Alevism and Bektashism Culture in Cyprus: An Analysis in The Context of Poems of the Poet Kenzî

Mustafa Yeniasır; Burak Gökbulut; Ahmet Güneyli

Article Details

Alevism and Bektashism Culture in Cyprus: An Analysis in The Context of Poems of the Poet Kenzî

Authors:

Mustafa Yeniasır | Burak Gökbulut | Ahmet Güneyli

Publisher:

Hacettepe University

Main Topics:

Çağdaş Türk Lehçeleri ve Edebiyatları (Diğer) | Türk İslam Edebiyatı

Journal:

Türkbilig Vol.2024 Issue 48, pp.377-393

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

12/2024

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001336166

pISSN:

1302-6011

Keywords:

Abstract:

 Following the occupation of Cyprus by the Turks in 1571, many Turks from all crafts and professions from various regions of Anatolia were sent there to settle. The Turks who settled on the island during the mentioned period naturally brought their lifestyle, customs, and traditions. One of these traditions are related to the Alevi-Bektashi culture. Along with the Janissaries settling on the island, Alevi-Bektashi culture started to spread in Cyprus, and some of the people who were later sent to the island in order to increase the Turkish population on the island were Turkish nomads Yoruks and levis. The Alevis and Bektashis who settled on the island in that period established dervish convents and contributed a lot to Cyprus in terms of culture, literature, and social aspects. When we look at the island today, it is seen that there are Alevi-Bektashi structures such as Kutup Osman Convent, Kirklar Shrine, Bayraktar Shrine, and Turabi Convent that remain from the Ottoman period both in the north and in the south of the island. There is information in the sources that some of the convents built were later transformed into mosques. Kenzî, who does not have much information about her life in the sources, was born in Cyprus in 1795, moved to Edirne, and died in 1840. Kenzî did not live long in Edirne, fought in the Turkish-Greek Wars, and wrote three epics narrating Mesolongi and Athens battles. The Cyprus Epic, which is another significant work of the poet, narrates the rebellions that broke out in Cyprus in 1833. The poet, who reflected on various events he witnessed in his lifetime in his poems, tried to narrate the rebellions in Cyprus in a realistic way. It is understood from his works that the poet, about whose life we learn from his works, left Cyprus when he was about 12-13 years old and wrote most of his works in Anatolia and Rumelia. The poet, who is known to have been raised in Bektashi convents, settled in Edirne after he wandered some regions of west and south Anatolia. At the end of the article, examples of Kenzis canon diwan, which is in a single copy in the Edirne library numbered 2203, are also given. According to the information we obtain from the poems he authored, the poet had the opportunity to see most parts of the Rumelia and included many historical elements in this region in his poems. Despite a relatively short lifetime of 45 years, as one of the most renowned improvising poets of his period, the poet Kenzî wrote enough poems to build a voluminous canon. The poet, whom we get to know thanks to the efforts of the Cypriot researcher Harid Fedai, who found his works and transcribed them in Latin letters, mostly used aruz prosody and folk poetry forms with Aruz prosody and authored poems on various subjects. The poet Kenzî, who is mainly known for his epics in Cyprus Turkish Literature, has quite a rich vocabulary compared to his contemporaries. Kenzî preferred to use, especially Persian phrases, and by including Arabic words, he usually used a heavy and ornamental language in his works. Kenzî also included many elements belonging to the Alevi-Bektashi culture in his poems among his collected poems. Kenzî, who included many elements belonging to the Alevi Bektashi culture such as shah, Haydar, Hayder-i Kerrar, Zulfikar, Hazarat Hussein, Kerbela, the 12 Imams, Harici, and Yezid in his poems, has also referred to two important artists Kaygusuz Abdal and Haci Bektashi Veli in relation to the relevant culture. While referring to the miracles of Haci Bektashi Veli in his poems, the poet Kenzî expressed that Kaygusuz Abdal was like the Red Sea ad embraced the whole world. The poet, who reflected the deep love of humans, which forms the basis of Sufism, in his poems, aimed to teach certain universal values such as compassion and mercy. It is possible to claim that the poet, who also included three great Bektashi fathers, Bulbul Dede, Tuysuz Baba Dervish Mehemmed, and Elhac Mehemmed Buzcuzade in his poems, occupies a significant place in Alevi-Bektashi culture.

 Following the occupation of Cyprus by the Turks in 1571, many Turks from all crafts and professions from various regions of Anatolia were sent there to settle. The Turks who settled on the island during the mentioned period naturally brought their lifestyle, customs, and traditions. One of these traditions are related to the Alevi-Bektashi culture. Along with the Janissaries settling on the island, Alevi-Bektashi culture started to spread in Cyprus, and some of the people who were later sent to the island in order to increase the Turkish population on the island were Turkish nomads Yoruks and levis. The Alevis and Bektashis who settled on the island in that period established dervish convents and contributed a lot to Cyprus in terms of culture, literature, and social aspects. When we look at the island today, it is seen that there are Alevi-Bektashi structures such as Kutup Osman Convent, Kirklar Shrine, Bayraktar Shrine, and Turabi Convent that remain from the Ottoman period both in the north and in the south of the island. There is information in the sources that some of the convents built were later transformed into mosques. Kenzî, who does not have much information about her life in the sources, was born in Cyprus in 1795, moved to Edirne, and died in 1840. Kenzî did not live long in Edirne, fought in the Turkish-Greek Wars, and wrote three epics narrating Mesolongi and Athens battles. The Cyprus Epic, which is another significant work of the poet, narrates the rebellions that broke out in Cyprus in 1833. The poet, who reflected on various events he witnessed in his lifetime in his poems, tried to narrate the rebellions in Cyprus in a realistic way. It is understood from his works that the poet, about whose life we learn from his works, left Cyprus when he was about 12-13 years old and wrote most of his works in Anatolia and Rumelia. The poet, who is known to have been raised in Bektashi convents, settled in Edirne after he wandered some regions of west and south Anatolia. At the end of the article, examples of Kenzis canon diwan, which is in a single copy in the Edirne library numbered 2203, are also given. According to the information we obtain from the poems he authored, the poet had the opportunity to see most parts of the Rumelia and included many historical elements in this region in his poems. Despite a relatively short lifetime of 45 years, as one of the most renowned improvising poets of his period, the poet Kenzî wrote enough poems to build a voluminous canon. The poet, whom we get to know thanks to the efforts of the Cypriot researcher Harid Fedai, who found his works and transcribed them in Latin letters, mostly used aruz prosody and folk poetry forms with Aruz prosody and authored poems on various subjects. The poet Kenzî, who is mainly known for his epics in Cyprus Turkish Literature, has quite a rich vocabulary compared to his contemporaries. Kenzî preferred to use, especially Persian phrases, and by including Arabic words, he usually used a heavy and ornamental language in his works. Kenzî also included many elements belonging to the Alevi-Bektashi culture in his poems among his collected poems. Kenzî, who included many elements belonging to the Alevi Bektashi culture such as shah, Haydar, Hayder-i Kerrar, Zulfikar, Hazarat Hussein, Kerbela, the 12 Imams, Harici, and Yezid in his poems, has also referred to two important artists Kaygusuz Abdal and Haci Bektashi Veli in relation to the relevant culture. While referring to the miracles of Haci Bektashi Veli in his poems, the poet Kenzî expressed that Kaygusuz Abdal was like the Red Sea ad embraced the whole world. The poet, who reflected the deep love of humans, which forms the basis of Sufism, in his poems, aimed to teach certain universal values such as compassion and mercy. It is possible to claim that the poet, who also included three great Bektashi fathers, Bulbul Dede, Tuysuz Baba Dervish Mehemmed, and Elhac Mehemmed Buzcuzade in his poems, occupies a significant place in Alevi-Bektashi culture.

 Following the occupation of Cyprus by the Turks in 1571, many Turks from all crafts and professions from various regions of Anatolia were sent there to settle. The Turks who settled on the island during the mentioned period naturally brought their lifestyle, customs, and traditions. One of these traditions are related to the Alevi-Bektashi culture. Along with the Janissaries settling on the island, Alevi-Bektashi culture started to spread in Cyprus, and some of the people who were later sent to the island in order to increase the Turkish population on the island were Turkish nomads Yoruks and levis. The Alevis and Bektashis who settled on the island in that period established dervish convents and contributed a lot to Cyprus in terms of culture, literature, and social aspects. When we look at the island today, it is seen that there are Alevi-Bektashi structures such as Kutup Osman Convent, Kirklar Shrine, Bayraktar Shrine, and Turabi Convent that remain from the Ottoman period both in the north and in the south of the island. There is information in the sources that some of the convents built were later transformed into mosques. Kenzî, who does not have much information about her life in the sources, was born in Cyprus in 1795, moved to Edirne, and died in 1840. Kenzî did not live long in Edirne, fought in the Turkish-Greek Wars, and wrote three epics narrating Mesolongi and Athens battles. The Cyprus Epic, which is another significant work of the poet, narrates the rebellions that broke out in Cyprus in 1833. The poet, who reflected on various events he witnessed in his lifetime in his poems, tried to narrate the rebellions in Cyprus in a realistic way. It is understood from his works that the poet, about whose life we learn from his works, left Cyprus when he was about 12-13 years old and wrote most of his works in Anatolia and Rumelia. The poet, who is known to have been raised in Bektashi convents, settled in Edirne after he wandered some regions of west and south Anatolia. At the end of the article, examples of Kenzis canon diwan, which is in a single copy in the Edirne library numbered 2203, are also given. According to the information we obtain from the poems he authored, the poet had the opportunity to see most parts of the Rumelia and included many historical elements in this region in his poems. Despite a relatively short lifetime of 45 years, as one of the most renowned improvising poets of his period, the poet Kenzî wrote enough poems to build a voluminous canon. The poet, whom we get to know thanks to the efforts of the Cypriot researcher Harid Fedai, who found his works and transcribed them in Latin letters, mostly used aruz prosody and folk poetry forms with Aruz prosody and authored poems on various subjects. The poet Kenzî, who is mainly known for his epics in Cyprus Turkish Literature, has quite a rich vocabulary compared to his contemporaries. Kenzî preferred to use, especially Persian phrases, and by including Arabic words, he usually used a heavy and ornamental language in his works. Kenzî also included many elements belonging to the Alevi-Bektashi culture in his poems among his collected poems. Kenzî, who included many elements belonging to the Alevi Bektashi culture such as shah, Haydar, Hayder-i Kerrar, Zulfikar, Hazarat Hussein, Kerbela, the 12 Imams, Harici, and Yezid in his poems, has also referred to two important artists Kaygusuz Abdal and Haci Bektashi Veli in relation to the relevant culture. While referring to the miracles of Haci Bektashi Veli in his poems, the poet Kenzî expressed that Kaygusuz Abdal was like the Red Sea ad embraced the whole world. The poet, who reflected the deep love of humans, which forms the basis of Sufism, in his poems, aimed to teach certain universal values such as compassion and mercy. It is possible to claim that the poet, who also included three great Bektashi fathers, Bulbul Dede, Tuysuz Baba Dervish Mehemmed, and Elhac Mehemmed Buzcuzade in his poems, occupies a significant place in Alevi-Bektashi culture.

 1571 yılında Kıbrısın Türkler tarafından fethinden sonra Anadolunun çeşitli yörelerinden her sanat ve meslekten birçok Türk Kıbrısa yerleştirilmiştir. Sözü edilen dönemde adaya yerleştirilen Türkler, doğal olarak yaşam tarzlarını, gelenek ve göreneklerini de beraberlerinde getirmişlerdir. Bunlardan birisi de şüphesiz ki Alevi-Bektaşi kültürüdür. Adaya yerleşen Yeniçerilerle birlikte Kıbrısta Alevi-Bektaşi kültürü de yayılmaya başlamış, daha sonra nüfusu çoğaltmak için gönderilen ve adada çeşitli faaliyetlerde bulunan insanların bir bölümü de Yörük ve Alevi olmuştur. O dönemde Kıbrısa yerleşen Alevi ve Bektaşiler; adada dergâhlar kurmuşlar, Kıbrısa kültürel, edebî ve sosyal yönden birçok katkıda bulunmuşlardır. Bugün bakıldığında adanın gerek kuzeyinde gerekse güneyinde Osmanlı döneminden kalan Kutup Osman Dergâhı, Kırklar Türbesi, Bayraktar Türbesi, Turâbî Tekkesi gibi Alevi-Bektaşi yapılarının bulunduğu görülmektedir. Önceden inşa edilen bir kısım dergâhın ise sonradan camiye çevrildiğiyle ilgili bilgiler de kaynaklarda mevcuttur. Kaynaklarda yaşamı ile ilgili pek fazla bilgi bulunmayan Âşık Kenzî, 1795 yılında Kıbrısta doğmuş oradan Edirneye geçmiş ve 1840 yılında hayatını kaybetmiştir. Kenzînin Edirnede uzun süre ikamet etmediği, buradan ayrılarak Türk-Yunan savaşlarına katıldığı ve gözlemlerinden hareketle Mesolongi ile Atina çarpışmalarını anlatan üç destan yazdığı görülmektedir. Şairin bir diğer önemli eseri olan Kıbrıs Destanı ise 1833 yılında Kıbrısta patlak veren isyanları anlatmaktadır. Yaşadığı dönemde tanık olduğu çeşitli olayları şiirlerine yansıtan şair, Kıbrıstaki isyanları da realist bir şekilde eserlerinde vermeye çalışmıştır. Yaşamı ile alakalı bilgileri eserlerinden edindiğimiz Kenzînin yaklaşık 12-13 yaşlarında Kıbrıstan ayrıldığı ve eserlerinin çoğunu Anadolu ile Rumelide verdiği anlaşılmaktadır. Bektaşi tekkelerinde yetiştiği bilinen şair, batı ve güney Anadolunun bazı yerlerini dolaştıktan sonra Edirneye yerleşmiştir. Makalenin sonunda Âşık Kenzînin Edirne kitaplığında 2203 numarada tek bir nüsha halinde bulunan divanından örnekler de verilmiştir. Kaleme aldığı şiirlerden edinilen bilgiye göre şair, Rumelinin birçok yerini görme şansı bulmuş ve bu bölgede yer alan tarihî unsurlara şiirlerinde geniş bir yer vermiştir. Kırk beş yıl gibi kısa bir ömür sürmesine rağmen Âşık Kenzî, döneminin en ünlü meydan şairlerinden biri olarak, hacimli bir divan oluşturacak kadar şiir kaleme almıştır. Eserlerini tespit ederek Latin harflerine aktaran Kıbrıslı Türk araştırmacı Harid Fedai sayesinde tanıdığımız şair, şiirlerinde çoğunlukla aruzu, aruzlu halk şiiri biçimlerini kullanmış ve farklı konularda şiirler kaleme almıştır. Kıbrıs Türk Edebiyatı içerisinde daha çok destanları ile bilinen Âşık Kenzînin çağdaşlarına göre oldukça zengin bir söz dağarcığı vardır. Kenzî, şiirlerinde özellikle Farsça tamlamaları tercih etmiş, bununla birlikte Arapça sözcüklere de yer vererek eserlerinde genel olarak ağır, süslü ve sanatlı bir dil kullanmıştır. Âşık Kenzî, divanı içerisinde bulunan birçok şiirde Alevi-Bektaşi kültürüne ilişkin çok sayıda unsura yer vermiştir. Şah, Haydar, Hayder-i Kerrar, Zülfikar, Hz. Hüseyin, Kerbela, On İki İmam, Harici, Yezid gibi Alevi-Bektaşi kültürüne ait unsurlara şiirlerinde yer veren Kenzî, söz konusu kültüre ilişkin iki önemli sanatçıya da Kaygusuz Abdal ve Hacı Bektaş Veli yer yer atıfta bulunmuştur. Âşık Kenzî şiirlerinde Hacı Bektaş Velinin kerametlerine atıfta bulunurken, Kaygusuz Abdalın da Kızıldeniz gibi olduğunu ve bütün dünyayı kucakladığını ifade etmiştir. Bektaşiliğin temelinde bulunan insan sevgisini şiirlerine yansıtan şair, insanlara şefkat ve merhamet gibi birtakım evrensel değerleri de öğretmeye çalışmıştır. Kaleme aldığı şiirlerinde sözü edilen diğer unsurlarla birlikte Bülbül Dede, Tüysüz Baba Derviş Mehemmed ve Elhac Mehemmed Buzcu-zâde gibi üç büyük Bektaşi babasının ismine de yer veren şairin, Alevi-Bektaşi kültürü içerisinde önemli bir yeri olduğunu söylemek mümkündür.

Article Details

Alevism and Bektashism Culture in Cyprus: An Analysis in The Context of Poems of the Poet Kenzî

Authors:

Mustafa Yeniasır | Burak Gökbulut | Ahmet Güneyli

Publisher:

Hacettepe University

Main Topics:

Çağdaş Türk Lehçeleri ve Edebiyatları (Diğer) | Türk İslam Edebiyatı

Journal:

Türkbilig Vol.2024 Issue 48, pp.377-393

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

12/2024

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001336166

pISSN:

1302-6011

Cyprus

Islam

Alevi-Bektashi Culture Poet

Folk Poetry

Aşık KenziKıbrıs

İslam

Alevi-Bektaşi Kültürü

Halk Şiiri

Aşık Kenzi

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Mustafa Yeniasır | Burak Gökbulut | Ahmet Güneyli

Publisher: Hacettepe University

Main Topics: Çağdaş Türk Lehçeleri ve Edebiyatları (Diğer) | Türk İslam Edebiyatı

Journal: Türkbilig Vol.2024 Issue 48, pp.377-393

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 12/2024

Document Language: Turkish

Document ID (Org No.): 2001336166

pISSN: 1302-6011

Issues

Authors:

Mustafa Yeniasır | Burak Gökbulut | Ahmet Güneyli

Publisher:

Hacettepe University

Main Topics:

Çağdaş Türk Lehçeleri ve Edebiyatları (Diğer) | Türk İslam Edebiyatı

Journal:

Türkbilig Vol.2024 Issue 48, pp.377-393

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

12/2024

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001336166

pISSN:

1302-6011