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Research Article

No. 10 (2026): Open Issue

Cultural Hybridity on a Plate: Food, Identity and Conflict Resolution in Barış Manço’s “Lahburger”

DOI
https://doi.org/10.64957/nesir.1934338
Submitted
05.02.2026
Published
22.04.2026

Abstract

This article examines Barış Manço’s song “Lahburger” as an allegorical exploration of the cultural conflict in Turkey, characterized by the dichotomy between the East and the West, and the traditional and the modern. Manço employs two culinary items, the hamburger and the lahmacun, as allegorical figures compelled to oppose each other despite their secret love. Ultimately, love prevails, metaphorically resolving the cultural conflict through the creation of a new, hybrid synthesis of the two opposing cultures, represented by the birth of their child, Lahburger. This narrative aligns with Manço’s enduring commitment to bridging cultural divides and fostering peaceful resolutions through his art, as well as his distinctive musical and cultural style, which consciously integrates elements of both eastern and western, local and global influences. The analysis will be carried out through a close reading of the song’s lyrics within its cultural context and from the specific perspective of literary food studies.

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