Who Are the Zaza-Alevi?
The Zaza are an Iranian-speaking people of eastern Anatolia, Turkey, numbering between 2-4 million. Many Zaza practice Alevism, a syncretic religion that combines elements of Shia Islam, pre-Islamic Turkic shamanism, Zoroastrianism, and Anatolian traditions. The Zaza-Alevi represent a unique cultural group distinguished by both their language and their religious practice.
The Zaza language (Zazaki or Dimli) belongs to the Northwestern Iranian language branch, related to but distinct from Kurdish. Historically marginalized in Turkey, where minority languages were suppressed for decades, the Zaza have struggled to maintain their linguistic and religious identity. Recent years have seen a cultural revival with efforts to document and teach the language.
Alevi Religious Practice
Alevism differs dramatically from Sunni Islam. Alevis do not practice the Five Pillars in conventional ways—they don't attend mosques, don't fast during Ramadan (fasting instead during Muharrem), and historically made no pilgrimage to Mecca. Their worship centers on the cem ceremony, a communal gathering with music, dance, and ritual led by dedes (spiritual leaders who inherit their position through sacred lineages).
The cem ceremony features the semah, a ritual dance performed by both men and women together—a practice unthinkable in orthodox Islamic contexts. Music is central, with the saz (long-necked lute) considered sacred. Alevi theology emphasizes the inner meaning of Islam, the equality of all humans, and the presence of the divine within each person.
Beliefs and Cosmology
Alevis revere Ali ibn Abi Talib (the Prophet Muhammad's son-in-law) and the Twelve Imams of Shia Islam, but their interpretation differs significantly from mainstream Shiism. The mystical poetry of figures like Pir Sultan Abdal and Haji Bektash Veli forms the basis of Alevi spiritual teaching, emphasizing love, tolerance, and the inner journey toward God.
Many pre-Islamic elements persist in Alevi practice, including reverence for sacred trees, springs, and stones; belief in reincarnation; and traditions that may trace back to ancient Zoroastrian or Anatolian religions. The Alevi saying "The most important book is the human being" reflects their humanistic spirituality.
History of Persecution
Throughout Ottoman and Turkish Republican history, Alevis faced persecution as heretics. The Ottoman Empire conducted massacres against Alevi-Kızılbaş populations, and the Turkish Republic's secular nationalism suppressed Alevi religious expression along with other minority practices. The 1978 Maraş massacre and 1993 Sivas massacre killed hundreds of Alevis.
Turkey's official Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) represents only Sunni Islam, leaving Alevis without official recognition or support. Alevi children in public schools must take mandatory Sunni religious education. Demands for recognition of cemevis as legitimate places of worship and exemption from religious education continue.
Cultural Revival
Despite challenges, Zaza and Alevi culture is experiencing revival. Zaza-language publications, music recordings, and educational materials have proliferated since restrictions loosened. Satellite television broadcasts Alevi ceremonies, and diaspora communities in Germany maintain active cultural organizations.
Young Alevis increasingly embrace their identity openly, though debates continue about the relationship between Alevism and Islam, and between Zaza and Kurdish identities. Some advocate for recognition as a distinct religion; others emphasize their place within Islam. These discussions reflect the vitality of a living tradition negotiating modernity.
References
- Shankland, D. (2003). "The Alevis in Turkey: The Emergence of a Secular Islamic Tradition"
- White, P.J. & Jongerden, J. (2003). "Turkey's Alevi Enigma: A Comprehensive Overview"
- Dressler, M. (2013). "Writing Religion: The Making of Turkish Alevi Islam"
- Kehl-Bodrogi, K. (1997). "Die Kızılbaş/Aleviten: Untersuchungen über eine esoterische Glaubensgemeinschaft in Anatolien"