Photo-Ethnographic Study: Alevi/Bektashi-Cepni Ballar Village

This study is based on the examination of visual culture items in daily life practices of Alevis / Bektashi and Ballar village in Kandıra / Kocaeli was chosen as a sample in this study. The study is based on photo-ethnography and it has been conducted through face-to-face interviews with the contact people. It has been observed that the visuals regarding their beliefs are an important part of the interior decoration and they are making an effort to keep the historical memory alive by establishing some kind of communication with the representations or actual photographs of the past leaders of the belief. Moreover, the main aim of these visuals did not have the priority of expressing them to the society outside, especially in the identity determination in this place; it was concluded that these messages were coded mostly in an introverted way. It was also determined that the visuals in households and djemevis and the traditional belief and cultural values that they represented brought about framing in the minds of these individuals and anchored to the base of the belief and identity. It is possible to develop the thesis that the relevant bonds have brought them closer to the Sunni people on the ground of 'Turkishness” because they define themselves as “genuine–Turks” and the differences in beliefs drove them away because they were restricting it to their houses and djemevis which can be defined as private space.

Keywords

Alevi/Bektashi, Cepni, Kocaeli, Ballar Village, Photo-Ethnography.