Aşık Mahzuni Şerif
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Aşık Mahsuni Şerif | |
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 Aşık Mahsuni Şerif's statue in Hacıbektaş, Turkey | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Şerif Cırık |
| Also known as | Aşık Mahsuni Şerif, Mahsuni Şerif, Mahsuni |
| Born | 17 November 1939 Berçenek Village, Afşin, Kahramanmaraş, Turkey |
| Died | 17 May 2002 (aged 62) Porz, Köln, Germany |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1961-2002 |
Şerif Cırık, popularly known as Aşık Mahsuni Şerif, was a Turkish ashik, folk musician, composer, poet, and author.[1] Aşık is a title used to indicate his position as a respected musician and his relationship with Alevism.
Early life[]
Mahsuni Şerif was born in the Berçenek village of Afşin, Kahramanmaraş, Turkey in 1939.[2][3] His mother's name is Döndü, his father's name is Zeynel Cırık. There was no primary school in his village, Berçenek. Therefore, he learned Koran in Lütfü Efendi Madrasa which is located in the village of Alembey. He can read and write in old Turkish. He could graduated from primary school that built in his village in 1956.
When he was 12, due to his father and relatives, he engaged with his uncle's daughter Emine and when she was 17, he married with her by Imam wedding. He had a daughter named Züleyha. However, he divorced her with a letter.
He started playing baglama [4]and writing poems in 1956 while he was attended to military school. His school was Petty Office Preparation School in Mersin and he finished school in 1959. In 1960, he graduated from Ankara Ordnance Technic School (It's also a military school.).
In 1960, he met an originally Italian girl named Sovina. He decided to marry her, but she was 14. According to law, he couldn't marry her. He took her to his village. He was wanted by government because his age was proper to serve the army (Turkey has compulsory military service for a couple of months for men.). Also he kidnapped a girl according to law. However, he loved her so much, he married her. Her name became Suna.
In 1964, his son Emrah was born. While Emrah was a baby, Mahzuni went to military service by entrust his family to his father Zeynel. Later, one of Mahzuni's friend deceived Suna and she left the house.
Career[]
After Mahzuni left the army, he started to become a public poet by continuing to traditional Turkish Folk poetry. He was writing about political topics and his poems were all about public's problems. He was protesting politics by writing public's problems by his poems. For instance one of his poem is all about lack of education in villages (school without class [Sınıfsız Okul]). He interested in Turkish Folk tradition since he was 12. He learned playing baglama from his uncle Ashik Fezali(Pehlül Baba)
Since 1961 he gave all his have to Turkish Folk Music. His first record was in 1964. He resided in Gaziantep for a while, after he moved to Ankara. He actively worked for labor party's youth branch in 1963, 1964.
He met with Fikret Otyam. Thanks to him he met with Cüneyt Arcayürek Form Gazette of Hürriyet. First writing in gazette about Mahzuni was written by Cüneyt Arcayürek. He found the Society of Ashiks for public poets. He gave concerts supported by Fikret Otyam and Union of Gazette.
He founded a record firm with the money he earned in 1968. However, he bankrupt with his partners Ayhan Coşkun and Abbas Sütçü in a short time.
His last marriage was in 1971. His wife was a primary school teacher.
In 1989-1991 years he was chosen as one of the World's biggest three poet by Turkish Folk Poets Federation.
He is known as these folk songs: Dom Dom Kurşunu, Yedin Beni, Yuh Yuh, Fadimem, Gül Yüzlüm, Ciğerparem, Merdo, Dostum, Han Sarhoş Hancı Sarhoş, Çeşmi Siyahım, Yalan Dünya, Ağlasam mı, Abur Cubur Adam, Katil Amerika, Ekmek Kölesi.
His folk songs are vocalized by a lot of folk music and pop music artists. Some of them are Ersen ve Dadaşlar, Edip Akbayram, Cem Karaca, Gülden Karaböcek, Zeki Müren, İbrahim Tatlıses, Ahmet Kaya, Mahsun Kırmızıgül, Murat Göğebakan, Selda bağcan.
Giving all his head to Folk Poetry, Mahzuni has 453 records, 50 tapes and he published 9 books.
His Lawsuits[]
In 1974, returning from an abroad concert he was arrested. Because, one of a TPFA (Turkey, Public Freedom Army) organization member kidnapped Türkola Records firm owner by saying 'Mahzuni wants you' which is not true. However, no one believed Mahzuni's innocence, he sentenced prison for 14-15 months. In the middle of 70's he prohibited from stages for 8 years and he couldn't go abroad. He made his living by selling records in a little store.
He secretly made records in 1981-82. He did secretly due to his prohibition. These records launched in 1986 when his prohibition was removed.
In 1971, due to military coup Süleyman Demirel government overthrown and Nihat Erim government took over. New government was so hard on leftwinger people. So Mahzuni Şerif said a folk song called 'Erim Erim Eriyesin' which is related with new government's president's surname. In Mahzuni's song he is implying that 'you melt for long and long' which is a criticism to his pressure. In conclusion, Mahzuni arrested and sentenced prison for 10 months.
In 1972, he went to Sivirialan village in Sivas to visit Aşhik Veysel. In 1973 he was arrester for incitement people for crime and he judged in Ankara Court which was governed by military.
In 2001, due to some of his words in an article he was sued. His first court started in December 27 of 2001. When he died in Germany, the case was not concluded.
He was tortured in prison. He was asked a question by a journalist, "Have you ever received a state artist offer? (This offer is a reward for artists which is a great honor in Turkey) Mahzuni replied as 'State rewarded me by pulling my nails in military governed court'
Death[]
He died on May 17, 2002, in Porz, Köln, Germany, four days after his arrival to seek medical aid for his heart condition.[citation needed] He was buried in an area called Çilehane where is in Hacı Bektaş Veli Complex[5] that located in Nevşehir[6] province.
Şerif became one of Turkey's best-known musical interpreters of Turkish folk music and folk poetry.
References[]
- ^ Hem Kızılbaş, hem Aleviyim Archived April 20, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Aşık Mahzuni Şerif - Ozanlarımız
- ^ : : Asrin Ozani - Asik Mahzuni Serif : :
- ^ , Wikipedia, 2021-02-11, retrieved 2021-02-12
- ^ , Wikipedia, 2020-10-29, retrieved 2021-02-12
- ^ , Wikipedia, 2021-02-09, retrieved 2021-02-12
External links[]
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- 1939 births
- 2002 deaths
- People from Afşin
- Alevi singers
- Turkish folk poets
- Turkish male singers
- Turkish Alevis
- 20th-century Turkish singers
- Ashiks
- 20th-century male singers