A dede (also called dedebaba) is a socio-religious leader in the Islamic Alevi and non-Islamic Ishiki community.
Although much weakened as a result of the socio-economic transformation experienced in Anatolia towards the end of the nineteenth century, and particularly due to accelerated migration from the rural to the urban areas after the foundation of the Republic of Turkey, it played a primary role in the survival of Alevism until today.
The pedigrees of the dedes consistently emphasize this by saying “Yol cümleden uludur” [The Path is the most exalted of all].
In other words, an Alevi would become a düşkün if he tries to satisfy his desires and needs without regard for the Yol.
As Professor Yusuf Ziya Yörükan noted “Dede declares one a "düşkün" by saying to them "may your face be darkened (yüzün kararsın)".