The Traces of Alevı And Bektashi Culture in the Folk Songs of the Âşık Veysel

AbstractThis study aims to identify traces of Alawi-Bektashi culture, faith, and values in Aşık Veysel’s folksongs. Sivas is one of the most powerful cities that carry the bard tradition. The city of Sivas becamefamous for its nicknames such as “bards home” and “realm of lovers.” One of the most famous folkbards who are raised in Sivas is Âşık Veysel. He was born in 1894, in a village called Sivrialan,Şarkışla. Thus, a long and narrow road journey started for Veysel as he was born in the Emlek regionwhere Alawi-Bektashi culture is more valued. Many bards who have lived and raised in this regioncontributed to the development of Âşık Veysel. Veysel had respect for the thoughts, emotions, faith,and worldview of every individual. He emphasized nature, homeland, nation and unity, love, pain,agony, and religious and Sufistic subjects in his poems. We know that he mostly emphasized love,respect, tolerance, modesty, divine love and human love among others. He also mentioned thesesubjects in his songs. The most important reason for the fact that Âşık Veysel had a strong religious-Sufistic and mystic character is that he spent time with the spirit builder people who contributed tohis spiritual world. Salman Baba, who founded Bektashi dervish convent in Mescid village, was hisfirst teacher and valuable friend. We can say that Âşık Veysel was raised under the influence of theAlawi Society and Bektashi dervish convent. It is possible to see the traces of Alawi-Bektashi faithand values, as well as terms and symbols related to Alawi and Bektashi sufistic understanding in ÂşıkVeysel’s folk songs and poems.Key words: Âşık Veysel, Alawi, Bektashi, Bards, Culture, Tradition of Lovers.