Afro-Turks
Afrikalı Türkler | |
---|---|
Total population | |
Between 5,000 and 20,000[1] [2] | |
Regions with significant populations | |
Muğla, Izmir, Antalya, Istanbul, Aydın, Denizli, Manisa, Mersin, Adana | |
Languages | |
Turkish | |
Religion | |
Islam | |
Related ethnic groups | |
Bantus, Afro-Abkhazians, Afro-Iranians |
Afro-Turks (Turkish: Afrikalı Türkler) are Turkish people of African Zanj (Bantu) descent, who trace their origin to the Ottoman slave trade like the Afro-Abkhazians. Afro-Turk population is estimated to be between 5,000 and 20,000 people. Afro-Turks are different from African immigrants in Turkey, which are around 100,000 individuals.[3][4]
History
Beginning several centuries ago, a number of Africans, usually via Zanzibar as Zanj and from places such as Niger, Arabia, Libya, Kenya and Sudan,[5] came to the Ottoman Empire settled by the Dalaman, Menderes and Gediz valleys, Manavgat and Çukurova. African quarters of 19th-century İzmir, including Sabırtaşı, Dolapkuyu, Tamaşalık, İkiçeşmelik and Ballıkuyu, are mentioned in contemporary records.[6]
Some came from Crete following the population exchange between Greece and Turkey in 1923. They settled on the Aegean coast, mainly around İzmir.[5] Africans in Ayvalık declare that their ancestors from Crete spoke Greek when they came to Turkey and learned Turkish later.[7] Afro-Turks living in İzmir celebrated the traditional spring festival Dana Bayramı ("Calf Festival") until the 1960s. Dana Bayramı has currently been revived among the younger generation of Afro-Turks.[6]
Ahmet Ali Çelikten, was an Ottoman warpilot during World War I.
Today
Areas with significant populations of Afro-Turks are in Turkey's Aegean and Marmara Region, especially Istanbul, İzmir, Aydın and Muğla provinces. People of African ancestry also live in some villages and municipalities of Antalya and Adana provinces.[8] Some of the descendants of the African settlers remain, mixed with the rest of the population in these areas and many migrated to larger cities.[5] Migration and assimilation make it difficult to estimate the number of Afro-Turks.[9]
Notable Afro-Turks
Arts
- Esmeray (1949–2002), singer
- Tuğçe Güder (born 1984), adopted by Turkish parents, model and actress
- Kuzgun Acar (1928–1976), sculptor
- Mansur Ark, musician
- Safiye Ayla (1907–1998), musician
- Yasemin Esmergül, actress
- Ahmet Kostarika, actor
- Dursune Şirin, actress
- İbrahim Şirin, classical Ottoman musician
- Cenk Sökmen, musician
- Melis Sökmen, actress, musician (Guinean grandmother)
- Sait Sökmen, ballet dancer, choreographer (Guinean mother)
- Sibel Sürel, ballerina
- Ali Tınaz, actor, television presenter
- Tuncay Vural, choreographer
- Defne Joy Foster (1975–2011), actress, presenter (African American father)
- Mert Güler, academician, yoga instructor, wellness trainer
- Tansel Öngel (born 1976), actor
- Selami Şahin (born 1948), musician, singer, songwriter
Sports
- Fercani Şener, footballer
- Ömer Besim Koşalay (1898–1956), athlete, journalist
- Vahap Özaltay (1908–1965), footballer
- Hadi Türkmen, former vice-president of the Turkish Football Federation
- Sadri Usluoğlu (1908–1987), basketball player and manager
- Mustafa Yıldız, known as "Arap Mustafa", 1972 and 1981 Kırkpınar champion
- Colin Kazim-Richards
- Nazım Sangaré (born 1994), footballer
- Paul Dawkins (1957-2019), basketball player
- Murat Salar (born 1976), footballer, manager of SV Arminia Hannover
- Bilal Başaçıkoğlu (born 1995), footballer
- Erol Erdal Alkan
- Muhaymin Mustafa
- Kerim Frei (born 1993), footballer
- Zeki Amdouni (born 2000), footballer
Literature
- Mustafa Olpak (1953–2016), writer and activist
- Tarık Dursun K. (Kakınç), writer
- Mine Söğüt, writer and columnist
Politics
- Ayse Bircan (born 1954), activist and writer
Military
- Ahmet Ali Çelikten (1883–1969), Ottoman aviator
- Black Musa (1880–1919), volunteer soldier at Special Organization
See also
Notes
- ^ "Afrotürken – Im toten Winkel der Geschichte". 3 April 2017.
- ^ "Afro-Turks •".
- ^ "Esenyurt'un Afrikalı göçmenleri". www.trthaber.com (in Turkish). Retrieved 26 October 2021.
- ^ "Afro Aksaray". www.haberturk.com (in Turkish). 3 June 2015. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
- ^ a b c "Turks with African ancestors want their existence to be felt". Today's Zaman. Todayszaman.com. 11 May 2008. Archived from the original on 27 August 2008. Retrieved 28 August 2008.
- ^ a b "Afro-Türklerin tarihi, Radikal, 30 August 2008, retrieved 22 January 2009". Radikal.com.tr. 30 August 2008. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
- ^ Yerleşim Yerleri ve Göç: Balıkesir/Ayvalık, afroturk.org, retrieved 25 January 2009 Archived 18 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Yerleşim Yerleri ve Göç". Afroturk.org. Archived from the original on 18 February 2009. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
- ^ Afrika'nın kapıları İzmir'e açılıyor Archived 17 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine, Yeni Asır, 21 November 2008, retrieved 25 January 2009.
External links
- (in Turkish) Afro-Turk Website of the Afro-Turks' association in Ayvalık
- (in Turkish) Sessiz Bir Geçmişten Sesler Website of a research project on Afro-Turks
- (in English) [1], Today's Zaman, 25 June 2008
- (in English) [2], article published on 27 August 2012 about the Calf Fest, the Afro-Der Association and recent developments.
- (in English) [3], Qantara by Ekrem Eddy Güzeldere, 27.08.2012
- (in English) [4], Turkey's little-known African community, BBC, 07-09-2016