Gülbenk, Deyiş, Nefes, Raa Haqi, Dersim, and Kırmancki Prayer – Pir Haydar Boğa
In this video, Pir Haydar Boğa examines in detail the central importance of deyiş, nefes, and gülbenk in Alevism. He emphasizes that the ethical codes, cosmological structure, belief narratives, and social order of Alevi philosophy are transmitted through these oral forms, and that the fundamental principles of the Alevi yol are embedded in deyiş and nefes. The narrative demonstrates that oral culture in the Alevi belief world is not merely a form of expression but a primary medium through which collective memory and knowledge of the path are conveyed.
Pir Haydar Boğa explains that through the transmission of deyiş and nefes via oral culture over centuries, the collective mind, emotional world, and universe of meaning of Alevi society have been formed. He illustrates how these texts guide Alevis by bringing together historical events, belief codes, and social experiences, thereby keeping Alevi history and philosophy alive within a continuity that extends from the past to the present.
In the video, the Pir defines Alevism as an “ancient cult” and notes that this ancient structure has taken shape particularly through the relationship with nature in the tradition of Dersim Alevism (Raa Haqi). In this context, he provides examples of prayers addressed to the morning sun, explaining how nefes, deyiş, and prayers concretize Alevi belief codes. Pir Haydar Boğa recites a Kırmancki prayer to the sun and then explains it in Turkish, thereby making visible the philosophical background of the Raa Haqi tradition.
Pir Haydar Boğa’s account highlights the central role of sacred nature in the Dersim Raa Haqi tradition and demonstrates how mountains, the sun, water, and natural elements are deeply intertwined with the belief world. Approaching this tradition without relating it to Abrahamic religions, the Pir presents it as a belief system integrated with nature and clearly articulates the ancient, local, and distinctive character of Alevism. In this respect, the video offers a highly instructive narrative for understanding the philosophical, cosmological, and ethical dimensions of Alevi oral culture.
This recording was made on 6–7 December 2025 at the CAN TV studios in Cologne, Germany, as part of the Alevi Encyclopedia’s oral history and visual archive project, within the “From the Words of the Path’s Guides” series.
Pir Haydar Boğa explains that through the transmission of deyiş and nefes via oral culture over centuries, the collective mind, emotional world, and universe of meaning of Alevi society have been formed. He illustrates how these texts guide Alevis by bringing together historical events, belief codes, and social experiences, thereby keeping Alevi history and philosophy alive within a continuity that extends from the past to the present.
In the video, the Pir defines Alevism as an “ancient cult” and notes that this ancient structure has taken shape particularly through the relationship with nature in the tradition of Dersim Alevism (Raa Haqi). In this context, he provides examples of prayers addressed to the morning sun, explaining how nefes, deyiş, and prayers concretize Alevi belief codes. Pir Haydar Boğa recites a Kırmancki prayer to the sun and then explains it in Turkish, thereby making visible the philosophical background of the Raa Haqi tradition.
Pir Haydar Boğa’s account highlights the central role of sacred nature in the Dersim Raa Haqi tradition and demonstrates how mountains, the sun, water, and natural elements are deeply intertwined with the belief world. Approaching this tradition without relating it to Abrahamic religions, the Pir presents it as a belief system integrated with nature and clearly articulates the ancient, local, and distinctive character of Alevism. In this respect, the video offers a highly instructive narrative for understanding the philosophical, cosmological, and ethical dimensions of Alevi oral culture.
This recording was made on 6–7 December 2025 at the CAN TV studios in Cologne, Germany, as part of the Alevi Encyclopedia’s oral history and visual archive project, within the “From the Words of the Path’s Guides” series.
Interviewer
- Ahmet Kerim Gültekin
