[86280] Identity storm on the web: A head-on collision between shamanic roots and Islam among internet users in Turkey

Cultural and religious wars on social media in Turkey

A public storm erupted on social media on June 16, 2026, following heated arguments concerning the question of Turkey's national identity and its religion. The discussions, which garnered over 43,000 views, were sparked by publications dealing with shamanism as an ancient spiritual component of the Turkish people versus the established Islamic identity.

On one side, accounts identified with religious-conservative positions, such as Aesthetic1War, praised the figure of Sultan Abdulkerim Satuk Bughra Khan, who according to them redeemed the Turks from the "customs of Jahiliyya" (ignorance) and led them to Islam. Aesthetic1War harshly attacked the critics and noted in this post that in their view, shamanism is an inferior belief compared to the "Islamic truth."

On the other hand, users with liberal or secular-nationalist views, such as snmz_slck, criticized religious extremism. snmz_slck argued that supporters of Islam display "self-hatred" toward the ancient Turkish heritage, while accusing them of ignorance regarding shamanic roots and of admiring historical figures such as Qutayba ibn Muslim, who is perceived by them as someone who acted against the Turkish people as noted here.

The discussion also devolved into mutual accusations of antisemitism and intolerance. Users like Sophie747155506 protested against the insertion of the term "Jew" into religious discussions, and called on the parties "to sit quietly with their ignorance" in this tweet. Simultaneously, other voices tried to divert the discussion to more modern issues such as Kemalism, social justice, and solidarity with Gaza, as expressed by the account YakarSaadet.