When we look at our cultural history, we encounter heroes with whom reality and myth come together. Nasreddin Hodja is one of the first to come to mind. Although not as much as Nasreddin Hodja, whose reputation is spread over a wide geography with his jokes and each of which carries a spark of intelligence, Bekri Mustafa is another character from the past who stands out with his fondness for wine and raki.
As we said that myth and reality are intertwined, the time period in which Bekri Mustafa actually lived is also controversial. Although widespread acceptance is the 17th century, which includes the sultanate of Murat The 4th, we should also note that there are different views among researchers pointing to the 19th century. But regardless of the period in which he lived, everyone agrees that Bekri Mustafa was shattered by the blind love he fell when he was a skillful quilt maker and his passion for drinking started after that. Resat Ekrem Kocu, one of the most respected experts of Istanbul who describes Istanbul with his multicolored pen, writes in the Istanbul Encyclopedia that the word ‘bekri’, which was previously used to mean a drunkard, has been accepted as 'Bekri Mustafa' for the last three hundred years.
There are anecdotes attributed to him that will best describe Bekri Mustafa. It would not be possible to picture Bekri Mustafa in our minds without sharing one of these jokes.
While Bekri Mustafa was working as a boatman at the Scutary pier, Sultan Murat The 4th and Grand Vizier Bayram Pasha got on the boat. When it was difficult for them to be seen from the beach, Bekri took out his wine jug and drank a few sips. Sultan Murat:
-Papa, hand me the jug, I'll have a sip, Bekri said.
Mustafa laughing
"You can't drink, son, it's wine, not water," Bekri replied.
Sultan:
-Why can't we drink? he said
-"You can't bear it, it's obvious, you'll burn both yourself and me." Bekri said.
As the Sultan kept on insisting, the jug began to circulate from hand to hand. Finally, Sultan Murat:
-Father, aren't you afraid of the Sultan's ban? he asked. Bekri Mustafa:
-Of course I'm afraid, but how will the Sultan see me here? Bekri said.
Sultan:
-What if I let him know?.
-You can't do that, you drank too, our heads will fall together, Bekri replied.
Upon this, the Sultan, who was also light-headed of drinking wine, said:
-What if I am the Sultan and this man is Grand Vizier Bayram Pasha? When he said that, Bekri stopped shovelling and burst out laughing:
-You meatballs! Didn't I tell you that you can't stand it! You drank two sips of wine, one of you tried to become a Sultan and the other a Vizier.
It is said that when Bekri Mustafa died, he willed to be buried among the taverns in the Fish Market of Eminonu, Istanbul. We understand that his will was fulfilled. In the 1980s, when the district, including the Fish Market, was being rearranged, his tombstone was found. But more interestingly, his tomb was taken from old Fish Market and transferred to the shrine of Sheikh Abdürraif Şamadani. In summary:
- Live in a country with a religion that prohibits drinking;
- Let your drunkenness become legendary and become a folk hero;
- Finally buried in a shrine that turns into a pilgrimage site!
This must be an example of a rare comedy noir.
There are two reference books about Bekri Mustafa. One of them is the novel "Bekri Mustafa" by Osman Cemal Kaygılı, one of the most prominent but overshadowed writers of Turkish Literature. The other is Dr. Abdulkadir Emeksiz's academic work "An Istanbul Hero: Bekri Mustafa".
You can check the location of the shrine Bekri Mustafa rests as recorded in the Cultural Inventory:
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Katerina Monroe
@katerinam • More Posts by Katerina
Congratulations on the award, it's well deserved! You guys definitely know what you're doing. Looking forward to my next visit to the winery!
