Dede Ateş

First Afshar child to hike down the Taurus with no animus revertendi¹
First nomad to live de jure² and attend Istanbul University
First Ateş to set the tradition of our progressiveness. Mashallah³
Traditions of hard-work and respect, what helped us get so far

From his father’s cheffing for the Sultan and his family,
To raising children and grandchildren, a global community.
From sitting behind the bench in curia⁴ in Istanbul,
To applauding his new daughters in lege⁵, in New York, California and London.

A father to three sons; my Baba⁶ and my uncles.
He’s starting to forget his past… not us.
My grandmother says he was the best lawyer in Turkey.
According to my father, he was a domestic comedian, and a thoughtful poet.

And yet to me, he’s Dede⁷. The one who marks my height on the wall every time we visit.
To me, he’s Dede.
The one that cried with me when I was little if he accidently woke me up.
The one that crosses my mind and pulls my chin up.
The one that makes me, and makes me proud to be: an Ateş.


¹animus revertendi – Latin – “intention to return”
²de jure – Latin – “according to the law”
³Mashallah – Arabic – “Allah has willed it” – Often used to express appreciation, joy, or thankfulness.
⁴in curia – Latin – “in court”
⁵in lege – Latin – “in law”
⁶Baba – Turkish – “father”
⁷Dede – Turkish – “grandfather”