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Last Dance of Tarlabasi

Ali Ber on his roof-top terrace. Ali Ber 45 y.o. Kurdish migrant from Mardin has been living in Tarlabasi for more than 20 years along with his family, occupying two floors of the building. They are the only ones in the building refusing to evacuate, with their case pending a court's decision. Istanbul, September 2011

Ali Ber on his roof-top terrace. Ali Ber 45 y.o. Kurdish migrant from Mardin has been living in Tarlabasi for more than 20 years along with his family, occupying two floors of the building. They are the only ones in the building refusing to evacuate, with their case pending a court's decision. Istanbul, September 2011

Rooftop view of Tarlabasi. Many buildings in the area have been vacated to accommodate high-end development projects. Istanbul, Turkey. September 2011 Kurdish girl at the doorstep to her house. Tarlabasi, Istanbul. September, 2011 Shop owner's family outside their store. Tarlabasi, Istanbul. September 2011 Girl with a football. Tarlabasi, Istanbul. Turkey. September 2011 Kurdish woman in a traditional headdress at her doorstep. Tarlabasi, Istanbul. September 2011 Laundry hanging on once densly populated quarter of Tarlabasi, today most buildings are no longer inhabitable due to neglect of local authorities. Many buildings in Tarlabasi are left in disrepair with a future plan of demolition and plot sale to private developers. Istanbul, Turkey. September, 2011 Neighborhood girls on the street. Some families in Tarlabashi come from the same villages in Anatolia as one relative settles down first and then brings other family members along to live close by in the same neighborhood. Young children are being born in Tarlabasi and have little connection to life in the villages their parents had come from. Tarlabasi, Istanbul. September 2011 Women folding curtains on their doorstep. Tarlabasi, Istanbul. September, 2011 Kurdish migrant family on the porch of their home. Tarlabasi, Istanbul. Turkey. September 2011 Girl holding an axe. Tarlabasi, Istanbul. September 2011 Dilapidated building blocks in Tarlabasi pending reconstruction. Istanbul, September 2011 Family on the pavement in front of the market. Tarlabasi, Istanbul. September 2011 Bread leftovers laid out on the street to dry for preparation of bird feed. Tarlabasi, Istanbul. Turkey. September 2011 Ten year old Bafin with a skipping rope: "I don't like this place, Istanbul is much prettier!" - referring to Tarlabasi. Lack of social services and general disrepair has made Tarlabasi an andesirable place with the lowest rent prices in the center of Istanbul. Many migrant workers had been able to settle there due to affordable housing. Tarlabasi, Istanbul. Turkey. September 2011 Gypsie woman smoking on the street. Tarlabasi, Istanbul. September 2011 Ali Ber on his roof-top terrace. Ali Ber 45 y.o. Kurdish migrant from Mardin has been living in Tarlabasi for more than 20 years along with his family, occupying two floors of the building. They are the only ones in the building refusing to evacuate, with their case pending a court's decision. Istanbul, September 2011 Dilapidated building block pending demolition in Tarlabasi. Istanbul. September 2011 Amina Ber, 24 years old, holding her 5 month old son Omar. The Ber family of Kurdish migrants came to Tarlabasi from Mardin about 20 years ago and settled in 3 appartments of the same building. The Beyoglu municipality sold the building to a private company for development and is forcing the Ber family out. They went to court refusing to vacate the premises due to inadequate compensation plan. Tarlabasi, Istanbul. Turkey. September 2011 Roma neighbors and relatives are dancing on the street at a wedding celebration in Tarlabasi. Istanbul, September, 2011 Mukattes, Roma bride dancing at her wedding. Tarlabasi, Istanbul. September, 2011 Roma Gypsy bride Mukattes, 17 years old, and her family members posing for a wedding picture inside her parents home. Mukattes is sad to leave her parental home to move with her young husband to Bursa. Tarlabasi, Istanbul. Turkey. September 2011 Roma bride Mukattes kissing her family goodbye as she will move to Bursa with her husband. Tarlabasi, Istanbul. Turkey. September 2011 Girl playing bride. Tarlabasi, Istanbul. September 2011 Rain and sun in Tarlabasi. Streets and sidewalks are in disrepair in Tarlabasi as local authorities have been neglecting the area with a future plan to relocate its residents and sell the property for development of private hotels and residences. Istanbul, Turkey. September, 2011