クルド系アレヴィー集団にみる聖者崇敬

ババ・マンスール系のオジャク構造と関連付けて

抄録

In this article, I explain the current state of the practice of the veneration of saints among the Kurdish Alevi people through an analysis of the ocak of the saint Baba Mansur. In common Turkish use, the term ocak means ‘household’; however, for most Alevi people it refers to a ‘gathering of comrades’ who venerate common saint(s). At the same time, this term is often used to designate a group whose members are of the ‘holy lineage’ of the family of the Prophet.
 Previous studies concerning the veneration of saints among the Kurdish Alevis did not systematically demonstrate the relationship between the veneration and the concept of ocak and therefore did not attain a deep understanding of the current state of their religious practices and their concept of belonging to the Alevi.
 Hence, here, based on the data from my field research and literary materials gathered in Eastern Anatolia from January 2006 to March 2007, I analyze the current state of the practice of the veneration of the saint Baba Mansur among the Kurdish Alevis through a systematic analysis of their ocak. Briefly speaking, an ocak of the Kurdish Alevi people has two aspects. One is as a ritual group based on the relationship between master (Pir) and pupils (Talep), and the other is as a group of descendants of the family of the Prophet.
 Thus, I demonstrate here that the veneration of saints among the Kurdish Alevi people is based on the structure of the ocak. This structure is supported by ritual ceremonies such as the Cem or memorial services for the saint, traditions of miracles wrought by the saints, and the shrines of the saints, which pass on the holiness of the saint to generations of believers.