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This is a brief information on our organisation the “Australia Alevi Cultural Centre {AACC}” and “Alevism.”
Australia Alevi Cultural Centre {AACC} is a non-profitable charity organisation that has established in 1991 under the “Charity Organisations Act, 1985.” The objective / purposes of the AACC are to provide assistance to Anatolian Alevi community and any other community members for optimal settlement in Australian society. Who have a particular need by reason of migration, youth, aged, infirmity, disablement, poverty, economic, social and cultural circumstances.
AACC is very aware of Anatolian Alevi community members’ cultural, ritual, social, educational and financial needs. Therefore AACC has been facilitating numbers of services for these purposes including; celebrations and remembrance of cultural and ritual events. Education; organising and / or facilitating music courses, information sessions and seminars; on health, family, community, employment and cultural issues.
Every year, in the annual general meeting the members of the management and disciplinary / control committees have been democratically elected. The management committee consisted of 7 voluntary members who have very diverse vocational background. The management committee meets minimum twice a month to discuss plans, projects, finance, special needs, and review of activities and outcome. And 4 voluntary members have formed disciplinary/ control committee. These two committees meet every three months to discuss the result of all above. Beside these two committees, the AACC also has sub committees of women and youth support group, sports and leisure, and the funeral services.
The income of the AACC is provided from annual membership fees, donations, cultural and social activities and small rental income from its own land. The Federal Government DIMIA grant has been given to the AACC for “Community Settlement Services Scheme” {CSSS} to assist Anatolian Alevi community with their settlement issues by introducing them to the “Main Stream” services.
The AACC has a CSSS project officer that provides services and assistance for community settlement with equity to every recipient
At present, the AACC’s CSSS worker is operating from AACC’s head office at 3 Water Street Lidcombe, NSW 2141 and also Baulkham Hills, Holroyd, Parramatta Migrant Resource Centre 15 Hunter Street Parramatta, NSW 2150.
“ALEVISM ” the primary philosophy of Alevism is “Humanism”. The Alevi philosophy is unorthodox, universal and mystical belief system with its faith, morality structure, love for God, mankind, and nature, equality and fraternity. Alevism is a rich tradition reflecting a broad history of Anatolia and the Central Asian migrations and heritage of the Turkish tribes. These elements are centred in Bektasi Sufism and the strong ‘bardic’ culture.
Turkish word ‘Alevi’ is best-translated ‘follower of Ali’. In Islam there exist long tradition of heterodox belief in which the figure of Ali approaches divinisation. The Anatolian followers of Ali a repository of these traditions.
The Alevis stress ethical behaviour over and above ritual observation and doctrine. A core saying of Alevi belief is, “remember to be master of your tongue, your waist {monogamy and loyalty of partners} and your hand.” From this formula is developed a Universal humanistic ethic that places emphasis on right behavoiur and respect other believes, practices and “Human rights” and condemns religious hypocrisy. Religious differences are not considered significant in comparison with human behaviour towards each other.
Alevism is a resolutely heterodox and low demand religion. It requires no formal or compulsory adharence to any set prayers, religious texts, pilgrimage or fast. The Alevi individual can pray in any stage that he or she wants in order to come to closer to divine. The Alevis developed their own unique traditions centred around the “Cem” {Alevi place of worship} and “dede” {Alevi religious leader}. Poems, music and traditional ritual dancing {semah} takes a major part in praying. The theme of “poems” is mainly morality, love of god, nature, and human relationships, virtue of the individual. “Music” is played with a special wooden instrument called “saz” {lute}. During the ritual ceremonies women and men dance {semah} together. Every movements of Semah indicate certain meaning to express the connection between the God, the Universe and the human trilogy.
The Alevi culture and belief has been around for more than 1000 years. Within the dialectic understanding point of view the Anatolia is the historical meeting place for the western, eastern civilisation and cultural values. Basically “Alevi” people represent the synthesis of these great cultures.
Since the 1960s, Alevis have been migrating to industrialised parts of Turkey, Europe and Australia. Although the reasons for migration have been essentially economic, political problems were the other reasons for them to migrate in 1980s.
In 1967 Australia, attempting to divert flows of Turkish labour from Europe offered migration to whole families, but wanted permanent migrants. Most of these early migrants originally intended to return to Turkey but decided to remain in Australia due to economic conditions and consideration of their children’s education and their ties to Australia.
More than 90 per cent Turkey born Alevi migrants have Australian citizenship. These figures indicate that, the community has chosen Australia as their homeland. This is a major sign of voluntary willingness to contribute and integrate into the Australian society. Therefore it is vital to increase their knowledge, awareness and provide services to meet their needs for optimal settlement.
In Australia we utilise cultural, social and ritual occasions as to pass our cultural values onto the Alevi community and youth to develop their harmonious Australian multicultural identity.
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