Bu makalenin başlıca amacı günümüzde derlenmiş olan 'Ak Sakallı Söylencesi' içerisinde şamanizm ve animizm gibi eski Türk inançlarının simge ve kavramlarının sürekliliğini ve taşınmasını keşfetmek ve irdelemektir. Dini semboller belirli bir yaşam tarzı ile belirli bir metafizik arasında temel bağlantıları formüle etmekte ve bunu yaparken bri diğerinin yetkisini ödünç almaktadır. Aleviler tarafından taşınan Eski Türk inançlarının simge ve kavramları ikincil ve resmi dine karşıydı. Bu nedenle yeni kuşakların geleneksel Türk dinlerini, düşünme tarzlarını ve yaşambiçimleri konusunda eğitilmeleri için söylenceler içerisine gizlenmişlerdi. Tavşan totemi, kutsal dağ motifi, kutsanan göç olgusu, üç ve yedi gibi eski türk inançlarında önemli olan kutsal sayılar, don değiştirme, şamanın ateşe hükmentmesi ve şamanın kendisi gibi çeşitli semboller içerisine yerleşmiş inançlar bu araştırma boyunca tespit edilmiştir. Şimdiye kadar kültür kalıpları, sistemleri veya semboller kompleksleri gibi, dini simgeler bilgi dışsal kaynaklı bilgiler olarak düşünülüyordu. Oysa, onların içselleştirdiği bilgi, toplumla bütünleşmişti. Bunu, bir söylencenin başarısnın aile ve toplum içerisinde düzenli tekrarlanmasına bağlı olmasından anlıyoruz. Fakat gerçek başarı toplumun maruz kaldığı pek çok açıklanamayan hastalık, keder ve diğer felaketlere toplum için yaratıcı ve özgün yanıtlar sunabilmesi ve geçmiş ile bugün veya ölülerle yeni kuşaklar arasında bir süreklilik temeli kurabilmesidir. Söylencenin dokusunun yapısökümü, Kıbrıs Türk Toplumunun bu gizli kalmış gerçekliği görünür kılacağı gibi Kıbrıs Türk Toplumundaki inançların değişimini anlamaya çalışan kuramsal ve yöntemsel sorunlar için yararlı olacaktır

The main aim of the paper is to examine and to discover the continuity and handling of the symbols and concepts of antique Turkish beliefs such as samanism and animism etc. in ‘The White Bearded Legend’ that has been compiled at the present time. The religious symbols formulate a basic congruence between a particular style of life and a specific metaphysic, and in so doing sustain each with the borrowed authority of the other. The symbols and concepts of antique Turkish beliefs that carried by Alevies were against the official religion and subsidiary. And therefore was kept secret in legends to train new generations in order to adopt traditional Turkish religions, modes of thought and lifestyles. The beliefs embodied in the various symbols such as the rabbit totem, the holy mountain motifs, the consecrated migration phenomenon, the sacred numbers three and seven that were very important at the ancient Turkish beliefs, the holy tree cult, the soul in disguise, fire control ability of shaman and shaman himself have been found throughout the research. So far as culture patterns, systems or complexes of symbols, are concerned that religious symbols are extrinsic sources of information. However, they internalize knowledge, was integrated into society. We can understand the link from the success of a legend that strictly depends on constantly repeated in family and in community. But the real success of it, can provide creative and specific responses for community that suffering from many unexplain diseases, griefs, and the other disasters etc. and to establish a base of continuity between past and present or deaths and the new generations. The deconstaction of the legend’s context will contribute to make the invisible reality of Cyprus Turkish Society visible and can be made useful for theoretical as well as methodological questions understanding the alteration of beliefs in Cyprus Turkish Society. Myths are stories from ancient times. They explain natural phenomena such as day and night and seasons; the creation of the Earth and universe; mysteries of life and death or narrate the origin of man and history of people. More often than not a myth is intertwined with religion and attempts to give a spiritual explanation. Myths evolve as they are told and re-told and become widespread as they are passed from one generation to another by word of mouth or in writing. They may contain a degree of supernatural elements although a number of myths are based and rely on historical events and real-life heroes. The Turkish people began to settle in Asia Minor towards the end of the 11th century after the Oghuz Turkmen tribes led by the Seljuk clan defeated the Byzantine forces at Manzikert/ Malazgirt in 1071. With the arrival of the new settlers the predominantly Christian Anatolia was introduced to Islam which the Turkic people had begun to convert to as early as 8th-9th century. But most of the nomadic Turkish tribes rather than adopting Orthodox Islam they chose to embrace a heterodox system of belief which was a mixture of mystic (Sufi) Islam and the deep-rooted traditions/rituals which they found hard to entirely abandon. This heterodox belief was powerfully influenced by Shamanizm-dominated pre-Islamic mythology as well as other faiths which played a major part in shaping the nomads way of living, religious life, traditions, customs, superstitions, legends, tales, myths etc. Centuries later this unorthodox belief which came to be known as “Alevi/Bektaşi/Kızılbaş” in the 13th century was imported into Cyprus after the island was conquered by the Ottoman Empire in 1571. An imperial decree in 1572 commanded that people from different parts of Anatolia be forcefully transferred to Cyprus with the purpose of colonizing it in accordance with the long-standing policy of the State. Amongst those who were re-settled were members of the nomadic “Yürük/Turkmen” tribes who were devoted followers of the Alevi/Bektaşi belief/culture/philosophy and as a result had fallen afoul of the Ottoman administration which favoured and supported the Hanefi school of Sunni Islam. This explains why the Alevi/Kızılbaş/Bektaşi belief/culture prevails in the way of life and culture of the Turkish Cypriots including the myths and other folk narratives that concern the entombed saints/yatır. The myths were passed from one generation to another by word of mouth and have played a significant role in enriching and strengthening the spiritual and emotional lives of the Turkish Cypriots. Folk narratives are normally stories created by different cultures, tribes, villages or communities/societies. They survive into future by being passed on from one generation to another by word of mouth. They are an indispensable part of social and cultural life as they have an indisputable effect on peoples’emotional and spiritual lives which influence and shape their behaviour. The narratives reflect the common expectations and thoughts of a people in addition to being a manifestation of their collective conscience, past and memory. The symbols of folk narratives contain important messages and lessons for all those who are prepared to heed them. Taking lessons is an integral part of the process of becoming socialized and religious education as well as the social ethic. Folk narratives like all other cultural components which contribute to generate common and shared values, create firm ties and solidify the bond between the members of a community/society/nation by forging a collective identity for them which provokes love and devotion for the country and society they belong to. By looking at the inherent messages of the many folk narratives associated with the Turkish Cypriots it will be apt to describe them as imaginative, creative, optimistic, honest, fair, frank and outspoken, honourable, nondiscriminatory and contended people. They are also very much attached to their customs and traditions and religion although they are not strict followers of all the Islamic rituals. Last but not the least they have a collective conscience and high social ethics that often prevent them straying from the right path.