WHO ARE KURTA AND MURTA: DID THEY REALLY EXIST?
The often-used phrase "Dismount Kurta to mount Murta" – do you know what it actually means?
The saying "Dismount Kurta to mount Murta" is used
to describe a situation where, despite changes in people (such as in positions
of power), there is no real change or improvement. It highlights the idea that
only the individuals change, but the underlying issues remain the same.
Kurta (from the Turkish "kurt," meaning wolf) and Murta (from the names Murad – desirable, or Murteza – chosen, satisfied) are recognizable Ottoman names.
Kurta and Murta were not real individuals; they were chosen
for their rhyme, much like phrases such as "tata-mate," "Jovo
nanovo," and "Cile-Mile."
Thus, Kurta and Murta became symbols of unchanging
circumstances, initially in literal slavery and later in various forms of
subordination during the Turkish rule in our regions.
