Novelist
(b. 12 July 1939, Malatya). He attendedthe
Sıtmapınar Primary School (1950) and left elementary school to earn his
living. He worked as an apprentice at a publishing house (1951-59) and in 1961
he established his own publishing house, and published a newspaper with the
title Sebat (9.4.1962). He was held under investigation for his articles
in this newspaper. In the same period, he established the Malatya Journalists
Association and was the secretary of the association for eight years. In 1968,
he was appointed member to the Provincial Administrative Board of the
Republican People’s Party and in 1969 he was elected a member to the
Municipality Council. In the ‘12 March’ period (May 1971) he was taken into
custody on the order of Diyarbakır Martial Law. When he was released, he moved
his publishing house to İstanbul and settled there.
He collected the Writers Union of Turkey Honorary
Plaquette in 1994 for his research. The same year he received the Hacı Bektaş
Veli Friendship and Peace Award, which was given for the first time. He was
elected the Chairman of the Alawite-Bektaşi Representatives Committee, which
was established that year. He is a member of the Supervisory Board of the
Writers Syndicate of Turkey, the Semah Association for Culture and Solidarity,
the Turkish Authors Association and the PEN Association of Writers.
His
articles and stories have been published in newspapers and reviews such as Sebat,
İmece, Oluş, TÖS, Birlik, Adalet, Hakimiyet, Barış, Demokrasi, Evrensel, Cem,
Nefes, Gönüllerin Sesi, Aydınlık, Cumhuriyet, Hürriyet, Milliyet, Radikal,
Özgür Gündem, Vatan, Karacahmet Sultan, Kervan, Türk Dili, Berfin Bahar,
Toplumsal Barış, Güzel Yazılar, Pir Sultan etc. He conducted research on
the Alewi in Anatolia. He has participated in forums and on panels in many
countries in Europe.
WORKS:
SHORT
STORY: Isdanbıllı Gardaşım - Zöhre Bacı'dan Mektuplar (My Brother from
İstanbul - Letters From Zöhre Bacı, 1972), Dişliler Arasında (In the
Cogwheel, 1973), Dönek (Fickle, 1978).
CHILDREN’S STORY: Gül
Üreten Kız (The Girl Who Produces Roses, 1980), Horoz Şekeri ile Badem
Şekeri (Rooster Candy and Almond Candy, 1980).
NOVEL:
Görgü (Good Manners, 1972), Haşhaş (Hashish, 1974), Kardeşlerin
Kini (The Malice of Brothers, 1976), Vakarlı Mamo (Dignified Mamo,
1990; 2. edition with the title Göççük Haççe ile Vakarlı Mamo-Little
Haççe and Dignified Mamo, 1997), Kooperatif Vurgunu (Profiteers of the
Cooperative, 1990), Köşker İmam (The Shoe Repairer İmam, 1992), Din
Tacirleri (Traders of Religion, 2002).
STUDY-RESEARCH: Kimliğini
Haykıran Alevilik (Alawites Shouting Out Their Identities, 1990), Tapılacak
İlah (The God to Worship, 1991), Mevlânâ, Yunus ve Hacı Bektaş Gerçeği (the
Facts of Mevlana, Yunus and Hacı Bektaş, 1993), Sivas Katliamı ve Şeriat
(Massacre in Sivas and Sheri’at, 1994), Binbirçiçek Mozayiği Alevilik (Alawites
- A Mosaic of a Thousand Flowers, 1995), Tanrı - İnsan (God - Man,
1996), Mitolojide İnanç ve Peygamberler (Faith and Prophets in
Mythology, 1996), Tarikat-Ticaret-Mafya-Siyaset (Tarikat*, Trade, Mafia,
Politics, 1997), Yesevi ve Hünkâr ile Olduk (We Became with Yesevi and
Hünkar) Enel-Hak (Enel-Hak*, 1998), Dil, Din ve Kur'an Tartışması
(Discussions on Language, Religion and the Koran, 1998), Alevi Kimliği ve Alevi
Örgütlenmeleri (The Identity and Organizations of the Alawites, 2000), Osmanlı'dan
Günümüze Vurgunlar-Kırımlar-İftiralar-İhanetler (Profits, Massacres,
Aspersions, Treacheries from the Ottomans to Our Times, 2002), Bölücü Böö!
(Terrorist, Gee! 2003), İrtica ve AB Kıskacında Türkiye (Turkey in the
Claw of the EU and Reaction, 2003), Alevilik Aklidir, Ahlâki ve İnsanidir (Being
Alewi is Rational, Moral and Human, 2004), İslam’da
Kadınlar-Cennet-Cihat-Reform (Women, Paradise, Holy War and Reform in
Islam, 2005).
