The emergence of Alevi associations in Cyprus is a result of the partition of the island in 1974 in a “Turkish” and a “Greek” part, and the following settlement of roughly 100.000 migrants from the Turkish Republic in northern Cyprus. At first glance, the setting of the ‘Alevi scene’ in Cyprus seems to be comparable to that in Turkey. But the use of the Turkish language and close contact to umbrella organisations in Turkey cannot obscure the fact that Cypriot Alevilik has been developing in accordance to its very particular political context. This article presents an overview of the current situation (2010—2011) and gives an account of some telling events in that frame. Focus is on challenges, duties and function of the Alevi associations, the place of (transnational) social networks and the place of the religious specialist, the dede. The article will ask for the needs and expectations of the Alevis towards their associations and both worldly and spiritual leaders, and for the probability that the Alevis of Cyprus will develop into a self-confident pressure group with efficient and stable networks and institutions in an „unrecognised state in a divided island“ (Hatay and Bryant 2008: 12).