An examination of the Fener Alayı and Şivlilik tradition as an element of intangible cultural heritage (ICH)

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine the Fener Alayı and Şivlilik traditions, which are specific to Regaip Kandili and practiced in Konya, at a conceptual and theoretical level within the framework of UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) approach. The study is based on the assumption that these rituals should be evaluated not only as religious practices but also as multidimensional cultural practices in the context of building social belonging, maintaining cultural identity, keeping collective memory alive, and intergenerational cultural transmission processes. The research does not rely on empirical data collection techniques from qualitative research methods; it is a conceptual study designed using a traditional (narrative) literature review approach. The theoretical framework is structured based on UNESCO's ICH classification and Turner's theory of rites of passage and collective memory approaches. The literature review determined that the Fener Alayı and Şivlilik traditions highly correspond to the categories of "social practices, rituals, and festive events" and "oral traditions and expressions" in UNESCO's ICH classification. The findings reveal that these rituals play a decisive role in children's culture and socialization processes, strengthen community solidarity at the neighborhood level, and contribute to the reproduction of local cultural identity. The study emphasizes that evaluating the Fener Alayı and Şivlilik traditions as elements of SOKÜM offers significant potential for the preservation, documentation, and perpetuation of these practices within the framework of sustainable cultural policies.