مرکز منطقه ای اطلاع رساني علوم و فناوري - Alevism-Turkmen belief patterns in Cyprus white bearded legend

Abstract :

The main aim of the paper is to examine and to discover the continuity and handling of the symbols and concepts of antique Turkish beliefs such as shamanism and animism etc. in The White Bearded Legend that have been compiled at present time. The religious symbols formulate a basic congruence between a particular style of life and a specific metaphysic,and in so doing sustain each other with the borrowed authority of the other. The symbols and con cepts of antique Turkish beliefs carried by Turkmen-Alevism were against the official religion and subsidiary and therefore were kept secret in legends to train new generations in order to adopt traditional Turkish religions,modes of thought and lifestyles. The beliefs embodied in the various symbols such as the rabbit totem,the holy mountain motifs,the consecrated migration phenomenon,the sacred numbers three and seven that were very important at the ancient Turkish beliefs,the holy tree cult,the soul in disguise,fire control ability of shaman and shaman himself have been detected throughout the research. Culture patterns,systems or complexes of symbols that are concerned have been regarded as extrinsic sources of information so far. However,the knowledge they internalize was integrated into society. We can understand the link from the success of a legend that strictly depends on constantly repeated in family and community. But the real success is to be able to provide creative and specific responses for community suffering from many unexplained diseases,grief,and the other disasters etc. and establishing a base of continuity between past and present or deaths and the new generations. The deconstruction of the legend context will contribute to make the invisible reality of Cyprus Turkish Society visible and can be useful for theoretical as well as methodological questions understanding the alteration of beliefs in Cyprus Turkish Society.