Sacred tomb representing women's role in Alevi-Bektashi culture awaits restoration

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Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) MP İstanbul Ali Kenanoğlu has made a statement about the Kadıncık Ana Tomb, which literally means "Little Woman - Mother" in Turkish and is a sacred mousoleum in the Alevi faith.

Representing the role of women in Alevi-Bektashi culture and located in Turkey's Central Anatolian province of Nevşehir, the 13th century tomb has not yet been restored even though the Ministry of Culture and Tourism promised in 2019 that the tomb would be restored.

Addressing an open letter to Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy against this backdrop, HDP MP Kenanoğlu has underlined that no restoration works have yet started in the tomb despite this promise.

Kenanoğlu has called on the Minister of Culture to fulfil his duty and ensure that the tomb is restored as soon as possible.

Addressing Ersoy, the MP has noted that the tomb "has an important place for Alevi women" and reiterated that "the project needs to be realized as soon as possible and the tomb needs to be restored urgently."

Alevi Women's Union of Europe requested it

In his letter to Culture Minister Ersoy, HDP MP Kenanoğlu has also shared information about the restoration process of the tomb:

"The Alevi Women's Union of Europe sent a petition to your Ministry in June 2018 and requested the restoration of Kadıncık Ana Tomb. However, your Ministry informed them that it could not be done due to lack of funds.

* Ali Kenanoğlu

"In response to this, the Union informed your Ministry that the necessary financial resource would be provided for the restoration works.

"In your response, you said that it would not be possible, adding that when the property taxes were collected in 2019, some part of this money could be spent on the restoration of cultural values and you could then bring the restoration of the Kadıncık Ana to the agenda within this context.

'Project prepared, but no work undertaken'

"While the written correspondence with the Ministry was still ongoing, a project was prepared by experts and architects and meetings were made with both the Ministry of Culture and the governor's office to ensure that the project would be carried out as soon as possible.

"However, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism officials have not yet undertaken any works about it and the promise has not been fulfilled."

Addressing a Parliamentary question to Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy on March 4, 2020, HDP İstanbul MP Zeynel Özen also brought the issue into the Parliamentary agenda.

About Kadıncık Ana Tomb

Kadıncık Ana (Little Woman - Mother) Tomb is seen as a symbol representing the role of women in the Alevi-Bektashi culture. 

The tomb symbolizes the value attached to women by the Alevi faith and women-men equality in Aliev society throughout history. 

Dating back to the 13th century, the tomb has three rooms. In the Alevi-Bektashi faith, it is believed that Haji Bektash Veli was a guest in this house. (TP/SD)