A Survey of the Roots and History of Kurdish Alevism: What are the Divergences and Convergences between Kurdish Alevi Groups in Turkey?

Abstract

This article focuses on the generic form of Alevism, commonly referred to as “Anatolian Alevism”, asking how ethnic and tribal divergences occurred, their interrelationships and the basis of the differences and similarities. It assumes that the beliefs and practices known collectively as “Anatolian Alevism” constitute a “wholistic structure” that refers to the joint possession of a common set of ritualistic and mythic attributes and characteristics. In this context, “Anatolian Alevism” presents a distinctive attribute compared to other beliefs thought to be similar or connected to which Alevism is related in some ways although it is also the product of a different history and belief pattern. The central concern is to provide an understanding of the historical establishment and interrelationship of Kırmanjki and Kurmanji speaking Alevi tribes and their similarities and differences compared to Turkish/Turkmen Alevism despite their strong structural associations.