Barak (tribe)

The tribe is believed to have been inhabiting Khorasan which they left around the years 1382–1383.[6] According to the Baraks' dastan of origin, they were a part of the tribe of Uzun Hasan,[7] and after his death, in the 17th century,[6] Baraks chose Feriz Bey (also called Firuz or Fürüz Bey)[6] as their leader. A Sunni himself, Feriz Bey converted Alevi Muslim Baraks to Sunni Islam. According to this narrative, it is believed that Baraks were in Khorasan, and 80 thousand Barak tents led by Feriz Bey and 4 thousand Abdal tents led by Ashik Dedemoğlu migrated to the vicinity of Yozgat in Anatolia.[7]

After settling in Central Anatolia, the tribe started having problems with the settled locals and the Ottoman authorities: According to the first version of the story, nearby villages in Central Anatolia asked the Ottomans to remove the migrants from their lands. According to another version, the postal service of the Ottomans was robbed. Suspicious of the Baraks, the authorities arrested a tribesman. The elders of the tribe gathered and decided that the tribe should rebel in order to liberate the imprisoned member of the tribe. This prompted the Ottomans to exile the Barak Turkmens to the south of Akçakale, around River Julab, with the hopes that these rebellious Turkmens and local Arab tribes of Tayy and Mawali would eat themselves up. Later, Kadıoğlu Yusuf Pasha offered Barak Turkmens a pardon from the state in exchange of a regular tax of one sheep. The tribe accepted and gave 84 thousand sheep to the Ottoman-sided dedes, and after a long-lasting conflict, they also repelled the Arabs east and south of the area.[8]

Frustrated that the state was manipulating the tribe, Feriz Bey proposed a return to the land of Ajam and Turkestan, with the unanimous support of the tribe's elders. Then, together with Ashik Dedemoğlu, he traveled to Iran to negotiate a migration with the Shah, who accepted the proposal. While Feriz Bey returned west to inform his tribe of the Shah's approval, Dedemoğlu and his Abdal followers stayed in Iran. Upon his arrival, Feriz Bey noticed that his tribe had become disorganized during his absence, and many refused to migrate back. Regardless, Feriz Bey gathered 40 thousand tents, roughly half of the tribe and migrated back to Iran, leaving the other half of the tribes (including his children and wife) behind, against their wish for him to stay.[9]

The Ottoman government was afraid that the remaining 40 thousand tents of Baraks were going to pose a problem for their authority over the region, as the tribe was storming the nearby settlements and the Tayy, Mawali, and Milan tribes. When one of the Turkmen leaders, Bediroğlu, went to Birecik for a certain matter, the mütesellim of the town killed him, which resulted in Baraks raiding Birecik and shredding the mütesellim into pieces. Mısırlı Abbas Pasha was then assigned to deal with the tribe.[10] Following a meeting between Abbas Pasha and Feriz Bey's son, Mehmed Bey, groups of Baraks were resettled in the vicinity of Urfa and İzmir,[11] and officials were assigned to tax the rest of the tribe that had recently started to farm and abandon their nomadic practices.[12]

The Barak Plain at the time was generally occupied by nomadic Kurds of the Reşwan tribe and Bedouins of Mawali tribe.[13] A Barak Turkmen family who were at odds with the rest of the tribe passed the river and visited the Reşwan leader, who welcomed them in his tent. While the Kurds appeared cordial at first, they did not allow the family to leave. Later, the tribal leader raped the wife, and the husband got his mouth and hands wrapped. Eventually, the husband opened up to his tribe. Barak Turkmens took this as an issue of honor and ignited a new blood feud[14] on top of the ongoing clash with the Kurds east of the Euphrates.[15]

Baraks planned another uprising against the state. Burning their crops, they threw 80 Ottoman officials into the fire. They passed the river with their camels and herds, starting a bloody battle with the Reşwan tribe,[16] which fled the region and settled in the Armenian and Chepni-inhabited regions to the north of Nizip.[17] This last migration marked the tribe's full adaptation to a settled life, as fertile plateaus that were more suitable for grazing were left in the eastern side of the river. In 1835, Francis Rawdon Chesney mentioned that the land extending from Sajur River to Birecik was being cultivated by Turkomans of the Barak tribe, which shows that Baraks were either settled or semi-nomadic by early 19th century.[18] In 1855, Carl Ritter mentioned that northwards from Sajur River lived settled Turkomans of the Barak tribe.[19] Still, 70-80 tents of nomad Baraks went further west and spread around Gaziantep, later merging with Yörüks in the region, while staying in touch with the settled Baraks.[20][21]

Barak Turkmen women traditionally wear üç etek with a belt. An orange headscarf known as "Ahmediye" worn by women as a part of their traditional folk costume is an iconic piece that has become a symbol of the Baraks. This often features roses and feathers known as "tozak." On some occasions, a fez with coins is worn over Ahmediye. Men wear aba with regional patterns and shalwar with a keffiyeh wrapped around the waist. A white keffiyeh may be worn on the head.[25][26][27]

Woman in Barak bridal costume

Ezogelin soup is a popular dish from the national cuisine of Turkey that was borrowed from the Barak Turkmens. It is named after the story of Ezo Gelin (also known as Özo or Ezov Gelin), a Barak Turkmen who lived in the early 20th century.[28]

Ezogelin soup

Instruments used in Barak traditional music include saz, zurna, davul, and zambır.[29]

Barak Uzun Hava is the most famous type of music that originates from the Baraks.[30]

Most folk dances of the Baraks involve holding hands and are accompanied by davul, zurna, and zambır. Therefore, they were categorized as "halays," although this name isn't frequently used among this population. Most halays of the Baraks are often slow. Like most halays, there is often a leader (known as "baş çeken" or "baş seken" in the local dialect). It is often claimed that most dances of Baraks include symbols alluding to their forced migration from Central Anatolia. Some halays danced by the Baraks are listed below:[31]

• Hasan Dağı:

Its name refers to a mountain in Central Anatolia.[31]

• Düz-Şirvani or Reşi Düzü:

This dance was borrowed from the Reshwan Kurds living north of Nizip.[31]

• Gaba[31]
• Demircioğlu or Garip Halayı:

This dance involves the poems of Ashiq Qarib.[31]

• Demirci[31]
• Dokuzlu[31]
• Şekeroğlan[31]
• Kuseyri:

Its name means from Kuseyr, the old name of the Altınözü district of Hatay Province.[31]

• Halebi[31]
• Pekmez[31]
• Üç Ayak[31]
• Sinsin[31]

Some dances like Çibikli involve clapping hands.[31]

Baraks also dance their own versions of Karşılama with handkerchiefs in both hands.[31]

Barak Turkmens used to practice berdel marriages, and they call it değişik in their local dialect of Turkish.[32]

Their settlements are mostly near bodies of water, stretching from the Euphrates coast to Sajur River, and a significant portion of this tribe is in Syria. They are made up of the following tribes:[33]

• Kasımlı
• Mahmutlu
• Tiryakili
• Çayrazlı
• Ali Dirizli

This tribe was named after the leader Kürdili Kerim, whose mother was Kurdish and father a Turkmen. It is made up of the following tribes:[24]

• Boz Muratlı
• Kızılca Şarlı
• Bayındırlı: Named after the leader Bayındır Halid, the half-brother of Kürdili Kerim (from the same father but different mothers).
• Geçili
• Sürkızıllı
• Karabacak
• Mazyalı

Not be confused with other homonymous groups, such as the Torun sub-tribe of the Afshars.[34] It is made up of the following tribes:

• İnaluşağı
• Haliduşağı
• Osmanuşağı
• Hacıuşağı
• Muharremli

This tribe is also known as Eseli. It is made up of the following tribes:

• Karakozak
  • Höcüklü
  • Arapkıran
  • Şabanlı
  • Çömezli
  • Baburlu
  • Çakırlı
  • Ceceli[35]
• Adıklı
• Birelli
  • Zeynelli
  • Emirli (or Emiruşağı): This tribe also inhabits Kayseri.
  • Kara Hasanlı
  • Harmandal
  • Mahmutlu[36]
• İsalı
• Kıyanlı
• Karamanuşağı[37][38]

Tribes of non-Turkic origin that live among the Baraks who practice Barak culture include Kurdish tribes such as Bijan, and Arab tribes such as Mawali, Albaajuz, and Damalkha tribes.[39]