Turkish-origin families living in Harar, eastern Ethiopia, maintain their familial and cultural ties with Türkiye by passing down stories about their past from one generation to the next.
These families, part of Harar’s multicultural social fabric shaped over centuries, are known in their community as “descendants of the Ottomans.” Stories told by older family members and visits to Türkiye form the foundation of their connection to this heritage.
The family story of a woman judge
Kevser Muhammed, a 52-year-old judge serving in Harar, said she had listened since childhood to stories told by her mother, Bedriye Muhammed Şami, about the family’s past. Muhammed said her mother had told her that she was of Turkish origin and that family members had migrated to Harar in the past.
Muhammed said that some people from Türkiye visited them in 2014 and 2015, after which her family had the opportunity to see and travel around Türkiye. She said her mother met relatives in Türkiye during the trip and was asked to stay there, but fell ill after returning to Harar and later died.
Describing her visit to Türkiye, Muhammed said she was impressed by the country’s cleanliness, architecture, mosques and houses. She also said she enjoyed the food and had a good time during the visit.
A musician’s account of Istanbul
Fifty-year-old musician Ebu Bekir Hasan Samud, who lives in Harar with his wife, Rabia Negaş, also said his family was of Turkish origin. Samud said his great-grandfather, Hasan Mustafa, came to Harar from Istanbul, settled in the city, married a woman from the region and had two children.
Samud said the children were Ayşe and Abdi, and that Abdi Mustafa had children and grandchildren, adding that the family connection had continued down to his generation.
Samud said he had visited Istanbul and knew the city from history and geography lessons and radio programs, but seeing it with his own eyes was different from that knowledge. Describing Istanbul as a beautiful and clean city, Samud said the city had approximately 70 museums and 3,000 mosques.
Samud said he visited Atatürk Palace, the Sultanahmet Mosque and the Panorama Museum, which presents the conquest of Istanbul in 1453. He said the Panorama Museum impressed him the most because of the way it reflects Istanbul’s heritage and historic battles through art.
