I am on holiday in Istanbul, visiting old graveyards. In the military cemetery, I saw the grave of pilot Ahmed Ali, the world’s first black aviator. It is fascinating to see that a black pilot had the opportunity to fly and became the first in history in the 1910s.
Interestingly, during World War I, he met Rushdi Ataullah, recognised as the first coloured aviator of South Africa.
Rushdi quietly died in Johannesburg in 1971, while Ahmed Ali’s death in Izmir in 1969 was marked by a special ceremony honouring him as a hero of the country and a black commander.
The Afro-Turks are a unique and remarkable ethnic group in Türkiye, consisting of people of African descent who have been living in Anatolia for centuries. Their history, culture and contributions are significant, ranging from cinema to the military field.
The Afro-Turk population primarily traces its roots from the Ottoman period, from the 16th to the early 20th centuries. Africans were brought to the Ottoman Empire from various regions, including north and east Africa, as slaves, soldiers, and domestic workers.
Many Afro-Turks were employed in agricultural labour, particularly in the Mediterranean regions. Over time, they integrated into Turkish society, embracing the language and cultural practices.
The Ottoman Empire abolished slavery in 1847. Afro-Turks remained in Türkiye, primarily in rural areas, where they formed tight-knit communities and preserved elements of their African heritage.
Halim Gençoğlu, Güney Afrika havalisinde hizmet etmiş olan Osmanlı münevverlerinin izlerini vesikalar ışığında ortaya koydu.⁰⁰
Göz atmak için: https://t.co/LOLQPrGH8g
Satın almak için: https://t.co/2CFnqQjXIU#TTKyayınları pic.twitter.com/SKcl77bhH7
Undoubtedly, Afro-Turks have enriched Turkish culture with their blend of African and Turkish traditions, especially in areas such as music and cuisine.
Despite the challenges, many Afro-Turks have successfully integrated into Turkish society, contributing to its diversity and multiculturalism. Groups such as the African Culture and Solidarity Society work to promote Afro-Turk heritage and address the community’s needs.
I had a chance to meet the grandson of pilot Ali in Istanbul and the grandson of pilot Ataullah in Johannesburg. The sad part was that pilot Ali’s grandson told me that his grandfather never really felt his blackness in Türkiye, even though his wife was a Turkish woman.
Ataullah’s grandson said that despite his white skin colour, his grandfather’s extraordinary educational background was never acknowledged in South Africa because of his religious identity, and he had to work for a living until his death.
* Halim Gençoğlu is a historian with PhD from UCT and is a post-doctoral fellow at Wits University.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
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