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Tatar Language Preservation Strategies and Educational Activities in Finland

Year 2021, Volume: 11 Issue: 19, 241 - 258, 24.07.2021

Abstract

The Tatar community in Finland has for more than a century organised regular activities and education in Tatar language. These activities support and encourage the Tatar speakers from early childhood to old age to learn, use and transmit their language. Today the Islamic congregations in Helsinki and Tampere and the cultural and sports associations gather speakers from all age groups for many kinds of events and projects. For instance a kindergarten, weekend school, summer camps, sports and cultural gatherings, online meetings and a club for pensioners bring together Tatars not only from the Helsinki area but also from other parts of Finland and abroad. Earlier activities include a choir and theatre group; music and drama are still important elements in all Tatar events in Finland. The Tatar community further publishes learning materials, books and a magazine, Mähallä Habärläre ‘Community News’.

The Tatars in Finland have always followed very closely national and international social and technical developments, adapting their language preservation and support activities to a changing world; for instance, during the Covid-19 pandemic many events and activities moved into the internet. Present challenges reflect the tendencies both globally and in the Finnish society: securing the continuation of events and activities; developing and making Tatar events and materials more attractive to children, teenagers and young adults; providing interesting books and texts for reading and learning; and using new technologies to transmit the language to the following generations. This article, based on an indepth interview with Gölten Bedretdin, chairwoman of the Finnish Islamic Congregation with several decades of experience in organisational work for the Tatar community in Finland, presents a general overview of the current situation of the Tatar language preservation and educational activities in Finland. The topic and current period have until now been little documented.

References

  • Alis, Abdulla & Bedretdin, Gölten & Yafay Nogmanov, Kamer (2020): Äkiyätlär ilendä: satukirja. [In the fairy tale land]. Helsinki: Suomen Islam-seurakunta.
  • Baibulat, Muazzez (2004): Tampereen Islamilainen Seurakunta: juuret ja historia. Tampere İslam Mahallesı: Nigızı ve tarihı. The Tampere Islamic Congregation: the Roots and History. Tampere: Tampereen Islamilainen Seurakunta.
  • Başkarma (2002). Mişär Tatar – Halîk Köyläre. Music CD. Helsinki: Akbazar Oy. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwQY88PK25rL7J9KE0PHEZA
  • Bedretdin, Kadriye (2011): Tugan tel. Kirjoituksia Suomen tataareista. [Native language. Writings about the Finnish Tatars]. Helsinki: Suomen Itämainen Seura.
  • Belyaev, Ramil (2017): Татарская диаспора Финляндии: вопросы интеграции и сохранения идентичности. [The Tatar diaspora in Finland: questions about integration and preserving identity]. Helsinki: University of Helsinki. PhD thesis.
  • Bokpil websites: https://bokpil.eu/tt/ and https://villa.bokpil.eu/tt/
  • Eroa kirkosta [Leave the Church]: https://eroakirkosta.fi/
  • Finnish Islamic Congregation: http://tatar.fi/
  • Finnish Islamic Congregation (2018). Süzlär dönyası – Sanojen maailma – The world of words. Helsinki: Suomen Islam-seurakunta.
  • Finnish Islamic Congregation (2016 – 2020). Ana tele 1-6. Helsinki: Suomen Islam-seurakunta.
  • Finnish Islamic Congregation (2014). İzge miras. Documentary film.
  • Finnish Islamic Congregation (2011). Mäçetkä iltkän yul. Documentary film.
  • Halen, Harry & Martikainen, Tuomas (2016): Finland. Muslim Tatar minorities in the Baltic Sea region. Svanberg, I. & Westerlund, D. (eds). Leiden: Brill. 86–104.
  • Leitzinger, Antero (2006): Suomen tataarit : vuosina 1868-1944 muodostuneen muslimiyhteisön menestystarina. [The Finnish Tatars: the success story of a Muslim community founded 1868/1944). Helsinki: East-West Books.
  • Leitzinger, Antero (1996): Mishäärit – Suomen vanha islamilainen yhteisö, Helsinki: Kirja- Leitzinger. Samaletdin, Derya (n.d.): Künegüler. Helsinki: Suomen Islam-seurakunta.
  • Suomen Islam-seurakunta (2016 – 2020). Ana tele 1-6. Helsinki: Suomen Islam-seurakunta. 15
  • Samaletdin, Derya (n.d.). Künegüler. Helsinki: Suomen Islam-seurakunta.
  • Stahlberg, Sabira (2020). Multicoloured language. Helsinki: Bokpil.
  • Svanberg, Ingvar; Ståhlberg, Sabira; Bekkin, Renat (2020). “Horsemeat in the culinary traditions of the Mishär Tatar diaspora in the eastern Baltic Sea region: cultural and historical aspects”. Journal of Ethnic Foods 7:38, p. 2–11.
  • Tukay, Abdulla (2009). Su anası. Vedenhaltijan kampa. Nasretdin, Fazile; Nisametdin, Feride;Neuvonen, Marja.; Korolainen, Tuula; Nasretdin, Tarik (eds.) Järvenpää: Yabalak grp.
  • Yabalak dictionary: https://yabalak.fi/
  • Yabalak group (2007): Äylän-bäylän. Music CD with texts. Helsinki: Yabalak grp.

Finlandiya’daki Tatar Dilinin Korunması ve Eğitim Faaliyetleri

Year 2021, Volume: 11 Issue: 19, 241 - 258, 24.07.2021

Abstract

Finlandiya’daki Tatar topluluğu, bir yüzyıldan fazla bir süredir Tatar dilinde düzenli faaliyetler düzenlemekte ve eğitim vermektedir. Bu etkinlikler, Tatarca konuşanların daha erken çocukluk döneminden itibaren dillerini öğrenmelerini, geliştirmelerini ve aktarmalarını desteklemektedir. Bugün Helsinki ve Tampere’deki İslami cemaatler, kültürel dernekler ve spor organizasyonları, çok çeşitli ortak etkinlikler ve projeler için tüm yaş gruplarından konuşmacıları bir araya getirmektedir. Örneğin bir anaokulu, hafta sonu okulu, yaz kampı, spor ve kültür toplantıları, edebiyat tartışma grubu ve emekliler kulübü, hem ağırlıklı olarak Helsinki bölgesinden hem de Finlandiya’nın diğer bölgelerinden ve yurtdışından Tatarları bir araya getirmektedir. Yapılan faaliyetler arasında bir koro ve tiyatro grubu bulunmaktadır; müzik ve drama, Finlandiya’daki tüm Tatar etkinliklerinin hala önemli bir parçasıdır. Tatar topluluğu ayrıca öğrenme materyalleri, kitaplar ve Mähallä Habärläre ‘Cemiyet Haberleri’ adlı bir dergi yayınlamaktadır.

Finlandiya’daki Tatarlar, hem Finlandiya’daki hem de dünyadaki sosyal ve teknik gelişmeleri yakından takip ederek dili koruma ve destekleme faaliyetlerini değişen dünyaya uyarlamışlardır; Covid-19 pandemisi süresince etkinlikler çevrimiçi olarak düzenlenmiştir. Mevcut zorluklar Finlandiya’da ve dünyadaki genel eğilimlerle paralel gitmektedir: etkinliklerin ve faaliyetlerin devamının sağlanması, geliştirilmesi ve gençler ve genç yetişkinler için daha çekici hale getirilmesi, daha fazla okuma materyali sağlanması ve dili gelecek nesillere aktarmak için yeni teknolojilerin kullanılması. Farklı organizasyonlarda onlarca yıllık deneyime sahip ve Tatar topluluğu için çalışan Gölten Bedretdin ile yapılan derinlemesine görüşmeye ve ayrıca edebî kaynaklara dayanan bu makale, şimdiye kadar çok az çalışılmış bir konu olan Finlandiya’daki Tatar dili faaliyetlerinin mevcut durumuna genel bir bakış sunmaktadır.

References

  • Alis, Abdulla & Bedretdin, Gölten & Yafay Nogmanov, Kamer (2020): Äkiyätlär ilendä: satukirja. [In the fairy tale land]. Helsinki: Suomen Islam-seurakunta.
  • Baibulat, Muazzez (2004): Tampereen Islamilainen Seurakunta: juuret ja historia. Tampere İslam Mahallesı: Nigızı ve tarihı. The Tampere Islamic Congregation: the Roots and History. Tampere: Tampereen Islamilainen Seurakunta.
  • Başkarma (2002). Mişär Tatar – Halîk Köyläre. Music CD. Helsinki: Akbazar Oy. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwQY88PK25rL7J9KE0PHEZA
  • Bedretdin, Kadriye (2011): Tugan tel. Kirjoituksia Suomen tataareista. [Native language. Writings about the Finnish Tatars]. Helsinki: Suomen Itämainen Seura.
  • Belyaev, Ramil (2017): Татарская диаспора Финляндии: вопросы интеграции и сохранения идентичности. [The Tatar diaspora in Finland: questions about integration and preserving identity]. Helsinki: University of Helsinki. PhD thesis.
  • Bokpil websites: https://bokpil.eu/tt/ and https://villa.bokpil.eu/tt/
  • Eroa kirkosta [Leave the Church]: https://eroakirkosta.fi/
  • Finnish Islamic Congregation: http://tatar.fi/
  • Finnish Islamic Congregation (2018). Süzlär dönyası – Sanojen maailma – The world of words. Helsinki: Suomen Islam-seurakunta.
  • Finnish Islamic Congregation (2016 – 2020). Ana tele 1-6. Helsinki: Suomen Islam-seurakunta.
  • Finnish Islamic Congregation (2014). İzge miras. Documentary film.
  • Finnish Islamic Congregation (2011). Mäçetkä iltkän yul. Documentary film.
  • Halen, Harry & Martikainen, Tuomas (2016): Finland. Muslim Tatar minorities in the Baltic Sea region. Svanberg, I. & Westerlund, D. (eds). Leiden: Brill. 86–104.
  • Leitzinger, Antero (2006): Suomen tataarit : vuosina 1868-1944 muodostuneen muslimiyhteisön menestystarina. [The Finnish Tatars: the success story of a Muslim community founded 1868/1944). Helsinki: East-West Books.
  • Leitzinger, Antero (1996): Mishäärit – Suomen vanha islamilainen yhteisö, Helsinki: Kirja- Leitzinger. Samaletdin, Derya (n.d.): Künegüler. Helsinki: Suomen Islam-seurakunta.
  • Suomen Islam-seurakunta (2016 – 2020). Ana tele 1-6. Helsinki: Suomen Islam-seurakunta. 15
  • Samaletdin, Derya (n.d.). Künegüler. Helsinki: Suomen Islam-seurakunta.
  • Stahlberg, Sabira (2020). Multicoloured language. Helsinki: Bokpil.
  • Svanberg, Ingvar; Ståhlberg, Sabira; Bekkin, Renat (2020). “Horsemeat in the culinary traditions of the Mishär Tatar diaspora in the eastern Baltic Sea region: cultural and historical aspects”. Journal of Ethnic Foods 7:38, p. 2–11.
  • Tukay, Abdulla (2009). Su anası. Vedenhaltijan kampa. Nasretdin, Fazile; Nisametdin, Feride;Neuvonen, Marja.; Korolainen, Tuula; Nasretdin, Tarik (eds.) Järvenpää: Yabalak grp.
  • Yabalak dictionary: https://yabalak.fi/
  • Yabalak group (2007): Äylän-bäylän. Music CD with texts. Helsinki: Yabalak grp.
There are 22 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Linguistics
Journal Section Articles
Authors

Gölten Bedretdin This is me

Sabira Stahlberg

Publication Date July 24, 2021
Submission Date June 25, 2021
Published in Issue Year 2021 Volume: 11 Issue: 19

Cite

APA Bedretdin, G., & Stahlberg, S. (2021). Tatar Language Preservation Strategies and Educational Activities in Finland. Tehlikedeki Diller Dergisi, 11(19), 241-258.
AMA Bedretdin G, Stahlberg S. Tatar Language Preservation Strategies and Educational Activities in Finland. JofEL. July 2021;11(19):241-258.
Chicago Bedretdin, Gölten, and Sabira Stahlberg. “Tatar Language Preservation Strategies and Educational Activities in Finland”. Tehlikedeki Diller Dergisi 11, no. 19 (July 2021): 241-58.
EndNote Bedretdin G, Stahlberg S (July 1, 2021) Tatar Language Preservation Strategies and Educational Activities in Finland. Tehlikedeki Diller Dergisi 11 19 241–258.
IEEE G. Bedretdin and S. Stahlberg, “Tatar Language Preservation Strategies and Educational Activities in Finland”, JofEL, vol. 11, no. 19, pp. 241–258, 2021.
ISNAD Bedretdin, Gölten - Stahlberg, Sabira. “Tatar Language Preservation Strategies and Educational Activities in Finland”. Tehlikedeki Diller Dergisi 11/19 (July 2021), 241-258.
JAMA Bedretdin G, Stahlberg S. Tatar Language Preservation Strategies and Educational Activities in Finland. JofEL. 2021;11:241–258.
MLA Bedretdin, Gölten and Sabira Stahlberg. “Tatar Language Preservation Strategies and Educational Activities in Finland”. Tehlikedeki Diller Dergisi, vol. 11, no. 19, 2021, pp. 241-58.
Vancouver Bedretdin G, Stahlberg S. Tatar Language Preservation Strategies and Educational Activities in Finland. JofEL. 2021;11(19):241-58.

Journal of Endangered Languages (JofEL)

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