Cultural and Processual Analysis of Belief-Based Ritual Heritage: A Comparison of Japanese and Islamic Cultural Traditions

Authors : Veysel Özbey

Pages : 73-92

Doi:10.37697/eskiyeni.1791514

View : 173 | Download : 246

Publication Date : 2025-12-31

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Collective identity is significantly influenced by religious and belief-based rituals. In this study, belief-based intangible cultural heritage (ICH) rituals from the Islamic world and Japanese cultures that are listed on UNESCO’s Representative List are compared in multidimensional analysis. The research investigates the convergence of ritual practices around shared anthropological imperatives, such as identity formation, temporal structuring, and the mediation of sacred presence, despite theological and cosmological divergences, through the use of a tripartite classification model—functional, typological, and processual. The investigation reveals layered symbolic grammars and performative modalities by analyzing selected Japanese elements (e.g., Hayachine Kagura, Raiho-shin, Furyu-odori) and Islamic practices (e.g., Semah, Qālišuyān, Arba’in services) in the context of classical ritual theory and UNESCO’s heritage framework. The results emphasize that Islamic rituals are typically rooted in devotional intensity and prophetic historicity, whereas Japanese rituals frequently emulate animistic pluralism and ecological cyclicality. This distinction requires a comparative methodology that rejects essentialist equivalence and prioritizes contextual sensitivity. In addition, the research underscores the dual function of UNESCO’s ICH Lists as both representational platforms and safeguarding mechanisms, which influence the narrative contours of cultural legitimacy and visibility. The processual dimension of ritual, which is stressed as a critical yet under-theorized axis within heritage discourse, is its ability to generate communitas, enact symbolic inversion, and facilitate ontological transformation. Rituals like Hayachine Kagura and Qālišuyān are examples of liminal architectures that transcend doctrinal boundaries. However, their heritage inscription frequently reduces their complexity to aesthetic registers. In conclusion, the research promotes a culturally grounded, ethically attuned, and reflexive approach to ritual analysis within global heritage frameworks. The proposed classification model contributes to the advancement of inclusive and transparent scholarship in intangible heritage studies by functioning not only as a heuristic tool but also as a critical apparatus for interrogating the normative architectures of heritage representation.
Keywords : Kültürel Antropoloji, Kültürel Miras Koruma, Somut Olmayan Kültürel Miras, Kolektif Hafıza, Toplumsal Kimlik, İnanç Temelli Ritüeller

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