Zakir Veli Aykut

Zakir Veli Aykut was born in the Kısas Village in the district of Şanlıurfa in 1962. He learned how to zhikr (Zakirlik) from his father Aşık Büryani (Hamdullah), who represented Southeast Anatolia Branch of Hacı Bektaş-ı Veli monastery (degâh). In 1978, Aykut started using his pen name (Divani mahlası) “Dertli Divanı”, which was given by Emrullah Ulusoy. In 2009, he received “Turkey’s Living Human Treasures 2010 Awards” from UNESCO.

Reference: aregem.kulturturizm.gov.tr, birustabinusta.com.tr, tourismlifeinturkey.com