It is suggested that about a fifth of the Turkish population are "Alevis", whose folk music is performed by a type of travelling bard or "ozan" called "aşık", who travels with the saz or baglama, an iconic image of Turkish folk music. These songs, which hail from the central northeastern area, are about mystical revelations, invocations to Alevi saints and Muhammad's son-in-law, Ali, whom they hold in high esteem. In Turkish aşık literally means 'in love'. Whoever follows this tradition has the "Aşık" assignation put before their names, because it is suggested that music becomes an essential facet of their being, for example as in Aşık Veysel.