An investigation continues into claims of burglary at the home of famous Turkish folk singer Neşet Ertaş, in İzmir’s Karabağlar neighborhood. Ertaş died of cancer on Sept. 25, and on Oct. 7 a number of his personal belongings, including a bağlama that he used in concerts, bearing an Atatürk motif, were reported stolen from his house.
The İzmir Police Department began its investigation upon a complaint from Ertaş’s son, Hüseyin Ertaş, but Ertaş’s partner of 10 years, Seyhan Büyükvardar, said yesterday that she has the master musician’s bağlama, because he gave it to her two months before he died.
Hüseyin Ertaş, who is living in Germany, said that some of his father’s personal belongings had been taken from his house while he was in intensive care. “We heard that two people came to the house and took the items. That is why we called the police.”
Büyükvardar said that she had been living together with Ertaş for 10 years. Ertaş played the bağlama for the last time in a concert in Bolu, and did not bring it to back the İzmir house.
“After his death, his son asked me to give the bağlama to him, but I didn’t because he [Ertaş] had gifted it to me,” Büyükvardar said, adding that she had never gone to the house since Ertaş’s death, and that she had given the keys to the son.
Ertaş’s manager Gülsüm Sarıkaya supported Büyükvardar, saying, “I am very sorry. Büyükvardar previously told me that Ertaş had gifted the bağlama to her. That is what I know about it.”
(Hürriyet Daily News)
