ISTANBUL (AP) – In the dark of night, when the streets of Istanbul enjoy a rare moment of quiet, Ali Buldu sets out beating his drum to wake up his neighborhood. For most, Buldu’s passing is a welcomed sign that the Muslim month of fasting and prayer has begun.
The 55-year-old decked in traditional Ottoman attire has been making these pre-dawn Ramadan rounds for half of his life. It’s a tradition he treasures, just like his forefathers did, and one that he is trying to pass on to the next generation.
Roughly 2,000 drummers wander around Istanbul’s neighborhoods during Ramadan, a time when Muslim families fast from sunrise to sundown and come together for prayer and copious meals sweetened by dates and pastries to break off the fast. The drummers wander the streets to wake up residents for “sahur” – meals eaten before dawn.
“The Ramadan drummer has existed since the age of the Ottomans,” Buldu says with pride as his 23-year-old nephew Emrah, who is joining him in the tradition, vigorously stirs sugar into his teacup before they march off in different directions at the speed of seasoned soldiers.
Throughout the year, Buldu and many of his male relatives earn money by playing at weddings and other festivities. But during Ramadan, they rely on the generosity of residents to survive.