A mystical journey from Shaman rituals to the whirl of the Alawis Şaman ri̇tüelleri̇nden Alevi̇ semahlarina esrarli yolculuk
Turk Kulturu ve Haci Bektas Veli - Arastirma Dergisi, vol.56, pp.153-162, 2010 (Scopus, TRDizin)
- Publication Type: Article / Review
- Volume: 56
- Publication Date: 2010
- Journal Name: Turk Kulturu ve Haci Bektas Veli - Arastirma Dergisi
- Journal Indexes: Scopus, TR DİZİN (ULAKBİM)
- Page Numbers: pp.153-162
- Keywords: Alawi, Ritual, Shaman, Shaman rituals, Whirl
- Ankara Haci Bayram Veli University Affiliated: No
Abstract
The whirl ritual is a religious practice which is kept alive in and based on the Alawism - Bektashism thought system. Alawism is one of the most important elements of Turkish history. The interchange of millennial life and belief experiences of Turks and some Islamic elements formed a basis for an ontological movement. Within this context, the images of many epistemological structures related to Turkish culture are included in the Alawism - Bektashism culture as well. When looked from this point of view, it is observed that the whirl ritual has many significant traces of the Central Asian culture. There are similarities between Shaman rituals and whirls in terms of philosophy, figure and motive. The themes and motives observed in Shaman rituals have been transferred especially to the Muslim Turkish religious life in Anatolia in various ways.