Bayram DURBİLMEZ

The roots of the practices conducted with the folk medicine and folk remedies date back to cams /shamans. And the “Ocak folk healers” who have a vital place in the Anatolia folk healers came to be as the continuation of cams / shamans. Ocak healers who are believed to possess healing mystical abilities heal certain diseases with traditional method. Along with these traditional methods, some other practices based on faith and magic are used. The ocak healers are believed to gain their supernatural healing abilities genetically. Along with the genetically gained abilities, the knowledge obtained through the mentorprotégé relationship also renders the ocak healers superior. When the treatments and the practices conducted by the ocak healers are examined, it’s understood that these practices base on the cam / shaman beliefs. Among these, ones related to fire, iron, water and happy numbers come into prominence. In this research, putting forth the similarities between the ocak folk healers and cams / shamans who are living in Anatolia is aimed.

Keywords: Ocak, Ocakli /Ocak Folk Healer, Folk Medicine, Cam / Shaman, Mythological Characteristics