Wolf salute

The grey wolf salute has pre-Islamic roots and it comes from the role of grey wolves in Turkic mythology, it has been attributed to Turkic peoples from Buddhist culture. Historical studies shown that it was used by various Turkic peoples such as Huns, Kipchaks and Pechenegs who migrated Westwards using this sign to represent their lineage. This symbol is also found in the Shahnameh of the 10th century Iranian poet Ferdowsi, which includes miniatures of Turkish women making the grey wolf sign. In China, a 6th century statue of a Turkic khan making the grey wolf sign is present. It was found in a cave and dates back to the pre-Islamic Göktürks period. Despite it having an un-Islamic history and viewed as shirk by some hardline Muslims, Alparslan Türkeş constantly tried to Islamize it to make it fit his Turkish-Islamic nationalism ideology.[1]

Miho funerary couch

Although it is mostly assumed to be used by the MHP and Grey Wolves, it is actually used by Turkish nationalists and groups from all political views. CHP Leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu once greeted his supporters with a gray wolf sign while he was going to a rally in Kayseri on April 16. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reacted to it by saying "The gray wolf sign made by the CHP leader cannot be erased from my memory", and Kılıçdaroğlu responded back with "We are also nationalists, we are also nationalists."[2]

Meral Akşener, leader of the Good Party, also frequently makes the symbol on many occasions.[3][4]

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has made the gesture at a rally in Mersin before quickly changing it with the Rabia sign.[5]

In Austria and France, it is banned.[6][7] Many German politicians from both the right-wing and left-wing proposed to ban the grey wolf salute.[8]