Turkey: Not angels, but "Efeler."

17 June 2025

OBCT

A reportage on the Efeler, Ottoman irregular warriors from Denizli, Turkey, exploring local culture and history through chance encounters.

🔗 Read the article on balcanicaucaso.org

[This is an automatically generated summary, for reference only]

The text recounts a journey to Denizli, Turkey, where the author discovers the Efeler, a group of Ottoman irregular warriors originally considered rebels who defended the oppressed against local potentates. Initially, the author is simply seeking information in the city. Through chance encounters, particularly with a souvenir vendor and later a tailor named Mehmet, the author learns about the Efeler’s history, their traditions, and their role in the Turkish War of Independence. The narrative culminates when the author unexpectedly witnesses a genuine, unprogrammed performance of the Efeler dance in the main square, realizing that true travel involves not just exploring space and time, but also achieving a deeper understanding by pausing, questioning, and waiting.

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MOST is co-funded by the European Union.

The MOST – Media Organisations for Stronger Transnational Journalism – project aims to drive innovation within the foreign reporting sector and strengthen the resilience of non-profit and independent media in their coverage of European issues. By bringing together six specialised non-profit media outlets and one human rights-focused organisation, the project will establish a collaborative platform for the exchange of knowledge, resources, and content among the participating partners and other media outlets focused on foreign reporting or European topics.

Building on a decades-long commitment to specialised and non-profit reporting, the initiative seeks to enhance the visibility of Southeast and Eastern Europe within the European public sphere, while reinforcing journalistic practices to combat misinformation and disinformation.

Coordinated by OBCT, the hub will promote the exchange of best practices in creative business models, news production, and distribution processes. Additionally, the project will explore the potential of AI and collaboration, encouraging peer-to-peer learning among partners and engaging with the wider community of specialised digital non-profit media.