Hayriye-Melech Xhundj

Hayriye-Melech Xhundj (Adyghe: Хъунджэ Хъэйрие-Мелэч, romanized: Xhundjə Həyriye-Meləç; Turkish: Hayriye Melek Hunç; b. 1896 – d. 24 October 1963) was a Circassian writer and teacher. She is considered one of the first Circassian female writers.

Early life

Melech was born in 1896 in the Haciosman village of Balıkesir (Manyas) province into the noble Xhundj house of the Circassian Ubykh tribe (a tribe expelled to Turkey during the Circassian genocide).[1][2]^: 318 Melech's father Kasbolat Bey supported the Ottomans in the Russo-Ottoman War of 1877-1878 by mobilizing a voluntary auxiliary unit of Circassian horsemen from the area around Manyas.[2]^: 318 Melech studied at a girls' school named Notre Dame de Sion in Istanbul. As per professor Alexandre Toumarkine in spite of psychological and emotional issues, Melech had a strong and rebellious character.[2]^: 318 She spoke Turkish, French, Adyghe, Abaza, and Ubykh.[2] She married another Circassian, Yusuf İzzet Pasha, in 1919 and following his death in 1931, she married Prof. Aytek Namitok, yet another Circassian.

Career

Social work

Melech was one of the members of the Cerkes Ittihad ve Teavün Cemiyeti (Circassian Association for Union and Mutual Aid). The group was founded on November 17, 1908. She participated in the association's social and cultural activities; collecting money for Circassian school, helping in development of Circassian alphabet in non-Arabic letters and writing for publications catering to Circassians.[2] She was editor-in-chief of the journal Diyane (Our Mother) published in 1920, and the author of the newspaper Ghuaze (Guide) published between 1911-1914. She also worked for Adyghe, a magazine and newspaper published in Turkish.

Literary work

During 1908 and 1909 Melech serialized at least 5 writings in the form of stories and poems, which appeared in Mehâsin (an illustrated review).[2] Her first novel, Zühre-i Elem ("The Sorrow of the Shepherd Star"), was published in 1910. She contributed patriotic literature on the Russo-Circassian War that includes her 1911 writings in their association's review magazine, Ghuaze. She wrote political articles such as Kabileler Arasında ("Among the Tribes").

Death and legacy

Melech died on 24 October 1963 in Istanbul and was buried at the Karacaahmet Cemetery.[1]

References

Akkent, Meral (2012). Strane, Susan (ed.). "Hayriye Melek Hunç". Istanbul Kadin Muzesi. Translated by Kural, Faruk. Istanbul, Turkey: Women's Museum İstanbul. Archived from the original on 25 April 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
Toumarkine, Alexandre (2013). "14. Hayriye Melek (Hunç), a Circassian Ottoman Writer between Feminism and Nationalism". In Köksal, Duygu; Falierou, Anastasia (eds.). A Social History of Late Ottoman Women: New Perspectives. Brill Publishers. pp. 317–337. ISBN 978-90-04-25525-8.