OIA CULTURAL AND LADIES AUXILIARY COMMITTEES’

FRIDAY  FAMILY AND MOVIE NIGHT

A GREAT SUCCESS!

By Mariette Okhanes

Thank you to all those who came out to Organization of Istanbul Armenians Cultural and Ladies Auxiliary Committees’ first Family Dinner night along with the screening of outdoor movie “KINALI KINALI” at “Kurian Terrace”, last Friday night July, 13th! About 120 people enjoyed the movie.

The event started with the guests mingling with each other until the BBQ service started. Everyone seemed to really enjoy the delicious bbqued “Kofte” sandwiches and the “Bean salad” as well as the popcorn, pretzels and chips were served along with the sodas, beer and the tasty watermelon. Some of the guests enjoyed the “Tavloo” and cards games, while others watched the film which was adapted from a play, and tells the story of a boy and a girl who were classmates in school. Upon graduation, the girl travels to America while the boy remains in Istanbul. She meets a guy from India and they make plans to get married. The girl’s family stands against this marriage plan and they manage to bring her back to Istanbul, specifically to Kinali Island and marry her off to an Armenian guy.

The moral of the story is that the Armenian Soul and the Armenian family are the cradle and the foundation of life where parents represent the Armenian nation at large. The film mixed with humor and laughter, provided hilarious moments to the audience.

Kınalıada (Armenian: Գնալը կղզի; Greek: Πρώτη, Proti ‘first’) is an island in the Sea of Marmara; it is the closest of the Prince Islands to Istanbul, Turkey, lying about 12 kilometres (7 mi) to the south. Administratively, it is a neighborhood in the Adalar district of Istanbul.

Kınalıada means “Henna Island” in Turkish, as the land has a reddish color from the iron and copper that has been mined here. This is one of the least forested of the Prince Islands.

Byzantine and Ottoman Greeks called it Proti, and they and their Armenian neighbors built Ottoman-Victorian summer villas on the island, many of which survive along with several churches. Kınalıada, the smallest of the Prince Islands, the flower of Istanbul, attracts you with the sweetness of a little child.

We would like to mention that in  Kinali  we have  a church and  a recreational station  where the students go to  Summer Camp.

.At the end of the event, OIA Cultural Committee Chairman Dr. Ohannes Kulak Avedikyan thanked the following members and friends who supported and helped to succeed the event, Messrs. Berc Gayda, Yeghia Kose, Istepan Halici, Minas Urnecli, and Mrs. Mariette Okhanes, as well as the Ladies Auxiliary Committee members “The Golden Hands” led by their Chairlady Mrs. Talin Yaylaoglu.  

We hope to see you all next time! It was a great success and we couldn’t have done it without the volunteers of OIA members and friends.