Pontian Muslims

[akritas]

Omer Asan, Hellenic-speaking writer from Turkey and a guide to the Pontian culture : "I began the search for my identity because the language my ancestors spoke was not Turkish"

by Vlasis Agtzidis





One of the most important books published in Hellas last year was Omer Asan's "The Civilization of the Pontos" (Kyriakidis Publishers , Thessaloniki). Now Hellenes have the opportunity to read this book first published as "Pontos Kultura" in 1996 in Istanbul, by Beige. A second edition is in press. Omer Asan, an economist, comes from Of, in Trebizond, north-eastern Turkey, an area with a strong Islamic tradition and a substantial Hellenic-speaking population. In addition to the Of version of the Pontian dialect, Asan speaks Modern Hellenic fluently. The writer was involved in the Left and was prosecuted for it during the 1980s. His father, a member of the Turkish Communist Party was imprisoned after the military coups of 1971 and 1981.

Omer Asan belongs to the post-dictatorship generation. He came to Hellas last year for the launching of the Greek edition of his book, and this interview was conducted during his visit.

"Are there Hellenic-speakers in Turkey today who speak the Pontian dialect?"

There are still people in Turkey today who speak and understand Pontian which is the oldest surviving Hellenic dialect. The members of this community come from Trebizond and are scattered throughout Turkey or have emigrated to other countries Pontian spoken in 60 villages in the Trebizond region, most of them in the Of area. At a conservative estimate. I would say this dialect is spoken by around 300000 people.

"You refer constantly to the identity problem. Why is this so important to you?"

Nowadays the identity problem comes up more often, and this is because traditional explanations, like official identity cards don't give adequate answers. Some say the search for identity is a fashion that comes and goes. In their view, everyone is an individual a human being and nothing else.

Regardless of what anyone thinks. I consider the important thing is to protect our language which we inherited from our forebears, and which is disappearing because we don't care about its disappearance and also to protect our culture and the identity it created for us.

Throughout the history of mankind many ethnic groups living in the same geographical area have been absorbed by the dominant culture. Personality I am against others today sharing the fate of ethnic cultural groups which during the course of history were sometimes incorporated into the dominant culture and sometimes assimilated by force.

"You often refer to the question, "Who am I" to define the motives for specific research Did your personal search play a decisive part?"

I began to search for my identity because of the fact that the language my ancestors spoke was not Turkish. Because in the village in town, at school, they taught us that we were Turks. In the neighborhood, at school, at work we spoke Turkish . But at home, in the village, my grandfather, my grandmother, everyone in the family spoke to each other in the language we called "Romaika". So what were we, "Romioi" or Turks? Now we speak Turkish.

In my village the old people speak Romaika, but they are the last to use the language. The coming generations will not be able to bear it and learn it. Let's say that we have agreed, as far as the present is concerned: We speak Turkish, therefore we are Turkish. But who were we until now, what happened to make us become Turks? By asking "Who am I?" I plunged into the unknown. I had to find the answer to this question at any cost. And that is how this adventure began.

"When did this adventure begin, and what was your research based on?"

At the end of the 1980's I began researching our identity and culture. But in Turkey I did n't manage to find written sources, or anything related to the language we spoke. I began in amateur fashion, to collect Pontian words I asked all the old people I met about our identity and language.

I spoke to Turkish experts and researchers and discovered to my surprise that no work had been done in this field.

At that time, aiming to find out at least a little information. I wrote letters and sent them to addresses in Hellas that I had learned of purely by chance. In 1993, just when I was about to give up hope. I was invited to a Pontian festival in Kallithea Attica.

What I saw and the sounds I heard there literally changed my life. I was astonished that hundreds of kilometers from the land where I was born. I heard songs in the language of my ancestors accompanied by the lyra, that I danced with unknown people in another country and that I could talk and make myself understood in Pontian which I thought was a language that was no use at all.

So I decided to focus my research on Erenkioi, my village in Of, and to study its living culture as an extract trace of Pontian culture. The result was this book that was published first in Turkey and then in Hellas. It is in six parts, including the theoretical context, historical and ethnographic details, popular literature, folklore, nomenclature, a glossary and bibliography.

[akritas]

"How was your book received in Turkey? Were there any problems with publication?"

The book had an extremely good reception in academic circles, since it filled a gap in modern Turkish learning. The second edition is already in press. But it did give rise to misunderstandings both in Turkey and in Hellas. Both sides interpreted the book differently. I didn't come to Hellas for three years, because of political incidents between the two countries. I hope that the improvement in the climate will facilitate scientific research into taboo subjects.

And also that some groups in Hellas that speak in the name of the Hellenic-speakers of Turkey will start to show more respect for that population.

"What are the greatest problems arising from the investigation of questions of identity and national culture?"

In today's world problem centered on identity are not easily resolved. Indeed when the question of ethnic identity arises the alarm, it causes can lead to conflict. The most recent example is the tragedy that occurred in Kosovo. Besides we observe clashes - close by in the heart of Europe - that stem from the aspirations of groups who share a common identity to create nations.

However, we must realize that at the end of this century, when cultural nationalism is being fomented and has become fashionable, national states which engage in a war of interests can easily exploit national and cultural identities that are in competition with each other. Although ethnic groups can express themselves freely in the easiest and most peaceful manner very many of them readily enter into disputes and are incited to conflict .

Personally I am of the opinion that we must discuss the subject of our cultural identity in a flexible manner which does not give rise to clashes be aware of the sensitivity of the topic, and not ignore reality.

"What is your opinion about Turkey's European outlook as it emerges after the Helsinki summit?"

The founders of the Republic of Turkey wanted to forge closer ties with Europe Since then unfortunately the meaning of democracy in Turkey has not developed in parallel with Europe. We know the cause of this to be history and other political issues. Never theless. I interpret Europe's acceptance of Turkey in historical and sociological terms. That is say, that Turkey is too important for Europe to be discarded. "A decision that was taken bears what I say. Moreover, we shall that the idea of being Europe will help society rethink its ideology and its exclusive depends on the state. We can see that state and its mechanisms are already coming into question. This was a dream of ours that was a long time coming.

"If the European Union had accepted Turkey, what would have happened?"

We don't even want to think about that because Turkey has a lot of problems. One outcome these problems is that they suffocate us. Who would that benefit Europe, Hellas, the Caucasus, the Middle East? Nobody think In order to solve all these problems we need a broad horizon. This is what our links were the European Union have given us, to a certain extent. But may not be enough. The Turkish people have a difficult life, was economic and social problems.

For this reason the time has come for Turkey to make some extremely important decisions and to embark on reforms in this sector. Everyone accepts it. For it will not come about so easily think that the Turkish people are being tested by history. I believe that a successful outcome of this test will benefit everyone.

source:
www.okosmos.com

[akritas]

The Pontian muslims at the target of Turkey

by Nikos Doukas

Ankara mounted new persecutions against the Pontian muslims, apparently within the scope of the much-advertised "friendship" towards the Kemalist regime. The Turkish authorities forbade the circulation of a book touching on the special cultural identity of the Pontians, while the Turkish gendarmerie has launched a campaign of intimidation and threats in the Pontus region.

Since 1996 the book "Pontos Kulturu" (The Culture of Pontus) of the Pontian writer Omer Asan has been on the bookstore windows in Turkey. We had suggested in November 2001 the Greek edition of the book in our book recommendations. It is a description of the Pontian dialect, the closest to the Ancient Greek spoken today language, the Pontian cuisine and jokes from the Pontian villages. The book was extremely popular in Turkey, especially among the Pontians, and was almost out of print. The author Omer Asan comes from the Greek-speaking area Of in Trapezous (Trebizond).

On 19th January in the TV programme "Ceviz Kabugu" (The nutshell), organized by the journalist Halki Cevizioglu of the Turkish channel ATV, Omer Asan was threatened by the representatives of the Turkish "Nationalist Action Party" (MHP), the notorious killers "Grey Wolves", and was forced to walk out. The Turkish Justice ordered the confiscation of the book and brought in an indictment against the writer Omer Asan and the publisher Ragip Zarakoglu for "insulting the person of Kemal". The Turkish minister of Justice Sami Tur, trying to excuse for the prosecution, commented that "nobody threatens Pontus (Karadeniz) and the relevant talk is excessive". Omer Asan was subjected to long-drawn-out interrogation, but no evidence turned up against him.

To justify the anti-Pontian campaign, the Turkish military made up "Pontian guerillas". On 5th December 2001 the Kerasous (Giresun) military governor brigadier Bakir Onurlubas claimed that "there are Greek secret plans for Pontus and the main reason Greece wants to open a consulate in Trapezous (Trebizond) is the wish to support the Pontus activities". In January the Constantinople (Istanbul) garrison commander Ali Giungior Ongioren said that "35 young men from the Pontus (Karadeniz) region support the separatist movement "Greek Pontus" and are trained in camps in Greece". Of course the Greek socialist government has not developed the slightest activity in Pontus, perhaps because it is so busy with the "friendship" activities towards the Kemalist regime. The statement was simply the occasion for the gendarmerie to mount a new wave of threats against the Greek-speaking Pontian muslims. According to the Federation of Pontians in Greece "in the 300 Greek-speaking villages in Pontus a negative climate reigns, pushing the Pontians to a new escape to Greece".

Many of the Pontian muslims do not have a Greek national consciousness, but a simple consciousness of their special cultural identity. However the Kemalist regime does not tolerate any question of the exlusively Turkish Asia Minor myth it has constructed. Turkey deprives the Greek-speaking Pontian muslims of the elementary human rights (protection of customs, language and monuments). The prosecution against Omer Asan is the best opportunity for the Greek "minority" rights activists to prove their good intentions. What do the "Abdi Ipekci" award committee and the Greek Helsinki Watch have to say about the issue? In view of the Turkish persecutions against the Greek-speaking Pontian muslims, their silence tantamounts to complicity.

The anti-Pontian persecutions of Turkey should not go unanswered. Already the Center of Pontian Studies launched an appeal for solidarity with Omer Asan. It is the duty of the Pontian refugees' associations in Greece to bring the issue before the international organizations. The Greek government should raise the question in the Greek-Turkish talks, instead of discussing the endless absurd Turkish demands. The Hellenic Front follows with intense anxiety the latest developments in Pontus. Let everyone know that the times when the Turkish little tin gods "buried" such issues in common with Greek tricky politicians are gone for good.

[akritas]

A intresting article from a new web site that has a subject the European Muslims.
It quoted Pontian Muslims and they reference them clear as Greek. Also the same page mention the Cretans Muslims.

Pontians (Pontioi)

The Pontians, or Pontic Greeks, are a Greek people living in the Black Sea coastal region of Pontus, currently in Turkey. They converted to Islam in the 18th century and have largely retained their unique language, culture and identity in the face of massive assimilation pressures and anti-Greek discrimination.

At a population of around 300,000, Pontic Greeks are concentrated in five or six villages in the regions of Tonya and Trabzon and in nearly 50 villages at the Yukarύ Solaklύ valley, south of Of. There are also at least two villages founded by Pontian emmigrants at Sakarya, near Istanbul. Although Pontians are Sunni Muslims, many Turks denounce them to be crypto-Christians. Not that there exists any evidence to suggest insincerity in the Pontians' Islam.
Their allegience to the Muslim faith is called into question merely on account of their clinging on to their Greek idenitity which, according to the ultra-nationalist Turkish mindset, is proof of anti-Turkishness and, therefore, hypocricy and treason against Islam! Not surprisingly, Pontic Greeks will generally refuse to refer to themselves as such due to the ever-pervasive Turkish supremacism which engenders inferiority complexes in the republic's many supressed minority groups. Instead, most Pontic Greeks prefer to be called "Turkoi" or "Turkos" - a rather silly and nonsensical ethonymn which is actually the Greek noun for "Turk"!

The correct Pontian self-designation, "Romioi" or "Romios", the Pontian Muslims reserve for Greek-speaking Christians. The Pontian language itself, called "Romaika" by its speakers, is a dialect of archaic Cappadocian Greek and has its origins in Attic Greek. Because Pontic and standard Greek developed independently for almost two thousand years, the two tongues are, for the most part, mutually unintelligable. During its development, Pontian was also heavily influenced by Byzantine Greek and Caucasian languages. The fact that Greek has no officially recognised status in Turkey, along with other assimilation pressures, means that today, the Pontian languge is facing extinction.

Cretans (Krhtikoi)

Crete (Kriti), one of the largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, witnessed Europe's first advanced civilisation: that of the Minoans. The ancient culture of the Minoans dissapeared around 1450 BC, whereafter the island fell under the dominance of the mainland Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs (823-961), Venetians (1204-1669) and Turks (1669-1913), before again returning to Greek control. Today, Cretans speak a variant of Greek which includes sounds not covered by the modern Greek alphabet. Among the crops grown in the island are olives, grapes, banans, pears and oranges.

Cretan Muslims arriving in Turkey after the start of Greek rule in Crete in 1908, and especially with the population exchange after 1923, settled in seaside towns like Izmir, Antalya and Ayvalύk. These villages on the Anatolian coastline stretching from the Dardanelles to Alexandretta had historically been home to the Greeks of Asia Minor (Mikra Asia).

The decendants of the Cretan Muslims who still live in the villages near the Aegean, Mediterenean and Marmara seas are reckoned to number between 200,000 and 500,000. If there are indeed half a million Cretan Muslims, then their number equals the Christian population on the island today. Nowadays, only the elderly can be found to be fluent in Greek.

source
http://europeans.ws/

[HellenicPride]

Great posts regarding the Pontian Muslims Akritas!

[akritas]

we must be carefull because

• Turkey is tottaly un-democratic multiethnic state
• these people survive 100 years now under very touph poltical and social circumstances
• dont forget that Turkey is the number 1 country to pogroms and genocides against Christians of course, but these people consider themselves as Pontian first
• that already feel pressure from Turkish authorities after the latest articles and interviews.
• The Pontian Muslims estimate theirs number in 500.000.