Honorary Prof. Dr. Kıyasettin Temelli

Kıyasettin Temelli was born on May 12, 1935, in Dere Mahallesi, one of the oldest neighborhoods of Erzurum, and was the only male among eight siblings. His ancestors, who migrated from Central Asia to Anatolia, the cradle of civilizations, came from an artistic lineage. In his memories, Temelli frequently mentioned that his grandfather played the ancient Turkish instrument, the kopuz, and his father played the tuba in the military band. Being deeply involved in music from a young age, Temelli worked at his father’s teahouse, Temel’s Teahouse, located right next to Cennetzade Mosque. Here, he also had the opportunity to observe customers from all walks of life. At the age of just nine, his passion for art emerged, and he developed a strong interest in photography, a rather expensive hobby in the 1950s. He took his first steps into the world of art through photography, and he would develop the photos he took in the darkroom he established in his father’s teahouse.

As he reached high school age, Temelli took lessons in Sufism and Ottoman Turkish from Müftü Solakzâde (Muhammed Sadık Efendi), one of the notable figures of Erzurum, whom he had the chance to meet at his father’s workplace. By the early 1950s, Temel’s Teahouse underwent a transformation toward a more artistic direction. During this period, it began to offer activities such as folk music instrument lessons, folklore courses, and a folk music choir, becoming more institutionalized. A little later, the teahouse was renamed Ses Gazinosu and became a home for young artists and athletes with the establishment of the Erzurum Music Conservatory and the Association for Training Athletes under its roof.

Immediately after graduating from high school, Temelli used the Ottoman Turkish he had learned from Müftü Solakzâde to work as an expert at the Land Registry and Cadastre Directorate, where he translated thousands of documents into modern Turkish. In addition, he had the opportunity to take lessons from Kemâni Haydar Telhüner, one of the musicians he was most influenced by in the field of music and whom he met at his father’s teahouse. Wishing to specialize in music, Temelli later played various roles in Turkish folk music as an instrumentalist, served as a choir conductor of Turkish classical music, and played an active role in establishing the Department of Music at the Faculty of Fine Arts of Atatürk University, where he also served as the head of the department. Proficient in playing instruments such as the kabak kemane, clarinet, bağlama, cümbüş, the Erzurum-specific sallamalı tef, and other percussion instruments, Kıyasettin Temelli would fill in missing instruments during radio programs produced by TRT, and would play any instrument that was absent or lacking that day. The multi-faceted personality he developed from childhood allowed him to gather people from various fields and build harmonious relationships with them.

During his time as a lecturer in Turkish music at the High Islamic Institute, he translated many books on Turkish music into Turkish. Kıyasettin Temelli was also an agricultural engineer and earned the title of senior engineer in this field. Writing hundreds of poems, conducting dozens of choirs, training hundreds of people, working on a political doctrine called Temellism, and managing the teahouse he never hesitated to serve, Temelli led a busy life. In October 1967, when he lost his father, Temel’s Teahouse was renamed Temelli Teahouse, the name it still bears today.

Kıyasettin Temelli, father to three sons and two daughters, raised Öner, Yener, and Şener with the same discipline, dedication, and broad-mindedness as himself and passed on the cultural teahouse he inherited from his father to the next generation. He played a key role in the development of many artists, including Kamil Güncel, Engin Vural, Zeki Sözergil, and Terzi Sadık.

In 2007, Kıyasettin Temelli passed away due to kidney disease. However, his legacy lives on through Temelli Teahouse. His children, grandchildren, and the devoted people of Erzurum are doing everything they can to keep this teahouse alive. It still serves as the cultural heart of the city, a home for music and friendship. Folk dances are still performed here, Turkish folk songs are sung, and tea is brewed with warm conversation.

Kıyasettin Temelli’s greatest dream was for art and music to bring people together. Today, anyone who steps into Temelli Teahouse becomes part of this great dream. Those who want to experience Erzurum’s unique cultural atmosphere and taste the carefully brewed tea that has been served for nearly 100 years are welcomed through the doors of Temelli Teahouse…