August 23rd, 2025

Yesterday, around midday, Deniz joined me at the hotel. We then went out to do some shopping for the breakfast planned this morning in his family’s new flat. We stopped by Migros, which also happens to be one of the two main supermarket chains in Switzerland. Even though the name and the orange branding are identical to the Swiss stores, I doubt the two companies are actually connected. In Switzerland, Migros was founded nearly a hundred years ago. It’s quite surprising to come across the same name over 2,500 kilometres away!

In the evening, we met again for dinner by the river, together with his mother, his sister and a neighbour, a particularly cheerful and sociable woman. The food was excellent and the setting by the water especially pleasant. A truly lovely evening!

This morning, I took a taxi to the Kaplan family’s home. Their new building is brand new, although some finishing work is still ongoing. A small inconvenience: the gas has not yet been connected, which means no hot water. For now, they still have to cross the street to their old flat in order to wash, where the facilities are available for a few more days.

The dining table had been beautifully laid and was overflowing with dishes, an incredibly generous breakfast! The lively neighbour was there as well. At the end of the meal, when the Turkish coffee was served, she read my fortune in the coffee grounds. We all laughed, taking it in good humour and not too seriously.

A little later, a family friend turned up in his old Fiat with nearly 230,000 kilometres on the clock. With 38°C outside and no air conditioning, the journey was not exactly comfortable…

We drove about 70 km to reach the village of Ziyaret and the Munzur Gözeleri, the sources of the Munzur River which flows through Dersim. This place is highly symbolic for the Alevi’s, who come here to reflect and light candles. The gözeler are natural springs emerging from the mountains, regarded as pure, life-giving and full of blessings. In Alevi tradition, they are linked to sacred stories and the spiritual presence of holy figures.

Although the site is popular with tourists, it remains very beautiful. To get there, you follow the Munzur River through a steep valley. In some places, the landscapes reminded me of Morocco, with their ochre tones, arid vegetation and rugged relief. A very enjoyable excursion.

The only downside: the driver! His way of driving left me rather disturbed… He would accelerate, slip into neutral, wait for the speed to drop to around 40 km/h, then shift back into fifth gear. On the downhill stretches, he stayed in neutral as well. Not exactly the most reassuring method…

Even so, it was a wonderful day, with stunning scenery and a visit to a major site of Kurdish Alevi culture.

But what exactly is this religion, which I knew almost nothing about before meeting Deniz? According to my online research, here are the main differences between Sunni/Shia Muslims and Alevis:

Foundational figures and texts:

Muslims (Sunni/Shia): follow the Qur’an and the sharia.

Alevis: place greater emphasis on symbolic and mystical interpretation of the Qur’an rather than a literal reading. Imam Ali is central, seen as the embodiment of justice and divine light. They also revere the Twelve Imams (like the Shia), as well as local saints (ocak), Hacı Bektaş Veli (13th century) and other Sufi figures.

Religious practices:

Muslims: five daily prayers facing Mecca, fasting during Ramadan, pilgrimage to Mecca, mosque as the central place of worship.

Alevi’s: no set daily prayers; ceremonies (cem) are held communally in cemevis, with music (saz), sacred hymns (deyiş) and ritual dance (semah). Fasting mainly in Muharram (12 days), in remembrance of Imam Hussein’s martyrdom at Karbala. No pilgrimage to Mecca, but instead pilgrimages to local holy sites (Munzur Gözeleri, Hacı Bektaş).

Relationship to religious law (sharia):

Muslims: sharia regulates daily, family and social life.

Alevi’s: reject applying sharia as a normative system. Their ethics are based on humanism, justice, respect for nature and equality. Their central saying: “Eline, beline, diline sahip ol” (control your hand, your belt, and your tongue = do not steal, do not commit adultery, do not lie).

The role of women:

 Muslims: separation of men and women in prayer; stricter hierarchy.

Alevi’s: men and women take part together in the cem, and women may hold spiritual responsibilities.

Conception of God and spirituality:

Muslims: God is transcendent, worship is centred on obedience to His commands.

Alevi’s: spirituality is more mystical – God is seen as present within human beings and nature. Strong influence of Sufism, with the aim of seeking union with God (hakikat).

Identity and recognition:

Muslims (Sunni majority in Turkey): fully recognised, with official structures (Diyanet).

Alevi’s: often marginalised, long unrecognised by the Turkish state. Their religious identity is closely tied to claims for freedom and social justice.

In summary:

Sunni and Shia Muslims practise a religion structured around sharia, daily prayers, Ramadan, mosques and pilgrimage to Mecca.

Alevi’s favour a mystical and community-centred approach: no mosques, no daily prayers, no sharia, but collective rituals with music and dance, a strong devotion to Ali, the Twelve Imams and local saints, and an ethic rooted in humanity, justice and equality.