The "Barış Manço Cafe" in Kirkuk brings together the artist's fans

Huti Ağa, a young man from Kirkuk who says he grew up with Barış Manço's songs, is trying to serve his customers at the cafe in the historic Kayseri Grand Bazaar in the city center, where the artist's songs are constantly played.

Photographs and posters of Barış Manço are displayed at the entrance and throughout the cafe, where beverages such as tea, Turkish coffee and lemonade are served extensively.

The cafe in the historical bazaar, which is a frequent destination for many people in Kirkuk, is also a preferred location for local and foreign tourists.

Cafe owner Huti Ağa told an Anadolu Agency (AA) reporter that he took fans of artist Manço on a "time journey" accompanied by his songs at the cafe he opened about three years ago.

Expressing his great happiness in opening such a cafe, Ağa stated that the cafe, where the artist's songs are played, "immortalizes" the artist on the one hand and brings together fans of all ages with the artist.

Ağa, explaining that the artist has a large fan base in Kirkuk, said, "Barış Manço has many Turkmen, Kurdish, and Arab fans in Kirkuk. They all come to this cafe to reminisce about the old days and sip tea and coffee while listening to the artist's songs."

Ağa said the cafe is a "meeting place" for the artist's fans, who come from the country's southern and northern cities, as well as from abroad, especially from Türkiye.

Prof. Dr. Ebubekir Altuntaş, a faculty member at Tokat Gaziosman Paşa University's Faculty of Agriculture, who came to Kirkuk to attend a conference, expressed his happiness at visiting his ancestral homeland, Kirkuk, and especially at such a cafe where "Türkiye is kept alive."

Altuntaş emphasized that Barış Manço is a very important figure for Türkiye, noting that it is very significant that a cafe has been opened in his name in Kirkuk and that his songs are listened to there.

Esra Salihi from Kirkuk described the echoing of a Turkish artist's works in this historic site as a source of happiness and pride.

Salihi, who shared that they are regulars at the cafe as a family, said that they come here especially on weekends and go on "a journey through time" accompanied by the artist's songs.

Bahar Türkmen also said that it is a source of pride for such places to be opened in Kirkuk, the heritage of her ancestors.

Turkmen expressed his hope that similar places would increase and asked people from Kirkuk in particular to visit such decent and authentic places.

Türkmen emphasized that the Barış Manço cafe is not ordinary but a "cultural space," and called for the preservation and development of spaces that value artists.

Dikra Muhammed from Kirkuk said that when they came to the cafe and listened to Barış Manço's songs, they had the feeling that the artist was alive.

Stating that Barış Monço is not just a Turkish artist but a "world artist," Muhammed said that he grew up with his works and was happy that a cafe bearing his name was opened.