MELODIC MEMORY IN ALEVI RELIGIOUS MUSIC: MUSICAL ELEMENTS IN THE VELI BABA ANŞA BACI LODGE ALEVİ İNANÇ MÜZİĞİNDE EZGİSEL HAFIZA: VELİ BABA ANŞA BACI OCAĞINDA MÜZİK BİLEŞENLERİ

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Arslan S., ÖZDEK A.

Turk Kulturu ve Haci Bektas Veli - Arastirma Dergisi, sa.119, ss.193-219, 2026 (Scopus, TRDizin)

Özet

This study examines the function of Alevi religious music in forming and transmitting cultural memory, focusing on the Veli Baba-Anşa Baci Lodge and the Beydili Turkmen communities living in Tokat and its surroundings. In the Alevi belief system, music is not only a means of worship but also a carrier of identity, historical memory, and values. The research is based on qualitative fieldwork conducted between 2019 and 2022, primarily in the Zile district and various other parts of Tokat. The data were collected through participant observation, in-depth interviews, and document analysis. The belief tradition of the tribe is transmitted through forms such as âyet, düvaz-ı imam, tevhid, miraçlama, and semah. The âyet form, which resembles the nefes, deyiş, or deme texts in the Alevi tradition, is categorized within the tribe into three subtypes: ritual, didactic, and supplicatory. The tevhid, performed without any musical instruments, symbolizes a direct connection with the Creator, while düvaz-ı imams represent the continuity of the belief in the Twelve Imams within oral memory. The recitation of miraçlama in accordance with Şah İsmail’s text reflects a sense of belonging to the Ardabil lineage. The semah serves as a multilayered reflection of tribal identity. Alongside forms such as Kırklar Semahı and Hubyâr Semahı, which are performed only by individuals who have undergone an initiation process, the Gönüller Semahı fulfills an inclusive and dynamic function by enabling other members of the community to participate in the belief system. In conclusion, music within the Veli Baba-Anşa Baci lodge assumes a central role in worship, identity construction, and cultural continuity, functioning as a medium through which memory is transmitted from generation to generation.