Turkish as an emerging voice in African literature

There have long been many connections between Africa and Turkey. These relations began in the Ottoman era and have continued to the present day. They were not limited to diplomatic ties between kingdoms, sultanates, and states, but left a clear imprint on the fields of art and literature as well. Literary links emerged centuries ago between Turkish writers and thinkers and their African counterparts.

Many Turkish literary figures visited, lived in and wrote immensely about Africa. Among these is the writer Nâzım Hikmet, who traveled to Africa twice, once to Egypt and once to Tanganyika, known today as Tanzania. And also the eminent Turkish poet and author of the national anthem, Mehmet Akif Ersoy, who too lived for many years in Egypt and addressed Africa in some of his poems, even mentioning the Sudanese commander Zenci Musa in several verses.

Another figure is Hıfzı Topuz, who traveled to Senegal in 1962 and worked there as a journalist. His works include The Enchanted Africa (Büyülü Afrika) and The Black Cry (Kara Çığlık), where he explored politics, art, culture, and African ways of life from different angles and produced studies of considerable value. He also recounts his memories with the Congolese writer Félix Tchicaya U Tam’si.

These Turkish men of letters visited several African countries and produced important works inspired by their journeys and experiences on the continent. The influence of these literary connections between Turkey and Africa can be clearly observed during the Tanzimat literary period, the early Republican era, and the Garip movement.

Today, certain Turkish writers such as Ahmet Said Akçay, Vigen Gündüz, and Enver Arpa have lived in Africa and reflected in their work the special relationship that developed between them and this geography. These ties continue through new writers and through renewed forms of literary, intellectual, cultural, and artistic exchange.

At the same time, a number of African poets and writers now compose their poetry and prose in Turkish, and through their intellectual, literary, and philosophical contributions, they have enriched Turkish letters. Through this exchange, a strong artistic and intellectual bond has been established between Anatolia and their own countries. In his book A Breeze of Poetry from Sudan (Sudan’dan Bir Şiir Esintisi) the writer and poet Suleiman Nasser expressed his journey of writing poetry in Turkish “After completing the preparatory level of Turkish language study, I found myself, through the books of our teacher Hasan Akay, facing the most intricate, delicate, and refined Turkish sentences.” He says, reflecting on the deep linguistic and literary influence of his teacher, which culminated in his book.

Among such works is also The Historical Dimension of Pan-Africanism (Tarihten Öte: Panafrikanizm) by Musa Hussein Musa. In this book, the author examines Pan-Africanism through the ages as a philosophy, a political vision, and a cultural project of resistance against all forms of European colonialism, shedding light on the struggles of African peoples past and present.

Also, the Togolese writer Farouk Mentouiba, in his book Africa Through African Eyes (Afrikalı Gözünden Afrika), presents a perspective that challenges the dominant narrative that portrays Africa as a poor and backwards continent. The book covers a wide range of subjects, from geography and diverse cultures to the history of colonialism and the political and economic situation today. It grapples with fundamental questions: What brought the African continent, rich in natural resources, to its current state? And how did this happen?

The Guinean writer Abdullah Ben Koumano is also one of these writers who chose the Turkish language as their medium. In his book Africa You Do Not Know (Bilmediğiniz Afrika), Koumano offers an in-depth exploration of Africa’s traditional values, rituals, oral storytelling culture, rural life, and the social changes brought about by urbanization.

He also highlights the African principle of hospitality, the individual’s bond with the community, and the structure of the family as a philosophy of life that centers the human being. He delivers to the Turkish reader the message that Africa is not simply a geography but a living human narrative that is productive, supportive, and resistant.

Through pens of African writers, Turkish has become a literary medium that enables cultural exchange among different peoples. It is no longer a language used solely by Turks.

Several African associations and student networks play a major role in reviving the literary ties between Turkey and Africa, especially those involving young poets and writers. These associations organize literary events in different Turkish cities, strengthening artistic and cultural exchange between the two sides.

One notable example is the poetry evenings organized by the “Africa Without Borders” association. Through such gatherings, young people present their poems and share their stories with Turkish society, conveying to the Turkish reader, without any linguistic barriers, the worldview of the educated African youth and expressing their emotions, love, joy,

These young poets and writers have embraced Turkish as a new language of expression alongside their mother tongues. Their creativity is not confined to poetry; it extends to stories, folktales, essays, and intellectual and philosophical writings. Through their pens, Turkish has become a literary medium that enables cultural exchange among different peoples. It is no longer a language used solely by Turks, but a shared foundation for communication and unity across continents and nations.

This evolution has strengthened the place of Turkish as a language of literature and art, both regionally and internationally. The contributions of African poets and writers have opened new horizons for Turkish and African literary traditions alike.

Given all of this, an important question emerges: Should poems and literary works written in Turkish by African authors be considered part of Turkish literature or African literature? On what basis should they be classified? Should classification depend on the language of writing, the identity of the writer, or the subject matter itself? If a Turkish writer lives in Africa and writes about it, where should their work be placed? And if the opposite is true, would the answer change?