"Beat & Release": And The Band Played On - To Celebrate Her Divorce

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 19 June 2021)

"Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty I'm free 

at last!"

In Adana, Çilem Ülkerler (42) filed for divorce from her 18-year spouse

Ö.T. (45).  The suit lasted two years and Çilem hanım celebrated her 

divorce with a "davul zurna" (drum and flute) band in the garden of her 

apartment complex.  Characterizing her divorce as a "triumph", Çilem 

hanım said "in the same way a new bride has a band, one can have a 

band to help celebrate a divorce."

Çilem hanım is a teacher at a private school and she has two children.

Because of violence and incompatibility, she decided to divorce her

husband Ö.T., a hairdresser.  The suit began in 2019 and at that time

Çilem hanim moved with her kids to the Toros neighborhood of 

Çukurova district.  However, Ö.T. fought the divorce until it was 

finally granted by the court on 10 June, prompting Çilem hanım to

light torches and celebrate her "triumph" with the band playing in

her garden. 

Çilem hanım explained that "I was married for 18 years and suffered

through violent incompatibility with my ex-husband, along with 

economic and physical abuse.  I'm very happy I'm divorced after two

very difficult years of the divorce process.  Now I'm celebrating.

People are surprised to see the celebration but I wanted a band like 

a new bride has at her wedding."

Özkan Buz (55 and whose surname means "ice")  has been a drummer 

for 40 years. He said that this was the first time he ever played for a 

divorcée.  

                            The iceman drummeth.