Ehmed Dede

General Information

Also Known As

Ehmed Dede shrine, Ehmed Dede

Type

Ziyareta, Dede

Nahiya (Subdistrict)

Mabeta

Village or Nearby Villages

Dargirê

Religious Affiliation

Alevi, Sunni

Ehmed Dede is a shrine of Dargirê. It lies north of the village.1

Physical & Landscape Features

The shrine has a water well, and a wide mulberry tree stands nearby. Villagers used to wash clothes at the shrine's water well.2

Dedicated Figure & Historical Roots

The title Dede is explained as an Alevi word used instead of Şêx. In the same discussion, Dargirê is presented as Sunni, while Mabeta is said to include both Alevis and Sunnis.3

The shrine's exact history is not clear, but it is remembered as very old and known from the ancestors. The women call it a holy place, and one of them says the whole village believes in it.4

Ritual Practices & Beliefs

On Thursdays, villagers bring oil, tie rags to the tree, and light fires. Sick people and girls come with wishes. In dry years, villagers pray to God and slaughter chickens so rain will fall.5

Before the shrine grows a tree called an acorn tree in English and dareke ziftê in Kurdish. It is treated as a cure for warts. On Wednesdays, a person with warts cuts a piece from the tree, puts it on the wart, and returns home without looking back.6

In dry years, people gather under the wide mulberry tree and ask God for rain through the religious elders.7

Transcripts

Dargirê (Ax û Welat - Episode 1062):

  • 02:24 – Guest explains the name of the Ehmed Dede shrine, oil offerings, and wishes.
  • 03:36 – Host discusses the etymological significance of the title "Dede."
  • 08:06 – Description of the wart-healing tree before the shrine.
  • 08:31 – Description of the shrine's location, the water well, the mulberry tree, and rain-summoning rituals.

Videography

Dargirê (Ax û Welat - Episode 1062): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mASawqlEJXc

Bibliography

References

  1. Ax û Welat, "Dargirê," Episode 1062, YouTube video. Quote: "The name of this shrine is the Shrine of Ehmed Dede." English translation: the shrine is named Ehmed Dede. ↩

  2. Ax û Welat, "Dargirê." Quote: "To the north of the village is the Shrine of Ehmed Dede. And the inhabitants of the village used to wash their clothes at the water well of the shrine. Near it there is also a wide mulberry tree." English translation: the shrine has a water well where villagers washed clothes, and a wide mulberry tree stands nearby. ↩

  3. Ax û Welat, "Dargirê." Quote: "Mother, they say Ahmed Dede. You know the word \"Dede\" is an Alevi word. A word... is given, they don't say Sheikh." English translation: Dede is presented as an Alevi word used instead of Şêx. ↩

  4. Ax û Welat, "Dargirê." Quote: "No, it is not clear. But it is very ancient. Meaning very ancient, from our ancestors..." English translation: the shrine's history is unclear but remembered as very old and ancestral. ↩

  5. Ax û Welat, "Dargirê." Quote: "We, on Thursday, we come, we bring oil and we tie rags to it, we light fires here. And the sick come before it, asking for their wishes. Girls come asking for their wishes. The sick come asking for their wishes. If rain doesn't fall on us, we come and say... Or we pray to God, we slaughter our chickens, saying let rain fall on us, and it falls, praise be to God." English translation: on Thursdays people bring oil, tie rags, light fires, ask for wishes, and pray and slaughter chickens for rain. ↩

  6. Ax û Welat, "Dargirê." Quote: "Before this shrine, an acorn tree has grown. According to the believers of these villages, this tree is the cure for the wart disease. The inhabitants of the village state that if someone has warts on their skin, they must on Wednesday cut a piece from this tree and put it on their wart, And without looking behind their back return to their home." English translation: a tree before the shrine is treated as a wart cure; on Wednesdays, a person cuts a piece from it, puts it on the wart, and returns home without looking back. ↩

  7. Ax û Welat, "Dargirê." Quote: "And in dry years, they gather together under this mulberry tree, and request the falling of rain via the religious elders from God." English translation: in dry years, people gather under the mulberry tree and ask God for rain through religious elders. ↩