Rituels Formed Around Women Shrines And Nother Goddess Cult In Bursa Mountainous Region

Bursa Mountainous Region is a mountainous and rural area not having productive lowlands and flat lands in contrast with centre and other regions of Bursa. Due to the land structure it is called as “The Mountain Region”. With the word mountain region Orhaneli, Harmancık, Keles and Büyükorhan 4 mountain regions of Bursa, come into the mind. The Mountain Region where research was conducted is an area known as the first residential area with some elements belonging to the culture and belief Turks picked and brought from the geographies they come from depending on their historical experiences and has not been exposed to social mobility except for immigration. In this study, only women shrines (number of five) and rituals that were composed of religious, culture land and social rituals were discussed among all the shrines which were located in that region. Besides, syncretism which means the acts and trials supporting a more inclusive stance on different beliefs and the combination of different customs in theology, sociology of religion and religious mythology, historical process that cause social relationship and interactions were discussed together in this study. The implementation part of the study were conducted in the places within the boundaries of Harmancık and Keles regions, known as mountain regions and where there are shrines belonging to women. In the study local residents and people who were there for a visit were met and the data acquired were supported with the theoretical ones from literature and tried to be interpreted. Research findings show that there exist evidence about the existence of Mother Goddess cult, Mother Umay belief and sanatorium at the present time. This study which has been conducted about the beliefs of the communities in Bursa mountainous region is thought to give a chance on the probabilities about future, at least partially.