Main Article Yezidis: An Ethno-Religious Group in Turkey Çakır Ceyhan Suvari Abstract  The most distinguishing feature of the Yezidi religion is its ethno-religious character. For Yezidi belief and its practices and symbols have heavily influenced the Yezidi culture and shaped its organizational structures. Its exclusive character, confining the privilege of being a Yezidi only to those born of Yezidi parents, further supports the conception of ethno- religion. This article draws upon the author’s fieldwork among the Yezidis of Viranşehir (Şanlıurfa), Mardin and Batman in Turkey. Key words: Yezidism, Yezidi, Kurd, ethno-religion, Malak Tawus (Peacock Angel), Angel Introduction One may consider the question of who the Yezidis are. Many Kurdish researchers argue that The Yezidis are non-Muslim Kurds (e.g. Tori 2000; Mıhotoli 1992; Bender 2000; Şanak 1997). Or are they Turks? Some of Turkish researchers argue that there are shamanistic items in Yezidi faith and therefore Yezidis are a Turkish group (e.g. Başbuğ 1987). Or do they belong to an entirely different identity (i.e. community or group with an identifiable identity)? In this respect how can the Yezidis be defined? It is generally considered that there are two basic approaches that are applied in defining ethnic identities. First of these is the emic perspective in which the group defines itself basically in terms of “who we are” or “what we are”. The important thing in this definition is the self-acceptance of the groups’ intention. The racial and language (linguistic) characteristics of the group do not play a determining role in this definition. The second perspective (definition) is an etic one which is based on the definition of the group by the understandings of the other groups (see Aydın 2003). Definitions and names, which are provided by groups within themselves (emic) and perceptions by the others (etic), differ largely. While a person looking from an outside point of view takes the physical criteria as the basis, whereas a person from the inside takes the common grounds as a basis which the group members consider to be common among themselves (Somersan 2004: 23). I have paid attention to conclude the analyses of the collected data with the emic approach by considering how groups perceives themselves. In this respect it is necessary to divide the Yezidis into two groups in terms of considering their social and religious perspectives. The first one is the intellectual group who have read written sources about their religious beliefs and other social problems, who have generally received higher education and are living abroad. This group could narrate the negativities which they see in the religious structure Forum of EthnoGeoPolitics Forum of EthnoGeoPolitics Vol.4 No.2 Winter 2016 19