Russian man promotes traditional Turkish music on world bicycle tour
Aman Odun plays a traditional dombra, a long-necked musical string instrument, Antalya, Türkiye, April 15, 2023. (AA Photo)


Twenty-nine-year-old Aman Odun, living in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) of the Russian Federation, promotes traditional Turkish music as he travels around the world on his bicycle.

Two years ago, he embarked on a bicycle tour of the world from his country to promote Turkish culture. Most recently, he has been touring various cities and towns in Türkiye for about a month, playing traditional Turkish instruments such as the mouth harp and singing songs with his unique vocal style that has been well-received by audiences worldwide.

After visiting Istanbul, Ankara and Muğla, he is currently in Antalya, where he is giving musical performances with his instruments on the historical Sarı Köprü.

Odun told Anadolu Agency (AA) that he left his family two years ago to promote traditional Turkish music. He started his journey from Turkish autonomous regions within Russia and then visited countries such as Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and other countries.

He later went to Mongolia, China, South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Belarus. He said that he has traveled to 14 countries, racking up nearly 13,300 kilometers (8,265 miles).

As a member of the Turkish community living in the most distant region from Türkiye, he expressed his excitement at being in Anatolia, where the music he promotes was born.

He usually stays in tents and mosques during his travels and receives help from Turkish people. He also added that he plans to travel to African countries in the future.