Efe-ler

I mentioned the term “Efe” when I talked about my roots.

The Turks, along the history, can be described by two main charasteristic; being fond of their freedom – pride, and fighting.

After leaving their very home, the central Asia, they became nomads, till the 11th century, till they made their way to Anatolia. Their making Anatolia home took very long. They mixed with many people. But they could not become “settlers”.Β  Anatolia became a “melting pot” (I know you love the expression πŸ™‚ ) Even after the foundation of Ottoman Empire, most of the Turks, were still migrating; in the summer to the Platos, in winter to the more city-like places. They did not leave their independant and rebellion character. (Because of which, they were not that faniced by the authority) At those times, they were started being called “Turkmens”. They mostly reside at he west part of Anatolia; the Aegean costs. The same very people started the first resistance, after the WWI, which then transformed into our Independence war.

It seems my ancestors are these people, hence the unstablity. πŸ™‚

Here is the folks dance of them. (Don’t laugh at the costume, it’s hot here! πŸ™‚ )

There are many types, some are with girls. Every figure, every song has a story.

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Author: Levent

Errrm, ummm, well. Darn!

12 thoughts on “Efe-ler”

  1. Efe means something life brave. The name for the men. “ler” is the plural suffix. I couldn’t find the best samples of the dance. Here is the second one:

  2. Hey, would I laugh at the costumes, Levent? Have you ever seen any traditional Morris Dancers? I like these traditional dances and costumes and I think it important that they are continued. All part of our heritage.

  3. I just googled Morris Dancers Araminta. Nice costume. πŸ˜‰
    Our folk dances are, thank God, continued. At the wedding ceremonies.
    You should see the costumes of women. 10-15 kgs!!!

  4. Interesting, Levent.

    I could do that dance; yes, indeed I could! No quick moves at all, but some intricate finger movements and I’m not sure about the groundwork, otherwise …

    I could be a proud, fighting dancer! πŸ™‚

  5. Yes, you could Bilby. Even I am close doing it. πŸ™‚

    To the contrary Metin’s region’s dances are very fast.

    There’s joke about it. (Irish jokes equivalent are Metin’s region, don’t tell him)

    Efeler wins the folk-dance competetion. The guy from Metin’s region objects:
    “Were we to think that much, we’d win too” πŸ™‚

  9. I think I could manage the first two dances – but definitely not the the third!

  11. Levent, an interesting challenge – to summarise a whole nation with two words: in the case of yours: pride and fighting. I’ve been trying to find two words for my English nation and I’m really struggling to make sense of the task! Of course it’s easy to find them for ‘foreigners’ but then I slip into satire or mild abuse!

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