Roots from Africa, Dialects from the Aegean: Afro Turks

This “Arab sister” or “Arab girl” is today’s Afro-Turks; They are the descendants of the slaves brought to the Turkish regions through the slave trade routes of the Hejaz, Basra and the Mediterranean in various periods of the Ottoman Empire, or of the soldiers brought for war. Slavery existed in every period of the Ottoman Empire until it was banned on paper in 1847. However, the difference between 19th century slavery and to those taken prisoner in wars was to stand.

According to Professor Ehud Toledano at Tel Aviv University, who conducted research on Ottoman slaves, The reasons for the increase in slaves coming to the Ottoman country from Africa Egypt’s invasion of Sudan in the 1820s and the arrival of many slaves from Egypt to the Ottoman Empire; With the Ottoman occupation of Tripoli in 1835, taking slaves from the inner regions of Africa; With the opening of the Suez Canal, there is the provision of ship transportation to the regions where the slave trade was made.

Why are they in the Aegean and not Central Anatolia or Eastern Anatolia?

According to census estimates Although their number reaches 100 thousand their assets were limited to the Aegean region. The reason is again related to slavery. In the 18th century, slave families were sent to the Smyrna region, now known as Izmir, to work in the cotton fields. Since they came by ship, they continued their existence in the coastal areas.

Although most of them went to different cities in the last period of the Ottoman Empire, they left most of their population in the Aegean. slaves in the Ottoman villages in Aydın province. The effect of the settlement of Afro-Turks in these regions cannot be ignored.

How did their lives continue after their slavery in the Ottoman Empire?

After the abolition of slavery, African Turks, who continued their lives in the borders of Turkey, primarily II. To be employed in Abdulhamid’s farms have been appointed. While men worked in fields and farms, women assumed the role of nanny and maid in palaces or houses. Some of them migrated to metropolitan cities with the hope of finding a different job and settled there.

Most people think they are refugees.

Afro-Turks living in the Aegean, They are also subject to a lot of discrimination. Esat, the son of Afro-Turkish Hatice Nine, who has been in the news recently, says that they are called “Arab” especially due to the increasing refugee problems today, and that this situation is very normal for them now: I have many friends, some call me Arab. But not in a bad way, they hang out.

African Turks, who stand out in the metropolitan areas and are subject to many discriminations, live in smaller settlements such as the villages of the Aegean. part of society they are seen as Maybe this is one of the reasons why they did not leave the Aegean when they had the opportunity after the forced migration.

If you’re both a woman and ‘black’…

Today, since the origin of Afro-Turks is still unknown, they are treated as refugees and face a great deal of discrimination. living in Izmir An Afro-Turkish girl, He described his situation as follows: I was also facing a problem in Izmir. It’s hard to be a woman in Turkey, it’s harder to be black. I went to Isparta for university. Everyone is astonished, and everyone in the dorm is looking at me. It doesn’t make much sense for people on the street to say something, but for people at a certain level at the university to say something…

The image of Turks in cinema throughout history: Arap Bacı

Known as Arap Bacı, these women, who have been the subject of movies, TV series and even novels in cinemas, are usually shown in the status of helping with housework or being a nanny. This is a reflection of the slavery tradition. They consider themselves Turkish and state that they do not want to experience discrimination anymore. This community, which has existed in Turkish lands since the 19th century, says that the situations they lived in due to their past slavery are now a thing of the past.

Well, what we all know, watch and listen to Turkish artists of African descent did you wonder? Here are a few of them…

Esmeray is the first name that comes to mind when Afro-Turk is mentioned.

Dursune Şirin, in the example of “Arab Bacı”, has become an indispensable character in Turkish cinema.

Mansur Ark is a Turkish singer of African descent.

Safiye Ayla Targan is a Turkish classical music artist.

These Turks, about whom we know very little; actually among us, people of the commonwealth. Their names are Ayşe, Fatma, Hatice, Mehmet, Ahmet…