Ali Yaman Ritual Transfer within the Anatolian Alevis: A Comparative Approach to the Cem Ritual The primary ritual of Alevism, the socalled cem, underwent significant changes after the rural-to-urban mass-migration since 1960. By comparing rural and urban Alevism, this article aims to illustrate the transformation of the cems. Like the other Alevi traditional practices, cem is as conceptualised based upon the Kırklar Cemi, which was a ritual practised by an assembly of approximately forty people consisting of the Prophet Muhammad, the Ehl-i Beyt (family of Mu- hammad) and others close to them. Cems are mostly led after the harvest period, usually on a Thursday night, which is referred to as “Friday night” among Alevis (i.e. “the night before friday”). When Alevi dedes (spiritual guides) visit their talips (disciples), the peyik (the person who invites people to the cem) announces the oncoming cem ceremony. The people who participate in the ceremony bring food called niyaz or lokma. Cems take place in big houses called cemevi. The dede sits on the seat of honour of the cemevi and leads the ceremony. There are twelve types of service carried out in a cem: dede (mürşid, pir, “spi- ritual guide”) leads the cem ritual; rehber (guide) helps people whose görgü cem (the initiation rite of integration) will be led; gözcü (“one who keeps watch”) en- sures the order of the ritual; çerağcı (delilci, “candle-lighter”) lights the candle and makes the meydan (the central area in the cemevi) bright; zakir (aşık, “bard, min- strel”) plays saz (long-necked and fretted stringed lute) and reads poems; ferraş (süpürgeci, “sweeper”) cleans the meydan after each service; sakka (ibriktar, “one who pours water from the pitcher”) distributes water and brings pitcher, wash-tub and towel for cleaning after lokma (“meal”); kurbancı (sofracı, “one who sets the table”) is occupied with the meal and sacrifice; pervane (“one ready for any ser- vice”) is occupied with the people coming and going; peyik (davetçi, “one who invites”) informs everybody about the cem; iznikçi (meydancı, “one who is in charge of cleaning the cemevi”) is occupied with cleaning the cemevi after, and kapıcı (bekçi, “guard”) waits in front of the house of gathering. The cem ritual starts with the reciprocal consent (razılık) of dede and commu- nity. Otherwise, cem cannot be started. During the cem ritual, the poems of Pir Sultan, Şah İsmail Hatayi, and Kul Himmet are read, semah (ritual dance) is per-