Bosanskohercegovačka emigracija kroz prepisku književnika Alije Nametka i Riza-bega Čengića (Ilove) – crtice iz života Bošnjaka u Turskoj
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA EMIGRATION THROUGH THE CORRESPONDENCE OF THE WRITER ALIJA NAMETAK AND RIZA-BEG ČENGIĆ (ILOVA) - NOTES ON THE LIFE OF BOSNIAKS IN TURKEY

Summary/Abstract: The paper represents correspondence between Bosnian novelist Alija Nametak and Riza – bey Čengić (Ilova) descendent of Smail-aga Čengić. On basis of letters’ content it is possible to reconstruct history of Čengić family, reasons behind their emigration as well as fate and way of living of Bosniaks that emigrated to Ottomane empire. Moreover, letters contain numerous details about certain historical characters, that Riza-bey knew or were related to him. With respect to his ancestry and social status, Riza – bey was in a position to spend time with eminent members of Bosnian society and to collect many songs and stories which represent significant non-material heritage. Correspondence between Riza-bey Čengić and Alija Nametak represent fruit of acquaintance full of mutual admiration and respect. Both protagonists saw in each other window to a past time that were merrier, but also a possibility to fill gaps in their memory and recollect thorn fragments of the past and the culture of an endangered people. With regards to his philological education and literary profession Alija Nametak developed refined feeling for history and culture of the community to whom he dedicated most of his literary opus. Contents of the letters which is presented in this paper tell about history of Čengić family, emigration of Bosniaks from Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Ottoman Empire, their way of life in new environment, but considering social status of Riza-bey who was part of Bosnian landowner aristocracy he was in position to hear many things, that for him were part of family history, but for historians part of regional and social history of the end of 19th and beginning of the 20th century. Many renowned Bosniaks, suach as Ali-Fehmi Džabić were close relatives of Riza-bey so that his stories about him actually fill gaps in history of important characters of Bosniak people. One should not neglect Riza-bey’s information about political viewpoints of Bosniaks, who lived in Turkey for several decades. For example, it is somewhat surprising fact that Bosniaks in Turkey favoured Kemalists, in moment when that Party, with its pronounced secularism subverted Islamic way of life. That coincidence is especially significant, when reason for emigration of Bosniaks form Bosnia to Ottoman Empire was to preserve their way of life, because they thought it would be endangered by Austria-Hungary. That view is supported also by these letters. Logical continuation of research on this topic would be about their conscience, national identity, and question of loyalty. That research would answer above mentioned case.

• Details
• Contents