Ayşe Alkan, a 53-year-old woman living in Kuzköy, a village in the Çeltikçi district of Burdur, southwestern Türkiye, has been fulfilling her childhood dream of being a Ramadan drummer for 18 years.
During Ramadan, thousands of drummers take to the streets at dawn after passing an exam or receiving direct permission from local municipalities and village headmen, continuing a centuries-old tradition. These drummers, who enhance the spirit of Ramadan by playing the drum and reciting traditional rhymes, rely on tips collected periodically throughout the month as their only income.
Every night throughout Ramadan, Alkan, a mother of three, roams the streets of Kuzköy, waking up villagers for sahur.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Alkan shared that she was inspired to pursue this path as a child when she saw her father giving tips to Ramadan drummers.
"As children, we were very eager to fast when Ramadan arrived," Alkan said. "We were seven siblings, and my family worked as shepherds. When the drummers came for sahur, my parents would wake up to fast, and we would wake up too. My father would give tips to the drummers, and I would think, ‘I wish I were a man so I could be a drummer too.’”
Alkan first got involved in Ramadan drumming in 2005 when her husband started the tradition. Two years later, when he left for work in another city, she seized the opportunity to fulfill her childhood dream.
"Women can achieve anything they set their minds to," Alkan said. "When my husband went to work in Antalya, we wondered who would play the drum. I told my son, ‘Let’s do this together.’ He played in one neighborhood while I played in another. My daughter was very young then, so I would take her with me. Times were tough back then, and many people gave us generous tips. The villagers never turned me away."
Alkan noted that Kuzköy was once more populated, but despite changes over the years, she still enjoys her work. Her biggest dream now is to go on an Umrah pilgrimage.
Her husband, Ramazan Alkan, said he fully supports her and trusts her abilities. Kuzköy’s village headman, Arif Altaş, stated that Ayşe Alkan has been the village’s Ramadan drummer since 2007 and that the residents appreciate her dedication to the tradition.
The Ramadan drumming tradition in Türkiye is a centuries-old practice where drummers walk through neighborhoods before dawn, playing rhythmic beats to wake people for sahur, the pre-dawn meal before fasting begins. This tradition dates back to the Ottoman era, a time when alarm clocks did not exist, and drummers played a crucial role in ensuring that people woke up in time to eat before the daily fast.
Despite the rise of modern alarm clocks and changing urban lifestyles, the Ramadan drumming tradition remains a cherished symbol of community spirit and cultural heritage in Türkiye. It connects generations to their past while maintaining a sense of togetherness during the holy month of Ramadan.
