Tracing the Şatıroğlu Lineage

Abstract

In our country, 2023 was declared the Year of Âşık Veysel because he was a world-renowned folk artist whose messages of patriotism, tolerance, joy of life, and love, reflected in his poems written in a clear and pure language, illuminate both his own life and the future. The significance of the Alevi teachings embedded in these qualities is undeniable. A rich literature exists about Âşık Veysel, a prominent figure in Anatolian Alevism with his saz, words, and heartfelt beauty. Explanations of his life story, voice, music, world of meaning, and heritage occupy a significant place in this literature. Almost every study of his listed characteristics refers to the environment in which he was born and raised. After a limited overview of his village, family, and relatives, the main topic is explored. However, the genealogical ties and historical depths of these individuals, who have such a significant place in Alevi belief and culture, must be explored to the extent that archival sources allow. It is believed that efforts in this direction will yield two fundamentally important results. The first is to uncover information about individuals’ past lives, whether as families, clans, or tribes. This will naturally bring into contact the historical, geographical, economic, and cultural worlds, as well as the deep-rooted past of the individual. The second is to uncover some traces of the individual’s religious world.

The study can be seen as an application of the above ideas in the context of the Âşık Veysel case. Focusing primarily on the first objective, individual achievements, the study aims to access information about Âşık Veysel’s family and lineage, using sources in the Ottoman Archives. Establishing the lineage of his family, which includes generations of members today, constitutes the focus of the study. For this purpose, a historical approach was undertaken by examining the population, dividend, and census records of the Emlak district, to which his village, Sivrialan, is administratively affiliated, to establish a spatial and individual lineage. By occasionally comparing archival material with current information, a certain understanding of lineage was sought. The study will highlight the points where these two sources of information intersect and disagree. Nevertheless, the study also aims to draw attention to the Ottoman Archive registers and funds, which have been virtually ignored in the Alevism field, and to encourage interested parties to conduct similar studies through the example of Âşık Veysel.