Memoirs. National Existence and Cultural Struggles of Turkistan And
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Memoirs National Existence and Cultural Struggles of Turkistan and Other Muslim Eastern Turks Prof Zeki Velidi Togan Translator's Note his work needs to be read as a manual of governance in practice. It does not Tventure heavily into theory, as it concentrates on how large-scale applications of governance are conducted. In addition, the author was one of those practitioners who interacted and bargained with Lenin, Stalin, Trotsky and the rest of the Soviet and Bolshevik luminaries of his own time for Baskurdistan and Turkistan. It can be read profitably in the context of anti-colonialism, Sub-altern studies, Russian and Soviet studies. He presents the issues on world-wide bases. Ahmet Zeki Velidi Togan (1890-1970) provides the details of his pursuits and en- vironment in his own words. As he points out, in his own preface, he was not content to solely depend on his memory or even notes; he made use of secondary sources and collective recollections of his colleagues, especially to verify the political events. However, in rendering his words into English, the following provisions were borne in mind: 1. Gnosis: Togan was well read and in depth. At one point he delves into his own use of the term “Moslem.” Two of the arguments he presents are worth noting here: Now, we are learning the German organizations which are close to the same aims, with Azimbek. Here, the task of keeping together social- ism with nationalism in the same organization is split into two. One is National Socialists; but their primary aim is animosity toward the Jews. The National Socialists are placing the German race and paganism against Catholicism, and following the path for a full dictatorship. In our case, in order to honor the Tajiks, in many cases, it will be necessary to use the term Moslem instead of Turk, and Turkistanis. That means, the race issue will not be valid with us. The second route is the path of the Copyright © 2012 HB Paksoy Christian Socialists. We may possibly learn some from them. All rights reserved. ISBN: 1468005685 and ISBN 13: 9781468005684 Library of Congress Control Number: 2011961942 CreateSpace, North Charleston, SC iii Prof Zeki Velidi Togan Translator's Note I believed that, conscious people could convene and find a mutual reli- I began this translation during early 1980s. The project was delayed due to legali- gion. I wondered if the ancestral Shamanism of the Turks could become ties of all types; later on, due to health reasons. Perhaps some day I can write an article a national religion for us. I thought that, possibly, as it is a natural reli- on all the proceedings. I would like to express my sincere thanks to Z.V. Togan’s off- gion, it had better facets than the religion of the books. spring for finally cutting through the jungle and allowing all of us to see the sunlight. I should note that I did not include the originals of the poetry Togan cited in 2. Language: Togan was fluent in a number of diverse languages (German, various alphabets. That is partially due to the limitations of software. I discovered, a Arabic, Russian, Persian, French, and English etc.) and a myriad of Central common platform across the net does not yet exist to represent all the alphabetical Asian Turk dialects as there are no such distinctions as “Turkic” and “Turkish,” variations. A trial caused some reading apparatus fits by displaying combinations of which were artificially introduced into English and Russian. He not only used symbols instead of the words containing the diacritics. these languages and dialects for scholarly purposes, but also for discourse un- The poet Ahmet Hasim [1884-1933] is said to be a connesur of viewing the world der a wide variety of conditions. Consequently, one can easily discern from his through a tulle curtain. Togan, however, is a hard-headed realist. But, there is a fine expressions that, while recalling an event, Togan has the tendency of remem- line between remaining totally focused on the words of the author as opposed to pro- bering the proceedings in the “original,” the particular language or dialect in ducing a readable text. Therefore the aim was to keep the sheer curtains away from which the transaction took place. For example, if his respondent was a Kazak, Togan’s text, even if some of the expressions Togan utilizes may sound peculiar in he thinks in Kazak dialect, the flavor of which invariably seeps into his writ- English. As a demonstration, I offer the following, to indicate what I avoided: ing, recording the incident. He also uses vocabulary from those languages that can have more than one meaning in English. As an additional result, the spell- Uses of cultural phrases: the case of ‘Heavy Headed’ ings of geographic as well as personal names can vary, even on the same page. Certain Turkish terms cannot be translated into English in a word or two. 3. Style: Togan came into contact with innumerable personages, speaking in all One of those is what the translator below rendered as, ‘Heavy Headed.’ manner of languages, in as many locations. Thus, Togan’s expressions have a The phrase certainly has nothing to do with skeletal weight. It is the dream tendency to flow from one language and dialect to the next. This is true even of every mother to have an offspring possessing one such ‘head’; a source in a single sentence, which are often longish, if he is relaying a group discus- of intense pride and joy to those who already have. ‘Serious,’ ‘earnest,’ sion or meeting comprising mixed sources. Invariably, this fact also influences ‘grim,’ ‘solemn,’ ‘level-headed,’ ‘somber’ are some of the words that begin his grammar. Although utmost care has been taken to preserve Togan’s own to capture the meaning. But, the sense is definitely extended well beyond; style, grammar and punctuation, and even though some of his statements may all public figures are expected to be ‘Heavy Headed,’ and successful ones sound unusual, it became necessary, at certain points, to insert clarifications are. The acccompanying demeanor is indeed intensely charismatic, and between angular brackets. The round brackets were used by Togan himself. a positive extension of the term. 4. Orthography: Names of many localities Togan references cannot be easily The ‘story’ below is a 21st century creation. It was originally composed found in other sources. Hence Togan’s work is an invaluable primary catalog. (anonymously; perhaps by several collaborators) in English by stringing Therefore, it became necessary to preserve his orthography. A few exceptions together old, similar cultural-context Turkish phrases in ‘direct’ English were made, especially in rendering well known place names, such as Bukhara, translation, in a minimal plot to hold those together. Intended only for Samarkand, Egypt; though, for the most part, I kept Togan’s spellings. purposes of humorous laughter, directed at the Bilingual Community, as the original Turkish phrases are clearly ‘visible’ to those who can enjoy both languages. The ‘translation’ ignores the extant equivalent phrases, Togan was a product of unusual circumstances. He has been quite active over a and uses the second and even third meanings to be found in a respectable prolonged period, and his own account in this volume covers what he calls his dictionary; but not all are obvious at first glance. Just show the following life’s first portion. He himself, as he noted, wished to put down the rest as a second tale to your bilingual neighbor. As soon as the laughter dies down, which volume, but wondered if he would have the time or the chance. It would have been may take a while, you may get the explanations you seek. as fascinating as the first. One would naturally wish to see a complete biography of Togan, to better understand his times, struggle and the politics of his world. An Nonetheless, a few of the terms deserve some treatment here, which are independent understanding of the Russian Nationalities politics on the part of the listed immediately following the story. Now, let us enjoy this modern sto- reader would help comprehend the contents of this work better. ry, deliberately built upon the gilded stilts of yesteryear: iv v Prof Zeki Velidi Togan Translator's Note “H. was a very heavy headed boy. His father was a middle stationed man. soldierness friend’s=(askerlik arkadaşı) comrade in arms, veterans of the To make his son read in good schools he did everything coming from his same service or campaign hand. He took everything to eye. His mother was a house woman. Every rough uncle=(kabadayı) hooligan (historical term, dating back several job used to come from her hand. In making food there was no one on top centuries) of her. The taste of the observations she made you eat your fingers. This woman made her hair a brush for her son. When H. became sick, she pulled a deep inside=(içini çekti) sighed deeply cried her two eyes two fountains. When H. finished lycee he wanted to be His inside went=(iç’i gitti) his heart leaped out a tooth doctor, and he entered the university exams and won Tootherness School. In the school he met J. H. was hit to J. in first look but J. was not he fell from his father’s nose=(babasının burnundan düştü) a chip off the hit to him in the first look. However her blood boiled to him. A few weeks old block later they cooked the job. J’s father was a money-father. He turned the three under, five up=(üç aşağı-beş yukarı) approximately corner any years ago by making dreamy export.