The Sultan Nevruz Cem Ritual at the Seyyid Sultan Shucaaddin Veli Lodge

The Sultan Nevruz Cem Ritual

Abstract

Throughout history, Nevruz has continued to exist as an important cultural practice across a wide geography from Central Asia to Anatolia, symbolizing the awakening of nature, the beginning of the year, and the construction of collective identity. Celebrated on March 21 as the harbinger of spring, the beliefs and practices surrounding Nevruz reflect a synthesis of pre-Islamic and Islamic belief motifs. In Anatolia, among Alevi communities, Nevruz celebrations are further imbued with religious meaning through a special cem ceremony held on this day. In this article, the Sultan Nevruz Cem, performed at the Seyyid Sultan Şücaaddin Veli Lodge in the Seyitgazi district of Eskişehir, serves as an example of the ritualistic and spiritual dimensions of Nevruz. This paper focuses on the Sultan Nevruz Cem conducted by the lodge’s dede (spiritual leader), Mehmet Demirtaş. Data for the study were collected through in-depth interviews with the dede and by directly participating in the cem. Based on these findings, the study examines the ritual structure and social functions of the Sultan Nevruz Cem. The evaluations reveal that the ceremony not only aims to celebrate Nevruz or provide information about it, but also plays an essential role in transmitting, preserving, and revitalizing Alevi path and practices, while strengthening both individual and communal senses of belonging. While the Sultan Nevruz Cem in Eskişehir shares common ritual elements with Nevruz rituals performed in other Alevi lodges across Anatolia, it also reflects certain regional and lodge-centered differences.