An Evaluation on Alevism and Bektashism Rituals from the Perspective of Anthropology of Religion

Abstract

Alevism and Bektashism is one of the most important fields of study as it is a subject that has been on the agenda both in academia and in the popular agenda with its various dimensions in the world and in our country in the last forty years. Alevism and Bektashism, which are dominated by oral culture and do not have a systematic belief structure, can be the subject of academic research as a whole with its belief and memory structure that includes different traditions. Our study focuses on the evaluation of Alevism and Bektashism rituals in terms of anthropology of religion. In this study, Alevism and Bektashism rituals, which are a product of our rich culture before and after Islam, are analyzed in terms of anthropology of religion. Our study focuses on the evaluation of Alevism and Bektashism rituals in terms of religious anthropology and the processes through which the relevant rituals have reached the present day. The main research question of our study: “What cultural and religious influences have shaped the beliefs and rituals of Alevism and Bektashism in the historical process, and how have these influences shown change and continuity in terms of anthropology of religion?”. Our study is not based on a specific region, city or village, but on the rituals that members of Alevism and Bektashism accept as common. The aim of this study is to evaluate the rituals of Alevi and Bektashi culture with the theories and concepts of anthropology of religion and to ensure that these belief systems are properly introduced on scientific platforms. Interpretive and descriptive methods were adopted in our study. The data obtained by analyzing the written materials were evaluated from an objective point of view and content analysis was applied. The beliefs and rituals of Alevism and Bektashism were analyzed with the interpretive ethnographic methods of anthropology, and cultural processes and codes were analyzed in this context. Studies on Alevism and Bektashism generally take a picture of the current situation and present it to the public. However, research through disciplines such as archaeology and anthropology is limited. In conclusion, the study reveals that Alevi and Bektashi beliefs and rituals have been shaped under the influence of various faiths and cultures; however, they are essentially rooted in the religious and ritual practices adopted by the Turks prior to their migration to Anatolia.