Who do turks consider closer

why  hungarians or mongols? why are they  so  special?

I dont agree. Altough Aegean coasts are seriously under Greek influence, southern anatolian coasts have no similarity with it. You know, yoruks mostly settled at southern Anatolian mountains, Taurus. Remember Karamanoglus. and that Mediterranean coasts were always under native Anatolian effect, ex: Lydians, not Greek.

About Adana and Mersin, you are right, they have nothing to do with Greek effect.

Istanbulite culture have developed under Byzanthine and Islamic (Middle Eastern) influences.

You are really wrong here, Pontic culture have only affected beyond Trabzon (east of it). You can see no effects of Pontic culture in Samsun, �nye, Fatsa, Ordu, G�m�shane etc. and middle Black Sea region...

And even Eastern Black Sea coasts have more Caucasian influence than Pontic.

That's right.

I guess more than that. But after communism, religions werent able to survive in Albania.

Trips to the Mecca no, but there are Albanians out there taht attend mosques. Not many. In the main mosque in Tirana, Ethem Bey Mosque(I took this pic btw    ) had liek 3-4 people who went in during prayer call

It isnt something special for Albanians, as I said, Bektashis dont go to mosques. And they dont go for haj.

No they arent. They are mostly Alevis and Bektashis, which are the purest Turkic sects with heavy shamanistic elements in them. And the closest sects to the teachings of Hoja Ahmet Yesev�.

My dear Erci,

   Hi there. Best wishes and respect. Thank you very much for you information. But I remember you once said you'd got Turkmens in Turkey; and I replied they're different from Turkmens of Turkmenistan; just like the way Iraqi Turkmens differ from us. Now, I just dont' know where I heard such a statement: 'Turkish Turkmens are Shi'a'. Anyhow, take care and watch out!

Kind regards,

Iltirish

Turkish culture in Anatolia can be devided into four influence group

1:Aegean Coastal culture: Developped under serious Greek influence

All Aegean and Mediteranean coastal zone except Mersin and Adana and beyond 

2:Istanbulite culture: Developped under Iranian Arabic and Turkic influeces, may be trivial Greek influence.

All of Marmara region

3: Pontic coastal culture: Developped under Greek and Caucasian influence  

As We name it it includes only Black Sea coasts

4: Inner Anatolian Culture : Developped from Native Anatolian culture with the influences of Turkic and Iranian cultures.

It includes Eastern Anatolian culture as well.

We cannot say Kurdish culture affected Turkish culture.

We can say that Iranian culture because Persian appearance of the influence overweighs. E.g People may ask Namin ne in Eastern Anatolia instead of �smin or Ad�n ne?

Nam is Persian Naam for the Name

It is absolutely Persian effect not Kurdish if it was The question should be Naavin ne?

Infact Kurds have almost no effect in Eastern Anatolian Turkish Culture because until 1900s they were a minority in the region after Turks Armenians and Arabs Their percentage in total population was 5%

Kurdicization of the region has made a progress in 1950s and not complete yet.  Turks make 20% in the region and Arabs 6% according to the estimates.

i agreeeee.

Dear Erci,

   Hi there. How's it going? Well, I've got a question; are Turkish Turkmens Shi'e? Take care and take it easy.

Best wishes,

Iltirish

Very nice ARPAD, ....I've been once in Ardabil, actually my grandma is from there, but born in Azerbaijan....I'd like to visit Tabriz one day!