The interaction of environment, space and the human being in rural alevi culture-The case of two villages

The people constituting the social fabric in rural Alevi settlement areas in Turkey have created their own spatial areas, and this process has come into existence around the "environment-space-human being" axis together with historical development. In this context the traditional lifestyle enveloping the social fabric in rural Alevi settlements, the planned order of the spaces and cultural relation networks have developed around a common language. Revealing their cultural memories together with traditional life rituals within this ongoing melting pot of propensities on a self-enclosed platform, Alevis have proved how a culture, which has adapted to its physical environment and which has determined the "human-nature" relationship by ascribing spiritual meanings to various objects in nature, is "sustainable". Bearing the characteristics of such settlements, Türkmenhaci{dotless} (Bismil-Diyarbaki{dotless}r) and Yon-cali{dotless}/Ortinik (Ovaci{dotless}k-Tunceli) Alevi villages are still able to preserve the rituals existing in traditional society, the "Cem culture" enveloping spirituality, introverted human relationships, a continuing sense of belonging and settlement patterns. This study intends to move beyond the exclusion created over the last 20-25 years through social disintegration, terror, violence, and an out-of-the-ordinary sense of belonging by exploring rural Alevi culture perpetuating a common memory in the context of two villages taken as reference points.