Kurdish Alevism

'The Path of God/Truth'[2] or Elewîtî)[3] refers to the unique rituals, sacred place practices, mythological discourses and socio-religious organizations among Kurds who adhere to Alevism.

[7] The Kurdish Alevi population has experienced religious and ethnic discrimination, oppression and forced assimilation which have significantly impacted their identity.

[10] Moreover, there are Kurdish Alevi settlements in the provinces of Adıyaman,[15] Ardahan,[16] Bingöl,[17] Çorum,[16] Elazığ,[18] Erzincan,[19] Erzurum,[20] Gaziantep,[21] Gümüşhane,[22] Kahramanmaraş,[20] Kayseri,[23] Malatya,[24] Muş,[25] Sivas[26] and Yozgat.

[31] In the late 19th century, Emperor Abdul Hamid II did not shy away from using the institutionalized Bektashi beliefs to Bektashify the Kurdish Alevis.

[31] During World War I, Bektashi missionary Mehmet Cemaleddin Efendi stated that the Kurdish Alevis had 'fallen away from the path'[32] and tried to influence their beliefs through the Axûçan ocax on behalf of the Committee of Union and Progress.

[33] In 1921, the Koçgiri rebellion took place with the goal of receiving political autonomy for Kurds and withdrawal of Turkish forces in Kurdistan.

[35] Alevi Kurds not only took part in the formation of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) but many of them also became leading figures, including Mazlum Doğan, Sakine Cansız, Ali Haydar Kaytan, Mustafa Karasu, Rıza Altun and Bese Hozat.

[36] PKK sought to present itself as defenders of Alevi Kurds and targeted the Turkish nationalists who took part in the Çorum massacre.

[37] In the 2010s, the Peoples' Democratic Party received support from a large majority of Alevi Kurds, becoming their main political representative.

By the end of the 20th century, this system had been gravely impacted by cultural destruction and the taliw has gained influence in regard to religion and identity politics.

[42] Raywer or rêber is a term used to describe the sayyid who prepares and serves the religious functions and therefore leads the others down the right path.

[1] This includes trees, mountains, rocks, caves, rivers, lakes, fountains, the sun and the moon that are each related to a semi-deific figure.

[47] Two important jiare are Munzur River and the sacred mountain associated with (or embodying) Duzgin Bawo, both located in Tunceli Province.

[48] Munzur River is located near Ovacık and a place of pilgrimage and ritual slaughter and people pray to God through the various jiare in the region.

Khidr) is an important religious figure who is considered to have spiritual power and an emanation of God and a batin of Ali.