GEOGRAPHY IN THE FOLK SONGS OF WESTERN BLACK SEA REGION

Abstract

Turkish Folk Music pieces taking their names from the people, containing the value judgment adopted by the people and mostly based on the true stories throughout the history of a region are one of the constituents of the culture which ensures the conveyance of culture from generation to generation in a spoken or written manner as a part of the tradition and allows the new generation to maintain the culture. The Folk Songs which is a substantial constituent of our spoken cultural heritage are the works of art which let us to comprehend the interaction between the physical and social conditions of the region and the people and which describe the people. In this study, 98 Folk Songs taken in the repertoire of TRT (Turkish Radio and Television Association of the State) those compiled from the settlements in Western Black Sea Region have been reviewed. Initially, the songs have been classified in accordance with their themes and the geographical features they contain. Afterwards, the reflection of the natural, socio-cultural and economical features on 98 Western Black Sea Region folk songs has been construed with a geographical point of view. The literature with regard to the subject in this context has been examined in details and also the cultural background of the locals. In the Western Black Sea Region incorporating various cultural features, the folk songs contain local geographical features to a considerable extent. In addition, they constitute integrity with the local and national culture. In the Western Black Sea Region folk songs; geographical formations, climate, vegetation cover, wildlife, hydrographic features, migration, absence from home, transportation, traditional apparel elements, housing features and means of living come to the fore as the story line. Moreover, the lifestyle, customs and traditions of the locals differ from region to region and it can be observed that such fact is reflected in the lyrics of folk songs to a considerable extent.