Aşık Mahzuni Şerif

Aşık Mahzuni Serif ( real name Serif Cirik; * 1940 in Berçenek at Afşin, Kahramanmaras, Turkey, † 17 May 2002 Cologne ) was an Alevi- Turkish poet, singer, composer, and musician on the saz.

Life and work

Mahzuni Serif graduated in 1950 from the elementary school and went to Elbistan to the middle school. In 1957, he attended the military school in Mersin and from 1960 the Technical Military Academy in Ankara, but was referenced later due to lack of discipline of the school. Since 1961, Mahzuni Serif dealt professionally with music. Since 1964 he has published about 400 plates, 50 cassettes and published nine books. In his songs he attacked on social and political issues, sometimes influenced by the Alevi philosophy. For his musical achievements, he was named auxiliary Aşık ( folk poets ).

1972 a fire destroyed his house along with archive in Gaziantep. Mahzuni Serif from 1989 to 1991 president of the folk singer Association ( Halk Ozanlar Dernegi ). In 1997, he suffered a brain haemorrhage and was treated in Ulm.

He was on 27 December 2001 by a Turkish State Security Court for his statement

Indicted. The process was, until his death is not yet complete. In the same year he started having problems with his heart and suffered a heart attack. He died in 2002 in Cologne at the hospital.