What will they say, Meltem? - Meral Polat, actress, theatre-maker, singer

In the Dutch spoken podcast 'Wat zullen ze zeggen Meltem?' (What Will They Say, Meltem?) Meltem Halaceli explores the story behind gender-based violence. In Turkey, the country where her parents come from, but also in the rest of the world, violence against women and murder of women is on the rise. Against this background, 'Wat zullen ze zeggen Meltem?' (What Will They Say, Meltem?) explores feminism, literature and the increasing pressure on fundamental women's rights in four episodes.

In episode 2 of 'Wat zullen ze zeggen Meltem?' (What Will They Say, Meltem?), Meltem Halaceli talks to actress, theatre-maker and singer Meral Polat about the feminist values she inherited from her parents. Her father was a feminist and played a big role in her upbringing and choice of career.

In this interview, Meral talks about what her father experienced in his childhood and how the oppression he experienced as a Kurdish boy influenced his later attitude to life. Her father broke traditional patterns and gave Meral as much freedom as her little brother. Recently, she found his notebooks filled with poems about migration, love and life. She adapted those poems into songs, forging a new path. 
 
Mentioned in this episode:
Gülsüm Cengiz: How are you Kamber Ateş? [Original title: Nasılsın Kamber Ateş] 
Ali Ihsan Polat: Ez kî me [Who am I?] 
Meral Polat Trio

Credits:
Host: Meltem Halaceli
Guest: Meral Polat
Audio editor: Alma Apt
Produced by: Writers Unlimited
Music: Ez kî me - Meral Polat Trio with Chris Doyle and Frank Rosaly
Illustration: Zarlasht Zia
'Wat zullen ze zeggen Meltem?' (What Will They Say, Meltem?) is a Writers Unlimited podcast, released in the run-up to the Winternachten international literature festival The Hague 2023.