The reflection of Alevi-Bektashi culture on Turkish folk beliefs and practices

Abstract

With the acceptance of Islam by the Turks, and then their migration to the Anatolian geography, a syncretic structure has occurred in the cultural context in the Anatolian field. The religious and cultural environment inherited from a large number of civilizations that had lived in Anatolia also partially influenced the Turkish culture and beliefs that originated in Central Asia with the arrival of Turks in Anatolia. This syncretic structure, which predominantly constitutes the Turkish culture in Anatolia, has been transferred to the present day with mythologies, epics, legends, proverbs, tales and folk beliefs. Nomadic Turks accepted Islam by combining the local and universal values of the Gok Tengri religion and other religions / cultures with the influence of Sufism. This situation created the Anatolian Alevism within the framework of love to Hz. Muhammed, Hz. Ali, Hz. Fatima, Hz. Hasan and Hussein, devotion to the twelve imams and dedes/religious guides who are believed to be their descendants in Anatolia. The aim of this study is to examine the folk beliefs of Alevi-Bektashi communities living in Anatolia, arising from differences in understanding and interpreting Islam in line with their own internal dynamics. With this purpose, the addition of Alevi-Bektashi-based folk beliefs to the origin of Turkish folk beliefs in the Anatolian area was discussed. The information used in this study is based on the data obtained by Field Research Method. As a result of these data, different cadres were added to the origin of Turkish Folk Beliefs through oral and written sources of Alevi culture. © 2019 Ankara Haci Bayram Veli University. All rights reserved.