A CROSS-CULTURAL EXAMINATION OF THE EXPRESSIVE CULTURE OF TURKISH-SPEAKING ALEVI/BEKTASHI AND ALEVI/BABAI (BOBAI) COMMUNITIES IN THE EASTERN RHODOPE MOUNTAINS OF SOUTHERN BULGARIA: IN SEARCH OF ORIGINS AND PARALLELS WITH TURKISH ALEVIS/ BEKTASHIS AND TAHTACIS

Authors : İrene MARKOFF

Pages : 39-51

View : 13 | Download : 8

Publication Date : 2022-12-16

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Turkish heterodox communities in Bulgaria now subsumed under the general category of Alevi insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(Aliani); are found primarily in the region of Deliorman in northeastern Bulgaria and in the eastern Rhodope Mountains of southern Bulgaria. Statistics recorded in 2001 indicate that there are 53,000 heterodox Muslims in Bulgaria insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(Mikov 2005);. These syncretistic communities are often labeled as “Shi’ites” because of their devotion to the imam ‘Ali and the 12 imams of Shi’ite Islam; as Kızılbaş insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(‘redheads’);, an older term for Alevi referring to a turban with twelve folds worn by Shah Ismail Safevi’s Turkmen military elite who supported their leader’s extremist Shi’ite beliefs insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(16th century);; and more so as Bektashi insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(referring to the Bektashi order of dervishes and the Çelebi and Babağan branches that exist in Bulgaria); and Babai/Bobai insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(referring to the Otman Baba branch of dervishes in Bulgaria); in their somewhat closed communities insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(de Jong 1993);. The practice of taqiya ‘dissimulation’ – a masking of true identity in hostile environments has been a common strategy for such sects in Anatolia and the Balkans where fear of adversity from the “others” insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(Sunnis); has always been omnipresent and resulted in persecution and oppressive measures imposed by state authorities over time insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(Markoff 2002);.
Keywords : Güney Bulgaristan, Rodaplar, Tahtacı, Alevi, Bektaşi