“We’re from Adana, we’re God’s men.”
If you ever visit Adana, you’ll hear this phrase—it’s on the lips of nearly every local. It’s like a common slogan, spoken across party lines, and always in the distinct Adana dialect. Adana Mayor Zeydan Karalar, arrested in this week’s wave of detentions targeting CHP municipalities, often uses this saying himself. He even printed posters featuring the phrase and released a video claiming it originated among troops from Adana during the 1915 Battle of Gallipoli.
THE IDENTITY OF ADANA
For decades, Adana was firmly recognized as Turkey’s fourth city—after Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir—in terms of population and socio-economic development. But in more recent years, it’s slipped in the rankings, largely due to agricultural policies that ignored local crops such as cotton. Sabancı Holding, one of the largest business conglomerates in the country, traces its roots back to Adana. Though still known as the “capital of kebab,” the city yearns for its industrial heyday. This strong sense of identity is deeply rooted in its residents. So much so that Mayor Karalar uses the slogan “A mayor like Adana” to describe himself.
Adana has nurtured some of Turkey’s most influential figures in literature and the arts. In leftist and socialist literature, Orhan Kemal and Yaşar Kemal stand out, while in cinema, Yılmaz Güney remains one of the most iconic names.
POLITICS IN ADANA
While professional politics in Turkey is centered in Ankara, Istanbul—with its population and financial clout—is very much at the heart of political life.
Izmir, meanwhile, has always held a special place for the CHP. Developments in Izmir are constantly on Ankara’s radar. When it comes to local politics, Adana is one of the cities the CHP cannot ignore. Its political influence is venerable and often felt in the capital.
ZEYDAN KARALAR’S PLACE IN POLITICS
Karalar has held various roles within the CHP since the 1970s. His recognition goes far beyond Adana—he is well-known across CHP circles in Ankara and nationwide. He was elected mayor of Seyhan, Adana’s central district, in 2014. His current arrest is reportedly based on a “remorseful confession” dating back to that period. Karalar went on to become Adana’s Mayor in 2019 and was re-elected in 2024. There are no allegations concerning his recent terms, and many are protesting the fact that he has been jailed over decade-old claims. The strongest demonstrations against his arrest have been in Adana, a clear sign of his deep support among locals.
PRISONERS OF ÇUKUROVA
The broader region that includes Adana is known as Çukurova. But in practice, Çukurova mostly refers to Adana itself. Now that Zeydan Karalar has joined the ranks of imprisoned men from Çukurova, it seems only fitting to close with the words of Kurdish poet Ahmed Arif, born in Diyarbakır:
“…Of all Anatolia’s famed prisons,
Most house men from Çukurova.
As one shows a wound to a friend,
As one waters a weeping willow,
So heartfelt,
So deep,
To sing a folk song or curse—
That is the spirit of a Çukurova man…”
