Was Aşık Veysel ever silenced? Imagine him arriving in Ankara. He carried his bağlama. He wanted to share his heartfelt songs with the capital. But Ankara’s governor, Nevzat Tandoğan, barred him.
Aşık Veysel Şatıroğlu was born in 1894. His birthplace was Sivrialan village. It is in the Şarkışla district of Sivas. He became a minstrel.
Tragedy struck early. He lost his sight at age seven. Smallpox claimed his eyes. His father gifted him a bağlama. It was to offer solace. He started playing tunes of other minstrels.
Director of National Education Ahmet Kutsi Tecer met Veysel in 1930. Tecer recognized his talent. He invited him to a poetry event in Sivas in 1931. This marked a turning point. Veysel gained public attention.
The Republic’s 10th anniversary celebrations in 1933 saw him invited to Ankara. He played his bağlama in cafes. He shared his poems. Aşık Veysel became a lecturer of folk songs. He taught at Village Institutes. These included Arifiye, Hasanoğlan and Çifteler. He also performed at People’s Houses and on the radio.
The Turkish Grand National Assembly granted him a salary. This was for his contributions to Turkish language and national unity. His poems touched on life’s fleeting nature. They spoke of death. They emphasized the importance of controlling one’s will. He promoted love for the land.
Despite his rising fame, Ankara once rejected Aşık Veysel. His appearance was not deemed suitable. Nevzat Tandoğan did not allow him into the city center. It is alleged that his saz was taken and broken by officers. This insult led to protests years later. People wanted Tandoğan Square renamed Aşık Veysel Square.
Aşık Veysel’s influence on Turkish literature is undeniable. He used a clear language. Everyone could understand him. His life was portrayed in the film “The Dark World.”
His works include “Poems from Aşık Veysel.” He also wrote “Sounds from my Bağlama.” Another work is “Friends Shall Remember Me.”
Aşık Veysel passed away in 1973. He died due to lung cancer. But his legacy lives on. In 2023, Turkey declared it “Aşık Veysel Year.” This marked the 50th anniversary of his death. He remains one of Turkey’s most beloved folk poets. He proved that even blindness could not dim his inner light.