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Folk Singer

"As a female folk singer, I feel obliged to reflect my times. I have a special bond with mother nature and I care for her. Without her, neither life nor ideas make sense. Many my poems and my songs are about such themes.

I feel very close to Nazım Hikmet, Karacaoğlan, Pablo Neruda, Pir Sultan Abdal, Bertolt Brecht, Mevlana, Yunus Emre, Dadaloğlu, Şeyh Bedreddin, Ömer Hayyam, Nesimi, Yılmaz Güney, Cem Karaca, Ahemt Kaza, Ruhi Su and ve Hallacı Mansur and my work has been inspired by them. . I have never submitted to anyone, nor departed from my values. Humanity! That's what closest to my heart.

I contracted smallpox when I was three and lost my eyesight. Then I learned to see with my mind and soul. Thus, the darkness was illuminated.

I was so in love with music, I made a radio out of mud and asked my friends to catch bees so that I could put them in my radio and chant along with their buzzing.

When my father took me to Malatya for a cure, I asked the doctor to tell my father to buy me a saz instead. I didn't need eyes, but I needed a saz. The first time I held the saz in my hands, it was as if I had played it all my life. I could play it and sing my own tunes.

Heart and soul is the core of one's being. They are the whole truth. Just like the purpose of life is led by mind and soul.

When I was ten I could play the saz, and sing folk songs and read sonnets. I recorded my first album when I was 15. I have been singing these songs of hope and affection in order to bring light to darkness, stop mistreatment, and tyranny.

I have always been politically active. I worked at Ankara Egitim Theatre. In my twenties I was a sympathiser of the '68 students movement. I vigorously supported the protests. I got arrested and imprisoned. I was tortured. After the military coup of September 12, 1980 my citizenship was revoked. In 1992 a new law (bill number 3808) reinstated my citizenship."

Albums

(Selection)

• Klasikler, Şafak Yayınları, Berlin, 1998.
• Acılar Birgün Bal olur, Diyar Kasetçilik, İstanbul, 1985.
• Barış Anaları, Devran Müzik, İstanbul, 1997.
• Gün Güneşle Kucaklaşacak, Akbaş Kaset, Germany, 2000.

Examples of Sah Turnas Music

• Ozan Şah Turna, , Geçim
• Ozan Şah Turna, Gurbet Acısı
• Aşık Şah Turna, Cennet ister
• Aşık Şah Turna, Ele Bele, Dile Sahip Olanlar

Books

• Şahturna Ağdaşan (Şah Turna), Şakıyan Turna, Can Yayınları, Istanbul, 1998.
• Şahturna, Ozan Şiar, Güneşi Kucaklayanlar –İnadına Sevdamız, Şafak Yayın, Berlin, 2004.
• Şahturna-Şahkız, Aşık İhsani Berfin Yayınları, Istanbul, 2006.

• 2011 International Hacı Bektaş Aşık Daimi Folk Singer/Poet Recognition, Nevşehir, Turkey
• 2005 Peace Award, Radyo Barış, İstanbul
• 2005 Recognition of Handicapped Association (Türkiye Sakatlar Derneği Genel Merkezi), İstanbul
• 2004 Canadian Alevi Culture Centre, Female Folk Singer/Poet Award, Toronto, Canada
• 2003 Foundation Hüseyin Gazi, Traditional Folk Singer/Poet Award, Ankara
• 1991 Human Rights Association (İnsan Hakları Derneği) Recognition, Istanbul

• Gesellschaft für musikalische Aufführungs- und mechanische Vervielfältigungsrechte (GEMA), Germany
• Türkiye Musiki Eserleri Sahipleri Meslek Birliği (MESAM), Turkey
• Halk Ozanları Birliği, Turkey
• Şah Turna Cultural Center (Şah Turna Kültür Sanat Merkezi 'Kultur und Kunst Haus'), Berlin, Germany

• School for the blind, Turkey
• 1981- 1988 Blinden-Berufsschule, Germany

• Founder of the Şah Turna Cultural Center (Şah Turna Kültür Sanat Evi), Berlin
• In Hizmet İş Trade Union activities, Ankara
• Co-founder of the Devrimci-Demokrat Ozanlar Birligi (Revolutionary-Democratic Union of Poets)

• Mother:Bağdat Dumlupınar
• Father:Musa Dumlupınar
• Daughters: Şafak (actress, musician ), Şirin (actress, musician),
• Marriage: Ozan Şiar Ağdaşan (poet, writer, composer)
• Friends:Ümit Kaftancıoğlu (writer, radio programmer), Aşık İhsani (people's poet ), Mehmet Doğan (nomadic bard), Yaşar Kemal (writer), Erdal Öz (writer, publisher)

Şah Turna Cultur Centre, Berlin www.sahturna.com and www.safak-sirin-agdasan.com

Ozan Şiar Ağdaşan, Ateşlerde Dans Ettik, Yürek Atışı,  Ankara 2011.

Ozan Şiar Ağdaşan, Umut, Direnç, Sevda Turnası ŞAHTURNA, Ankara, 2011.

Ozan Şiar, Umudun Direncin Sevdanın Sesi Türkü Ana Ozan Şahturna, Ankara, 2011.

Elif Orhan, Halk Ozanı Aşık Şah Turna, röportaj, 2011,  nurhakdagi.net,
http://www.nurhakdagi.net/modules.php?name=Newsfile=articlesid=12636 (Erişim 27.2.2012).

Sevilay Cınar, Kadın Aşıklar Albümü,  Kalan Müzik, 2010.

Fatma Ahsen Turan, Sazın ve Sözün Sultanları – Yaşayan Halk Şairleri, Gazi Üniversitesi Yayınları, 2008.

Sevilay Çınar, Yirminci Yüzyılın İkinci Yarısında Türkiyede Kadın Aşıklar,  Doktora  Tezi,  İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi, Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, İstanbul, 2008.

Mehmet Bayrak, İç Toroslarda Alevi Kürt Aşiretleri ve  Ozanlar, 2007,

Şükrü Günbulut, Halk Şiirinde Kadın, 2002 

Kolektif, 29 Harfle Dünyadan 29 Şair, Havuz Yayınları  Köln, 2002.

Mahmut Erdal,  Yine Dertli Dertli İnliyorsun, Ankara, 1995.

Ozan Naçari, Anadolu Kültürü ve Ozanlarımız, Ankara 1995.

İsmail Özmen, Ozanlıkta Başkaldırı, Alevi Bektaşi Şiirleri Antolojisi, Cilt 5, 1995

Rıza Zelyut, Halk Şiirinde Başkaldırı, İstanbul, 1989.

Max Peter Baumann, Ursula Reinhard, Sah Turna - Zum Liedrepertoire einer zeitgenössischen asik-Sängerin, Musik der Türken in Deutschland, Kassel, 1985, ss. 62-94.

Rıza Zelyut, Halk Şiirinde Gerçekçilik,  Istanbul, 1982.

Quoted Sources:

• See the "Further Reading" section

Source of Visual Images:

• Privat archive Aşık Şah Turna, Berlin

The Women's Museum Istanbul would like to thank Aşık Şah Turna and Ozan Şiar Ağdaşan for their support in compiling this introductory page.