The term "pagan turkey" refers to the concept of a Thanksgiving turkey being prepared in a non-traditional or unconventional way. While Thanksgiving is typically associated with a roasted or deep-fried turkey, the idea of a pagan turkey suggests a departure from these usual cooking methods. In the context of Thanksgiving, the word "pagan" refers to something that is outside of traditional or mainstream practices. A pagan turkey could involve alternative cooking methods such as smoking, grilling, or even cooking it whole underground. These methods can add a unique and distinct flavor to the turkey, creating a refreshing and unexpected twist on the traditional Thanksgiving meal. Cooking a pagan turkey allows individuals to explore their creativity and customize their Thanksgiving feast.

Remnants of Paganism in modern Anatolia and Turkish Islam

There are still some cultural and spiritual remnants of old Pagan Turks and Tengriism (Tengri, Tanrı, means God in Turkish) alive in modern Turkish lifestyle and some Turkish understandings of Islam.

Attaching rags and cloths to trees for wishes

I don't know about this one's true origin but it seems Tengriist Turks usd crystal clear blue eyes like these. Somewhere I heard Eye of Horus was the origin of this though.

Mevlid, a work of a Turkish poet Süleyman Çelebi (14-15th century). People read mevlid aloud, often with a musical melody after a baby's 40th day, 40 days after someone has died and some other important ceremonies. The important days are 7, 40, 52 and a year. 40 is a really important number here. There is an expression of "40 times Mashallah"

The expression of " 7 layers of Earth" also comes from Tengriism. "I was so ashamed I felt I was under the 7 layers of Earth" is a common expression in Turkish.

When someone is going to a long road, a holiday or to a far away place, after he takes on the road, people behind him, who stays behind, pours water after him on the road to wish his travel to be as easy as water flows.

Also I think many tombstones and many art on the tombstones, making them shrines, people going to the tombs of old important religious people to wish something is not common in other Islamic countries.

Some other stuff I am not sure of their origin are, pouring melted lead, carpet motifs of Anatolian villages, musical prayers and religious expressions of Islam, knoking on wood.

koseku

Reis

Some other stuff I am not sure of their origin are, pouring melted lead, carpet motifs of Anatolian villages, musical prayers and religious expressions of Islam, knoking on wood.

I posted a alot of examples when we were discussing this with Ayazid in the Turan thread.

The turku and ashik traditions as well as many dedes in Alevism usually have their roots in old Tengrist shamans and bards(ozan).

I am not so sure about the Nazar boncugu seems to be a Mesopotamian tradition.

Bahadir

Albastı, albas, albis belief is one of them. According to belief albastı is kinda evil spirit, tries to kill the baby of the woman who just gave birth, in order to avoid this red ribbon attached to woman, and woman should not be left alone for 40 days, are some of them.

Qaraqoyunlu

Good thread. These traditions also exist in Azerbaijani culture.

We also have something called "Adamcıl Qurd" (a women which turns into a wolf at nights).

Bahadir

Most of the things about funeral, also related to this as far as I know, giving food to people after funeral, big stones used for graves etc..

Farinal

Most of the things about funeral, also related to this as far as I know, giving food to people after funeral, big stones used for graves etc..

"The term helva is used by Turkish people, to describe tahin (crushed sesame seeds), flour, or semolina halva, called tahin helvası, un helvası, and irmik helvası, respectively. Yaz helvası is made of almond or walnut. Semolina halva (garnished with pine nuts) has a cultural significance in Turkish folk religion and is the most common type. Traditionally, halva prepared with flour (un helvası is cooked and served upon the death of a person."

Belisarius

Farinal

Farinal

"The term helva is used by Turkish people, to describe tahin (crushed sesame seeds), flour, or semolina halva, called tahin helvası, un helvası, and irmik helvası, respectively. Yaz helvası is made of almond or walnut. Semolina halva (garnished with pine nuts) has a cultural significance in Turkish folk religion and is the most common type. Traditionally, halva prepared with flour (un helvası is cooked and served upon the death of a person."

ANAX

Well there only few Greek remain in modern Anatolia/Turkey, but if with the word 'modern' conclude the first 20 th century years and the refugees, then:

In Greece and Turkey amulets against the evil eye take the form of blue eyes, the evil eye, known as μάτι (mati), "eye," as an apotropaic visual device, is known to have been a fixture.
In Greece dating back to at least the 6th century BC, when it commonly appeared on drinking vessels. [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evil_eye]Evil eye - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]
(translate please for more info from greek to english this wiki for some more details http://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/Βασκανία )
As the church is not disputed by the majority of the world, at least in Greece, and sacred books are officially accepted as unalterable text of the Constitution of Greece ! , the evil eye is a reality in Greek society. With composition of chants against the evil eye, the orthodox church silently admitted its existence.

In Islam, only God can protect against the evil eye, but in orthodox christianity world, icons, talinsmen etc are used.
A "test" used to check if the evil eye was cast is that of the oil: under normal conditions, olive oil floats in water, as it is less dense than water. The test of the oil is performed by placing one drop of olive oil in a glass of water, typically holy water. If the drop floats, the test concludes there is no evil eye involved.

If the drop sinks, then it is asserted that the evil eye is cast indeed. An alternate form of the test is to place two drops of olive oil into a glass of water. If the drops remain separated, the test concludes there is no evil eye, but if they merge, there is. This is usually performed by an old lady, who is known for her healing, or a grandparent.

The Greek Fathers [of Christian Church] accepted the traditional belief in the evil eye, but attributed it to the Devil and envy. In Greek theology, the evil eye or vaskania (βασκανία is considered harmful for the one whose envy inflicts it on others as well as for the sufferer. The Greek Church has an ancient prayer against vaskania(evil eye) from the 'Megan Hieron Synekdemon' book of prayers.
The 6th Ecumenical Christian Council with the rule numbered 61, had appointed deposing the clergy and six years excommunication on laymen who give women bunched silky ("sirika") yarn, woven hair bear or pouches as amulets against the evil eye.
Eventually, the Orthodox Church was forced to admit and to accept, condemning only the 'guards' [talisman' protect from the evil eye] who had relationship with impious or heretical traditions, such as Avraxas of [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnosticism"]Gnostics[/ame] or those in which intermingled, the Christian and the Jewish ideas, as vague and mysterious symbols.

Today especially prevalent are the 'matochantra' (=blue bead-like eye) and amulets from holy shrines. As also the use of sanctification.
In action, still exist trees with silky 'handkerchiefs' on, with written messages refering the wish of the person dedicated the wish, outside of some orthodox christian monasteries/temples .

Columns excavated at Pagan center Lagina in western Turkey

Excavations are continuing to restore more than 20 ancient columns at the 3,000-year-old Lagina Sanctuary, dubbed as the center of Paganism, located in western Muğla province's Yatağan district.

The sanctuary holds worldwide significance for being home to the largest temple built in honor of Hecate, the Greek goddess of witchcraft, magic and ghosts.

Bilal Söğüt, who heads the excavations at the Lagina Sanctuary, told Anadolu Agency that the team will unearth the columns at the site.

"Our major work here is to unearth the temple, altar and ceremonial areas within the Lagina Hecate sanctuary," Söğüt said.

He said that they want visitors to be able to see all of the columns, which are 2,000 years old.

In addition to being a worship site, the temple also provided shelter from the summer sun and the winter rains, Söğüt said.

He noted that the temple at Lagina is the only one to be depicted peacefully by the Amazon warriors, the mythical warrior women who were the archenemies of the ancient Greeks.

The Lagina Sanctuary is frequented by many local and foreign tourists along with 100,000 Pagans every year, and officials hope these numbers will increase after excavation works are completed.

The sanctuary is also known as the site of the first scientific-based archaeological research to have been carried out by a Turkish team. The first excavations were led by Ottoman intellectual Osman Hamdi Bey, founder of the Istanbul Archaeological Museum, between 1891-1892.

PaganSquare.com - WitchesAndPagans.com

In Which One Midwest Man-in-Black Confers, Converses & Otherwise Hob-Nobs with his Fellow Hob-Men (& -Women) Concerning the Sundry Ways of the Famed but Ill-Starred Tribe of Witches.

Mysteries of Paganistan: The Attack of the Killer Turkeys

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Well, next time you come to Paganistan, you won't have any trouble picking out the Witch houses.

Just look for the turkey out front.

A few weeks ago, I got an email from my neighbor next-door titled “Visitor.” Curious, I opened it, only to find a photo of a turkey standing in my front yard.

This is strange. Though I've lived here for more than 30 years, I've never seen any turkeys around here before: unsurprisingly, since I live in a densely urban neighborhood with no nearby wild spaces. Even the River is more than a mile away.

I made a point of bringing it up to the coven at our May Eve get-together because my covensib Z has had a guardian turkey at her place for over a year now. (In fact, we were meeting at her house that night.) Sometime last Spring, a male turkey decided that her front yard was his territory, and he's been there more or less ever since. Her husband has befriended the turkey, and feeds him regularly. Otherwise, though, the turkey is very protective of his territory—we call him the Attack Turkey—and has been known (on more than one occasion) to chase off Amazon deliverymen. (I presume that this represents territorial defense rather than commercial preference, though with turkeys, it's hard to say.)

After I'd told the tale, my covensib A laughed. Turns out, a turkey had just shown up in her yard for the first time a few days previous. This would ordinarily be a little less surprising than in Z's instance, or mine, since she lives in a wooded area backing on a lake. Still, though she's lived there for more than two years, she's never seen a turkey there before.

Well, you know witches: hedge-straddlers all, one foot in the Tame and one in the Wild. Somehow, I can't help but think of the Temple of Juno in Rome with its protective flock of guardian geese, which managed to raise the alarm during a Celtic raid on the city and so save the temple treasure.

Turkeys are big and mean, and their beaks are sharp. You may know where the Witch houses are but, believe me, you do not want to going trying anything untoward.

Here in Witch City, we've got turkeys, and we're not afraid to use them.

Cooking a pagan turkey allows individuals to explore their creativity and customize their Thanksgiving feast. It is an opportunity to break away from the norm and introduce new and exciting flavors to the table. By deviating from the traditional roasted or deep-fried turkey, a pagan turkey can create a sense of novelty and anticipation for the holiday meal.

Furthermore, preparing a pagan turkey can also be seen as a way to reconnect with ancient traditions and rituals. The term "pagan" originates from ancient pagan religions, which valued a connection with nature and celebrated the changing seasons. By deviating from conventional cooking methods, individuals can tap into this sense of ancient ritual and celebration during the Thanksgiving holiday. In summary, a pagan turkey refers to a Thanksgiving turkey prepared in a non-traditional or unconventional manner. By experimenting with different cooking methods, individuals can add their own twist to the traditional holiday meal, creating unique flavors and experiences. Cooking a pagan turkey allows individuals to reconnect with ancient traditions and rituals while adding a sense of novelty and anticipation to the Thanksgiving feast..

Reviews for "The spiritual significance of turkeys in pagan belief systems"

1. Sara - 2/5 Stars: I was really disappointed with the Pagan turkey. The flavors were not what I expected and the turkey itself was dry and overcooked. It lacked the traditional taste that I was hoping for and the combination of ingredients just didn't work for me. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this dish if you're looking for a classic Thanksgiving turkey experience.

2. John - 1/5 Stars: I had high hopes for the Pagan turkey, but it fell flat for me. The flavors were completely overpowering and didn't complement each other at all. The dish seemed like a confused mess of flavors that just didn't work together. Additionally, the texture of the turkey was not enjoyable, and it left a strange aftertaste in my mouth. I would not recommend trying this dish if you're a fan of traditional turkey flavors.

3. Emily - 2/5 Stars: The Pagan turkey was a letdown. The combination of spices and herbs used in the dish was unusual and didn't appeal to my taste buds. The turkey itself was tough, and the overall presentation was lackluster. I would have preferred a more traditional turkey with familiar flavors. Unfortunately, this dish missed the mark for me.

4. Michael - 1/5 Stars: I was highly disappointed in the Pagan turkey. The flavors were overpowering and didn't complement the turkey well. The dish lacked balance and left a strange aftertaste in my mouth. The turkey itself was dry and lacked the juiciness I expect from a well-cooked bird. I would not recommend this dish if you're looking for a tasty and satisfying turkey experience.

5. Jessica - 2/5 Stars: The Pagan turkey was not what I expected. The flavors were too intense and clashed with the natural taste of the turkey. It was an overwhelming combination that didn't work well together. The dish lacked the traditional feel of a Thanksgiving turkey, and I found myself longing for a more familiar taste. Overall, I was disappointed with this dish and wouldn't choose it again.

Did the pagans really worship turkeys?