Becoming an Ana – the Institution of Analık – Gender & Kirmancki Prayers

In this video, Ana Narin Gülçiçeği offers an in-depth reflection on the institution of analık in Alevism within the context of Dersim Alevism (Raa Haqi), drawing on her own life experiences. Shaped around key concepts such as jiares (sacred places), Ana Fatma, the four elements, the moon and the sun, Duzgı and his sacred sisters Xaskar, Jele, and Buyer, the narrative brings to light symbols specific to the “women’s world” of Alevi belief and its Batın layers of meaning. Through critical reflections articulated from a women’s perspective, the video renders visible the relationships between sacredness, nature, and gender in Alevism and offers important insights into the social and cosmological functions of the institution of analık. The Ana also recites various Kirmancki prayers and explains their content and meanings.

This recording was made on 10–11 May 2025 at the Dortmund Alevi Cultural Center (DAKME), within the framework of the Pirler–Analar Workshop organized for the Alevi Encyclopedia project under the Rıza Şehri Academy.