By Nazlan Ertan
Silkelemek, or its shorthand version silkmek (shake-up, verb), carries energy, vigor, and occasionally a political punch. From its Ottoman roots to its modern interpretations, silkelemek has evolved into a word that shakes not only rugs and wrestlers but also bureaucracies, political rivals, and even dreams.
At its core, silkelemek is a practical term. It conjures up vivid images of traditional housewives shaking rugs over balconies to rid them of dust. In Turkish dream interpretations, shaking a rug suggests a tranquil and orderly life, free of disruptions. It can also signify divine favor or answered prayers. Shake a rug off a balcony, and it symbolizes the achievement of long-pursued goals. Shake a dusty rug? Bid farewell to financial troubles. And if someone else shakes it for you? Expect wise decisions and peace of mind.
Yet, like many Turkish words, its most intriguing uses are in politics. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, known for the physicality of his rhetoric, recently declared his intent to “shake up” opposition-controlled municipalities. The phrase reverberated across the political landscape, adding another layer to the already dynamic connotations of silkelemek.
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a frequent target of Erdoğan's ire, shot back with his trademark wit. Speaking at a ceremony in Sancaktepe, he quipped, “Is this a wrestling match where we’re shaking each other?” He urged Erdoğan to focus on governance instead of targeting municipalities over Social Security debts or engaging in petty political maneuvers.
CHP Chair Özgür Özel took the metaphor even further. “Keep shaking,” he said, addressing Erdoğan directly. “The people are already shaking you off their backs,” referencing the CHP’s victory in the March 31 local elections. For Özel, Erdoğan’s attempts to undermine opposition municipalities were not displays of strength but desperation.
No discussion of silkelemek would be complete without mentioning MHP Chair Devlet Bahçeli’s infamous gaffe. Last May, in an attempt to deliver a flowery eulogy to Erdoğan, Bahçeli invoked a gallery of Western names—Johnny, Tony, Hans, Sam, Henry, Frank, and a particularly strange-sounding “Herkel”—to proclaim that no foreign power could silkmek (shake or unseat) Erdoğan, the “true son of Anatolia.” However, as he enthusiastically spoke from the rostrum, one letter went missing. The result? It sounded like Bahçeli claimed the foreign powers couldn’t f**k Erdoğan (silkmek without the “l” becomes a vulgar four-letter word in Turkish).
The moral of the story? Mishandle a shake-up, and it becomes a f**k-up. A fitting example is Erdoğan’s recent attempts to paralyze opposition municipalities by digging into their finances to unearth old debts. Ironically, the investigations revealed that AKP-held municipalities were just as heavily in debt as their CHP counterparts, if not more.
