Here it is, the very first confirmed location for the Hidden Anatolia project. I put a lot of thought into what my top priority would be, and the Southeastern Anatolian town of Hasankeyf pretty much ticks all the boxes.

What’s so special about this town that I would want to get there before any other place and get it documented? Well, for starters:

• It has been continuously inhabited for nearly three millennia, and has seen no fewer than nine civilisations
• The modern town is built around the historical ruins, many of which are still in very good condition
• It’s situated on the Tigris
• There is a very controversial dam project underway, and if it continues as planned, the dam would put the entire town and all its history permanently underwater. Everyone would have to be relocated. The completion of the dam has already been postponed because of this controversy, but construction will likely continue sometime relatively soon
• i.e. time is of the essence if anyone wants to come and do any sort of comprehensive exploration in situ
• For some reason, people just don’t go there, except to protest the dam being built;
• This is the one place I would be so, so unhappy about if I missed the opportunity to photograph it while it still existed.

That’s it in a nutshell. There are just so many layers of struggle and triumph there, from the Sumerians to the Romans to the Mongols to the Ottomans, and even up through the struggles of the present day. For me there’s something magical about that, and basically I think we just need to go see it for ourselves, you and me. So that’s the plan.

For those who aren’t familiar, the Hidden Anatolia project is a journey to bring to light the most beautiful secrets of the Turkish mainland, one of the most misunderstood areas in the world. The trip will be documented from the road at hiddenanatolia.com, and will culminate in a coffee table book of evocative images and essays from the journey.

Funding for the project is provided via RocketHub, and with the support of people like you, independent artists and journalists like myself can continue to do work like this for the benefit of everyone. Contribution levels begin at just $1, and are not empty donations— there is a rewards structure in place so that all supporters of the project get something back for their contributions. You can select a contribution level that works well for you, and receive great rewards like a postcard from the trip, a free copy of the Hidden Anatolia book, or even a one-of-a-kind canvas print from the journey. Supporters also get special updates, and the opportunity to help shape the direction of the project.

It’s easy to become part of Hidden Anatolia. Simply visit the project page, select a reward level that appeals to you, and contribute with your credit card or PayPal account. RocketHub guarantees your donation, as well— if the project does not receive full funding, all the contributors get their money back. Become a patron of the international arts community, risk free!

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Visit hiddenanatolia.com

I don’t think I’ve ever talked about my life in Texas here before, mostly because I just don’t think about it all that much. What’s in the past is in the past— I don’t usually suffer from homesickness or overwhelming nostalgia, and since I haven’t lived in the US in over a decade, I really don’t connect with what’s going on there. But when I ran across this slideshow announcing the last night of San Antonio’s famous Liberty Bar, my blood ran cold. The Liberty Bar (which is actually a restaurant as much as it is a bar) was once a staple of my life, and I have some very vivid memories of spending time there with some people who were not only very important to me, but who are no longer with us. I don’t often get sentimental about things like this, but here we are. This is the price of leaving home— home eventually moves on without you.

Apparently they’re moving the Liberty to a new location, which I think is a bad idea. The whole charm of it was that it was in that delightfully wonky building that seemed to defy gravity. Also, I’m pretty sure nothing is allowed to change in this world without my express written permission.

I’m weirdly sad about all this.

Wonderful trip over the weekend to our nearest Greek Island. It’s amazing how different the water looks there, even though it’s only two kilometres off the Turkish coast.

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I love how Turks look when they talk.

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A couple of days ago, a friend mentioned to me that when he visited Turkey, the thing that struck him most was how responsible for one’s own safety the average citizen is expected to be. Roadworks don’t usually have big barriers around them— you’re expected to be smart enough not to walk around in a dangerous area. If you have children, it’s your responsibility to protect them and teach them to protect themselves. It’s not the government’s job. If people wear safety equipment, it’s because they choose to, not because there are any rules forcing them to (as a result, most people don’t wear safety equipment, but that’s another topic for another day). Turkey only recently enacted a motorcycle helmet law, but apparently it’s not all that rigidly enforced, judging from the number of people I see hanging their helmets from the handlebars while they ride.

There are good and bad sides to each of these observations, but I’m reminded of a story I read a few years ago about a town that removed all the road markings and signs in a certain area where there had been a record number of traffic accidents. The result of removing all the markings? All of a sudden drivers had to pay attention to what they were doing. They didn’t have the nanny system to baby them anymore. They had to look around them, assess what was safe using their eyes and ears, and make logical decisions based on those assessments. It was no longer about blindly following the signs and expecting someone else to be responsible for everything. Drivers slowed down, watched the road, and watched out for each other. The traffic accident rate fell drastically.

I think there’s a lot to be said for personal responsibility… though whether one chooses to exercise it is another issue entirely.

I’m running a special Week Four offer for the Hidden Anatolia fueling project! Anyone making a new contribution at the $1, $5, or $10 level between now and the end of week four will automatically get their reward bumped up one level!

This gives you the opportunity to get great gifts for even less! This offer is good from 12:00:00 EEDT on 12 May 2010, until 23:59:59 EEDT on 14 May 2010. Even if you have fueled previously, you can fuel again and take advantage of this offer! Be a part of a great project, and get free stuff!

Click here to fuel and get your special reward!

Click here to learn more about the Hidden Anatolia Project

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Yeah yeah, I know it’s halfway through week four, but I had to take a long weekend for various reasons, so I’m just now getting back on the posting horse.

The good news is, the end of the third week has taken us over the 25% fueling mark. The current total is $1,253, and I couldn’t be happier with that.

The even better news is that this bodes well for the rest of the fueling process. The great majority of projects that get to the quarter-mark end up getting full funding. Projects that fail usually fail right out of the starting gate, never getting enough momentum to reach the funding level we have now.

That doesn’t mean that there’s not work still to be done, of course, and you can help! If you have $1 (yes, just $1) and can spare one minute to make a difference, you too can help fuel the Hidden Anatolia project. If you have a Facebook account, you don’t even have to sign up for anything new, as you can login with your Facebook details. It’s a really easy thing to do, and you’d really be helping out to make sure this project gets off the ground.

In exchange for your fueling contribution, you’ll receive great rewards. These are real prizes for everyone who contributes, not just some drawing where only one or two people gets something. Everyone who contributes benefits. Depending on your chosen fueling level, you can get anything from your name printed in the acknowledgements of the book, right on up to a one-of-a-kind photo print on canvas! There are some really great rewards, and I encourage you to take a look and find a level that suits you.

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