My father, Hacı Ali Şenküçük, was born in 1954 in the upper parts of Huzurlu Plateau in the Amanos Mountains. Until the age of 6–7, his family lived a fully nomadic life. He was a member of the Sarıkeçili Yörüks.

His father, Hasan Şenküçük, was originally from Korkuteli, Antalya, and his mother, Ayşe Şenküçük, was from the Develi region of Kayseri.

Throughout their nomadic life, they faced great hardships and lived under difficult conditions due to conflicts with villagers and forestry authorities, as well as illnesses. In 1962–1963, they transitioned to a settled life after purchasing land in Hürriyet Neighborhood of Erzin district, Hatay.

Due to severe economic limitations, Hacı Ali Şenküçük began his formal education at a very late age; there are even photographs showing him nearly the same height as his teachers. His strong passion for learning and traveling led him to develop a deep interest in history and geography, to which he devoted himself throughout his life.

In later years, he was admitted to the Department of Dispatch and Administration at Çukurova University. However, he experienced significant difficulties due to the political left–right conflicts prevalent in Turkey during that period.

After university, he traveled extensively across Turkey, visiting numerous historical structures, archaeological sites, and museums. He made substantial contributions to the research of the history of Erzin, Hatay, and played an important role in uncovering several historical structures. He contributed approximately 2,000 historical artifacts to the Antakya Archaeology Museum.

He conducted research in many fields, including archaeology, geography, electricity, Sarıkeçili Yörük culture, agriculture, and coin collecting, and shared his knowledge with thousands of people both in Turkey and abroad.

In 1978, he began working as an electrical dispatcher at the İskenderun Iron and Steel Works (İSDEMİR).
In 1982, he completed his four-month military service in Kırkağaç, Manisa.

In 1992 and 1995, he undertook month-long cultural journeys across Central Anatolia, the Aegean, and the Mediterranean regions together with his wife and four children, visiting historical sites and museums.

In 2004, he traveled to the Tuva (Erzin) region via Russia, where he researched the historical and geographical connections between Tuva and Erzin, Hatay, noting many similarities and recording them in his personal memoirs.

He retired from İSDEMİR in 2007 and spent his retirement years engaged in citrus farming, research, travel, and sharing knowledge.

His outlook on life was always guided by the belief that there is no need to break hearts. He was a man who kept his word and expected the same from others. He never compromised his honesty, principles, or his deep attachment to the land where he was born.

Hacı Ali Şenküçük, a father of four, spoke English and passed away on March 12, 2025.