Çiçek was born in Erzincan , Turkey . His father died in the Erzincan Earthquake and thus Çiçek worked as a farmer at a young age . Financial problems limited him to an elementary school education . Nevertheless , he attended Alevi gatherings called Cem , where he became familiar with both playing baglama and the philosophy of Alevism
Erzincan Earthquake
1939 Erzincan earthquake
Ali Ekber Çiçek