Neyzen Tevfik
Encyclopedia
Neyzen Tevfik was a Turkish
poet, satirist, and neyzen (a "ney
performer" in Turkish). He was born in Bodrum
on March 24, 1879, and died in Istanbul
on January 28, 1953. His name is occasionally misspelled as Neyzen Teyfik.
as a young man, and became a Mevlevi
in İzmir
. He then moved to Istanbul and continued his Mevlevi practice in Galata
and Kasımpaşa
. In 1902 he became a Bektashi
dervish
.
His interest in poetry influenced him into meeting with Mehmet Akif Ersoy
. He also visited Egypt
for some time between 1908 and 1913.
Neyzen Tevfik's fame in popular Turkish culture is mainly due to his virtuosity with the ney. Moreover, he was also a heavy drinker while practicing a form of Islam
as it was common among Bektashis.He therefore is also a symbol of a clash between the orthodox Islamic doctrine, and the Bektashi
order that he was in, as illustrated in the following translation of his writing:
"The disbeliever's book has neither beginning nor end. A few pages from its middle is all we ever grasp. For religion's sake and fear of blasphemy we endure woe. Reason cannot perceive where righteousness may go.”
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
poet, satirist, and neyzen (a "ney
Ney
The ney is an end-blown flute that figures prominently in Middle Eastern music. In some of these musical traditions, it is the only wind instrument used. It is a very ancient instrument, with depictions of ney players appearing in wall paintings in the Egyptian pyramids and actual neys being found...
performer" in Turkish). He was born in Bodrum
Bodrum
Bodrum is a port city in Muğla Province, in the southwestern Aegean Region of Turkey. It is located on the southern coast of Bodrum Peninsula, at a point that checks the entry into the Gulf of Gökova. The site was called Halicarnassus of Caria in ancient times and was famous for housing the...
on March 24, 1879, and died in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
on January 28, 1953. His name is occasionally misspelled as Neyzen Teyfik.
Biography
Tevfik learned PersianPersian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
as a young man, and became a Mevlevi
Mevlevi
The Mevlevi Order, or the Mevlevilik or Mevleviye are a Sufi order founded in Konya by the followers of Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Balkhi-Rumi, a 13th century Persian poet, Islamic jurist, and theologian. They are also known as the Whirling Dervishes due to their famous practice of whirling as a form...
in İzmir
Izmir
Izmir is a large metropolis in the western extremity of Anatolia. The metropolitan area in the entire Izmir Province had a population of 3.35 million as of 2010, making the city third most populous in Turkey...
. He then moved to Istanbul and continued his Mevlevi practice in Galata
Galata
Galata or Galatae is a neighbourhood in the Beyoğlu district on the European side of Istanbul, the largest city of Turkey. Galata is located at the northern shore of the Golden Horn, the inlet which separates it from the historic peninsula of old Constantinople. The Golden Horn is crossed by...
and Kasımpaşa
Kasımpaşa (district)
Kasımpaşa is a quarter within the Beyoğlu district of Istanbul, Turkey. It is a low-lying area north of the Golden Horn in the European part of the city. Neighbouring quarters include Dolapdere and Kurtuluş.-History:...
. In 1902 he became a Bektashi
Bektashi
Bektashi Order or Bektashism is an Islamic Sufi order founded in the 13th century by the Persian saint Haji Bektash Veli. In addition to the spiritual teachings of Haji Bektash Veli the order was significantly influenced during its formative period by both the Hurufis as well as the...
dervish
Dervish
A Dervish or Darvesh is someone treading a Sufi Muslim ascetic path or "Tariqah", known for their extreme poverty and austerity, similar to mendicant friars in Christianity or Hindu/Buddhist/Jain sadhus.-Etymology:The Persian word darvīsh is of ancient origin and descends from a Proto-Iranian...
.
His interest in poetry influenced him into meeting with Mehmet Akif Ersoy
Mehmet Akif Ersoy
Mehmet Âkif Ersoy was a Turkish poet, author, academic, member of parliament, and the poet of the Turkish National Anthem....
. He also visited Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
for some time between 1908 and 1913.
Neyzen Tevfik's fame in popular Turkish culture is mainly due to his virtuosity with the ney. Moreover, he was also a heavy drinker while practicing a form of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
as it was common among Bektashis.He therefore is also a symbol of a clash between the orthodox Islamic doctrine, and the Bektashi
Bektashi
Bektashi Order or Bektashism is an Islamic Sufi order founded in the 13th century by the Persian saint Haji Bektash Veli. In addition to the spiritual teachings of Haji Bektash Veli the order was significantly influenced during its formative period by both the Hurufis as well as the...
order that he was in, as illustrated in the following translation of his writing:
"The disbeliever's book has neither beginning nor end. A few pages from its middle is all we ever grasp. For religion's sake and fear of blasphemy we endure woe. Reason cannot perceive where righteousness may go.”
External Links
- Biyografi.net - Biography of Neyzen Tevfik
- Short page about Neyzen in English