Müsahiplik


Musahiplik or Müsahiplik is a covenant relationship between two men of the same age, preferably along with their wives. In a ceremony in the presence of a dede the partners make a lifelong commitment to care for the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of each other and their children.

Mânevî Kardeşlik

The ties between couples who have made this commitment is at least as strong as it is for blood relatives, so much so that müsahiplik is often called spiritual brotherhood . The children of covenanted couples may not marry.

Four Doors and Öz Verme Ayini

Krisztina Kehl-Bodrogi reports that the Tahtacı identify musahiplik with the first gate , since they regard it as a precondition for the second . Those who attain to the third gate must have been in a musahiplik relationship for at least twelve years. Entry into the third gate dissolves the musahiplik relationship, in a ceremony called Öz Verme Ayini''.

Âşinalık, peşinelik, and cıngıldaşlık

The value corresponding to the second gate is aşinalık. Its counterpart for the third gate is called peşinelik; for the fourth gate , cıngıldaşlık''.