El Turko Diaries
Ottoman Traces in Latin America
Dr. Israfil Kuralay PROFILE BOOK
Israfil Kuralay, in his book El Turko Chronicles, tells the story of the immigrants who arrived in the Americas in the 19th century with their passports after long and difficult journeys. The dramatic migration stories of around 30 million Ottoman citizens, who are known as “El Turko”, who spread all over the continent, especially living in South America, from generation to generation, and their struggles to advance in class and gain social prestige are worth reading.
Kuralay shares his experiences in the footsteps of El Turkos during his tour of Latin America, which is also presented as a 13-part documentary, in the form of diaries. With his diaries from Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Chile and Mexico, he touches on the causes of migration and the difficult struggles in the countries of destination.