of the West, which is thought to be fascinated by the discovery of the East and the orientalism brought to the agenda by Edward Said, will become even more visible. What is the East in the framework of the article, is there another East of the West? answers will be sought within the framework of the myth of Central Asia. Finally, an effort will be made to understand the attitude of Cengiz Aytmatov, a writer who came out of Central Asia, towards this meta-linguistic view, by expressing an opinion on the inclusion of Central Asia in this field of view, that is, the orientalist view, by Western countries.

Keywords: Orientalism, Turkish myth, West, East, Where is the East? Central Asian myth, Cengiz Aytmatov, Works of Cengiz Aytmatov.

Pages in journal: 96 - 106