Tożsamość kulturowa Turków pochodzenia afrykańskiego (Afro-Turków)
Cultural Identity of Turks of African Origin (Afro-Turks)

Summary/Abstract: The main aim of the article is to analyze and assess the impact of government policyand the representation regime on the cultural identity of the Turkish community ofAfrican origin (Afro-Turks). The article examines the identity of Afro-Turks in thelate Ottoman Empire and in the Republic of Türkiye. From a methodological perspec-tive, the work employs the concept of Cemal Kafadar’s “lid model”. The author char-acterizes the cultural identity of Afro-Turks through Stuart Hall’s perspective, empha-sizing how it is shaped by historical constructs and contemporary conditions. Withthe proclamation of the Republic of Türkiye, the urban elites involved in the politi-cal project of forced westernization perceived Afro-Turks as a geographically periph-eral and marginalized community. The identity of Turks of African origin is shapedby a composite historical legacy, encompassing the impacts of colonialism, social dy-namics, and roles occupied within elite households. Although slavery was formallyabolished in the Republic of Türkiye in 1964, in practice, the institution of servitudein Anatolia differed significantly from the forms that were prevalent in the Westernworld. The traditions of Afro-Turks are currently preserved by the Africans Cultureand Solidarity Society, which was founded in Ayvalık in 2006. The government posi-tively evaluated the efforts of Afro-Turks to promote their culture beyond communityborders, seeing this as an opportunity to increase Turkish political activity in Africa.

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