Turkish Folk Research Articles

Masculine Violence in Turkish Folk Dances

As a social issue, violence continues to manifest and remains a current topic of academic research. Scientific studies mostly focus on the individual and societal dimensions of violence; however, studies that address violence in the context of everyday life practices remain limited. This study argues that violence has a masculine character as a result of gender inequality and within the framework of the masculinity-power relationality. On the other hand, this study considers folk dances as a product of social culture and views them as an effective form of non-verbal communication within society. The study is based on the claim that, in folk dances observed in formal or informal ceremonial events, which are part of everyday life and contain elements of violence, violence is legitimized as a spectacle. In this context, local folk dances from different regions of Turkey, performed exclusively by male dancers and portraying themes of heroism, victory, bravery, and courage, have been selected as examples. These include Trabzon Bıçak Horonu, Bursa Kılıç-Kalkan, Manisa Seğmen Sekmesi, Balıkesir Bengi, Erzurum Köroğlu Barı, Giresun Tüfekli Çandır Karşılaması, and Diyarbakır Şur-u Mertal. The violent content of these dances has been analyzed through the method of semiotic analysis. Weapons used in these dances, fast and rhythmic tunes, and rigid movements have been considered as indicators of violence. It has been concluded that these dances, admired and enthusiastically applauded, normalize violence. This study makes a significant contribution by addressing folk dances within the context of violence and aims to fill the gap in the literature in this field.

Effect of Character Dance Steps in Turkish Folk Dances on Some Physical Fitness Levels

This research was conducted in öder to examine the effect of character dance steps determined from Kırşehir region dances, which are applied within the folk dance trainings held regularly for eight weeks, on the physical fitness of the athletes. A total of 20 volunteers were included in the sample group of the study (male; n=10, age;11±08, female; n=10 age 11±08). The sample size of the study was determined by Gpower analysis. The effectiveness of the character dance steps determined from the Kırşehir region dances on the physical levels of the participants was the subject of the research. In the experimental research, some physical fitness tests were applied to the participants. In assessing aerobic fitness; Harvard step test is used to evaluate strength; Hand grip test and leg strength test are used to evaluate agility; T test, in measurements of balance performance; Standing Strong and flamingo balance tests. Jump Test was used to evaluate anaerobic power. All data were analyzed in the IBM-SPSS 25 statistical program. The findings obtained in this study; In the trainings conducted with character dance steps determined from the Kırşehir regional dances, significance was observed in the aerobic capacities, strength variables and agility abilities of male and female Folk Dance performance athletes aged 11-14 who were trained at the secondary education level (p < α=0.05). These results showed that the selected character dance steps studies significantly improved physical fitness in the participants.

I'm a traditionalist, I Don't like pizza and street food: The relationship between cultural consumption habits and food preferences

According to the stratification theory by Bourdieu, music taste, literary genres read and taste-related patterns such as eating constitute the determinants of cultural consumption of individuals based on their position in their social class and also function as a criterion set to separate or differentiate themselves from other individuals in the same social class. This study aims to investigate the relationship between the cultural consumption patterns of individuals and food preferences within the scope of the stratification theory. This research adopted a multi-methodical research method for this purpose and determined the food consumption preferences of individuals by categorizing them performing clustering analysis within the framework of the stratification theory, and then the cultural consumption patterns of the obtained groups were revealed using multiple correspondence analysis. As a result of the analyses, participants’ food preferences were grouped as traditionalists, yes-sayers, modernists, hedonists and weight controllers. When the results regarding the relationship between cultural consumption and their food preferences are examined, the food group that the traditionalists have been avoiding is pizza and street tastes, while they do not prefer/dislike classical western music, Latin and heavy metal out of music genres, poetry out of literary genres. The individuals in the weight controllers group liked rock music and classical Western music, while they did not like arabesque music and religious music genres. Modernists prefer international cuisine products and fish. While yes-sayers liked religious music in the cluster, they did not like Turkish folk music. Hedonists, on the other hand, avoided from arabesque and protest music genre.

A Discourse Analysis of Women Sexuality in the Lyrics of an Anonymous Turkish Folk Song

This qualitative study examines the gender dynamics and societal expectations embedded within a traditional song and its associated story. Focusing on the themes of virginity and women purity, the research investigates the power structures, control, and cultural implications reflected in the narrative. Through a comprehensive literature review, we explore existing scholarship on gender studies and societal norms surrounding virginity. The song and story are analyzed, highlighting the depiction of the character Nazife, a fifteen-year-old girl whose worth is tied to her virginity. Drawing upon gender theories, feminist theory and intersectionality, the study critically deconstructs the societal norms and power dynamics present in the narrative. The research uncovers a patriarchal notion that women sexuality is controlled by men, who act as gatekeepers of a woman's virtue. Moreover, the study examines the social stigma and shaming faced by women who do not conform to traditional expectations of purity. By analyzing the cultural and historical context, the study provides insights into the gendered dynamics prevalent during the song's origin. This research contributes to the understanding of how societal constructs impact women's agency and the importance of challenging gender norms to achieve gender equality.

Exploring Variational Auto-encoder Architectures, Configurations, and Datasets for Generative Music Explainable AI

Generative AI models for music and the arts in general are increasingly complex and hard to understand. The field of explainable AI (XAI) seeks to make complex and opaque AI models such as neural networks more understandable to people. One approach to making generative AI models more understandable is to impose a small number of semantically meaningful attributes on generative AI models. This paper contributes a systematic examination of the impact that different combinations of variational auto-encoder models (measureVAE and adversarialVAE), configurations of latent space in the AI model (from 4 to 256 latent dimensions), and training datasets (Irish folk, Turkish folk, classical, and pop) have on music generation performance when 2 or 4 meaningful musical attributes are imposed on the generative model. To date, there have been no systematic comparisons of such models at this level of combinatorial detail. Our findings show that measureVAE has better reconstruction performance than adversarialVAE which has better musical attribute independence. Results demonstrate that measureVAE was able to generate music across music genres with interpretable musical dimensions of control, and performs best with low complexity music such as pop and rock. We recommend that a 32 or 64 latent dimensional space is optimal for 4 regularised dimensions when using measureVAE to generate music across genres. Our results are the first detailed comparisons of configurations of state-of-the-art generative AI models for music and can be used to help select and configure AI models, musical features, and datasets for more understandable generation of music.

A Comprehensive Study of Imagery Practices in Turkish Folk Dances from a Socio-Cultural Perspective

A Comprehensive Study of Imagery Practices in Turkish Folk Dances from a Socio-Cultural Perspective

An Ecological Approach To Selected Turkish Folk Tales

An Ecological Approach To Selected Turkish Folk Tales

The Narrative of Gündeşlioğlu and Sivaslı Âşık Emanetî in the Tradition of Turkish Folk Storytelling

Türk halk hikâyeciliği geleneğinde Kuzeydoğu Anadolu sahasının yanı sıra Güney Anadolu sahası da önemli anlatı örnekleri sunmuştur. Yöredeki konargöçer hayat tarzı, iskân politikalarına karşı asırlardır süren bir direnmeye neden olmuş, bu da yörede yetişen âşık tipini doğrudan etkilemiştir. Halk edebiyatı kaynaklarının ortak şekilde aşiret/iskân şairleri dediği taife etrafında teşekkül eden hikâyeler de bahsi geçen konargöçer yaşamı ve iskâna karşı koymayı işlemiş, yöre âşıkları şiirlerinde ağırlıklı olarak bu konuları ele almıştır. Dadaloğlu, Kozanoğlu, İlbeylioğlu gibi önde gelen Güney Anadolu âşıklarının yanında Gündeşlioğlu adı da zikredilmekte, bu âşıkla ilgili sözlü kültürde rivayetler dolaşmaktadır. Hakkında iki halk hikâyesi teşekkül ettiği anlaşılan Gündeşlioğlu; Adana, Kahramanmaraş, Gaziantep gibi yörelerde iyi şekilde tanınmakta, günümüz yöre âşıkları tarafından türkülü hikâyeleri anlatılmaktadır. Muhtelif vesilelerle Güney Anadolu âşıklarıyla bir araya gelen Ali İzzet Özkan, Hasan Yüzbaşoğlu gibi Emlek yöresi âşıkları ise Gündeşlioğlu hakkındaki anlatıların Sivas Şarkışla yöresine kadar yayılmasını sağlamıştır. Bu çalışmada, babası Âşık Hasan Yüzbaşoğlu’ndan öğrendiği Gündeşlioğlu ile Alageyik hikâyesini günümüze kadar muhafaza eden Âşık Emanetî’nin yazıya geçirilmiş versiyonu üzerinde durulacak; yayılma alanları, şahıs kadrosu, epizot ve motif incelemelerinin yanı sıra anlatıcının hikâye üzerindeki etkisine değinilerek anlatma, diğer versiyonuyla mukayese edilecektir. Ayrıca Gündeşlioğlu ve hikâyeleriyle ilgili bugüne kadar yapılan çalışmalar hakkında bilgi verilerek konuyla ilgili literatür üzerinde durulacaktır.

The Interaction of Ancient Turkic Beliefs with the Islamic Religion: Kıdır (Gök Sakallı, Yol Hamisi, Boz Atlı) in Turkish Folk Narratives

Türk milletinin kolektif hafızasının bir parçası olan halk anlatıları, kuşaktan kuşağa aktarılarak günümüze kadar ulaşan kültür ürünleridir. Bu bakımdan Türk halk anlatıları, kültürel kimliği yansıtan önemli bir kaynaktır. 
 İslam öncesi dönemde Türk boylarının eski Türk inançlarına sahip oldukları genel kabul görmektedir. Gök Tanrı inancına dayanan ve onun etrafında şekillenen bu inanç sistemi; İslam dininin Türk topluluklarıyla temasıyla birlikte yeniden şekillenmeye başlamış ve böylece kültürel bir değişim gerçekleşmiştir. Bu değişim, İslami değerlerin Türk milletinin geleneksel inançlarına etki etmesinin yanı sıra halk anlatılarına da yansımıştır. 
 Makalede, eski Türk inancının İslam dininde süregelişini incelemek amacıyla geleneğin yazılı hâle getirilerek toplandığı destan, efsane, hikâye ve masal türlerinde Hızır’ın nasıl bir rol oynadığı ve ne şekilde tasvir edildiği ele alınmıştır. İslam öncesi dönemde Türklerin sahip olduğu geleneksel inançlar ile İslam’ın etkileşimi Hızır üzerinden ele alınan makalede, Türk milletinin sahip olduğu geleneksel inançların İslam diniyle nasıl etkileşime girdiği gösterilmekte ve Türk halk anlatılarına ne şekilde yansıdığı açıklanmaktadır.

THE EFFECTS OF MODERN POLITICAL MOVEMENTS ON CULTURAL IDENTITY: THE CASE OF RITES OF PASSAGE IN TÜRKİYE

An analogy is often established between the concepts of cultural change and cultural transformation. The forms represented by innovations that allow a concrete follow-up of culture in folk life can arise through change and transformation. The connection established between these two concepts is limited to new representation forms. Apart from this limited cooperation, cultural change often takes place in a balanced and harmonious manner without any obligations. Cultural transformation refers to a fragile process in which the individual or the community is forced to accept, often through the manipulation of the powerful, the elements such as history, origins, and sense of belonging in order to create an identity. Political identities and ideologies that affect the natural course of social and cultural change in Turkish sociology and culture have become dominant since the 2000s. The rich diversity of birth, marriage and funeral ceremonies contains important findings for understanding the arguments that affect the transformation of folk life and culture. This article discusses the impact of Islamist and secular ideologies and groups on the structural and functional transformations observed in rites of passage in Turkish folk life. The study argues that the roles of conflicting socio-political identities in the processes of reinterpretation and representation of folkloric knowledge are more pronounced than in the past. Data obtained with ethnographic research techniques also support this claim. The qualitative field research was conducted within the constraints of ritualistic traditional ceremonies of birth, marriage and death in urban and rural communities in western Türkiye.

Metric Analysis In Turkish Folk Dances: Determination of Erzurum “Basbar” Folk Dance Figures with Their Measurement and Volumes, Arrangement on the Selected Musical Performance Example

Yüzlerce yılın birikimi olarak kuşaktan kuşağa aktarılan Türk halk oyunlarının “kara düzen” olarak tabir ettiğimiz geleneksel yöntemlerle edinilmesi süreci, özellikle şehirlere göç ve şehir kültürüne geçiş, modern dünyanın gereklerini yerine getirme şeklinde ortaya çıkan uygulamaların da etkisi ile yeniden anlam kazanmıştır. Sonrasında kurumsal bir kimlik altında, modern yöntemlerle ortaya konan eğitim öğretim sistemi içerisinde yerini almıştır. Öncelikle bu oyunlara ait temel hareket yapıları detaylandırılmıştır. Hareket parçalarının tıpkı müzik ölçülerinde olduğu gibi metrik yapıları tespit edilmiştir. Yine müzikte olduğu gibi eşit periyotlarda ölçülendirilmeleri sağlanmıştır. Böylece bir oyun içerisinde kullanılan hareket serilerinin ölçü değerleri, tekrar sayıları, benzer ya da farklı olan biçimleri, müzik ölçüleri ile olan düzenli ya da düzensiz ilişkileri, içerisinde barındırdığı hareket tanımlarının ölçü içerisindeki yerleşimi gibi pek çok temel kavram birer veri olarak ortaya konmuştur. Başbar oyunu melodi, ritim ve hareket zenginliği nedeni ile tercih edilmiştir. Öncelikle oyun içerisinde kullanılan figür yapıları temel hareket unsurları üzerinde ayrı ayrı ölçülendirilmiş ve hacimlendirilmiştir. Figür ölçüleri birim zaman değerlerine karşılık gelen temel hareket kavramları kullanılarak tablolar üzerinde gösterilmiştir. Her figür ayrı ayrı değerlendirilmiş ve detaylandırılmıştır. Belirlenen figürleri yerleştirmek amacı ile geleneksel oyun müziği belirlenmiş ve toplam müzik hacmi ölçülmüştür. Belirlenen toplam müzik hacim değeri üzerinden, daha önce tespit edilen figür hacimleri doğrultusunda kullanılacak figür adetleri hesaplanmıştır. Melodi, melodik ritim, asma davul ritimleri ve hareket adımlarını gösteren 5 katmanlı bir nota yazım sistemi oluşturulmuştur.

Scientific Evaluation of the Remedies Used in Turkish Folk Medicine to Treat Possible Viral Infections

Background: Plants, with their rich phytochemical treasury, are one of the main sources of drug development. However, a randomized search on plant sources for the discovery of phytochemicals with specified pharmacological activity is expensive and tedious. Therefore, it is logical to constrain the sources to increase success. In the recent four decades, the importance of traditional information has been recognized by the scientific community. Consequently, interest in field surveys for the documentation of traditional worldwide medicines has significantly increased. Aims and Methods: Infectious diseases induced by pathogenic bacteria, fungi, or viruses have been one of the most common health problems for the public, for which traditional remedies have been practiced. Since laypeople could not distinguish the microbial origin of the infection, the remedies used for treatment could not be delineated. The aim of this study was first to search the plants used in Turkish folk medicine for such infectious diseases. The second step was to find scientific evidence in the online databases for the frequently quoted plants whether they may have potential activity against virus replication. Results: A reference survey on the most frequently quoted plants revealed that 16 out of 17 were shown to possess virucide or inhibitory effects on the replication of various viruses. Conclusion: Since each virus type may have a different viral replication pattern, further detailed investigations should be carried out to reveal their exact antiviral potentials.

A classification study for Turkish folk music makam recognition using machine learning with data augmentation techniques

A classification study for Turkish folk music makam recognition using machine learning with data augmentation techniques

Turkish Folk Music as a Modern Music of the Republic and Its Position in the Fine Arts System

Osmanlı Devleti'nin son yüzyılında sosyo-kültürel değişim modeli olarak benimsenen modernleşme, Cumhuriyet döneminde de ülkenin tüm kurumlarıyla birlikte sanatın ve özellikle müziğin modernite kapsamında devlet tarafından şekillendirilmesine sebep olur. Çağın ruhunu paylaşan modernist perspektif, klasik modernleşme teorileri kapsamında, Batı’daki sanat anlayışının olduğu gibi Türkiye’ye getirilerek kurumsallaşmasını ön görür ve kabul eder. Ancak İkinci Dünya Savaşı sonrası modernizmin sorgulanması, farklı perspektiften inşa edilen modernleşme teorilerini doğurur ve bu yaklaşımlar, modernitenin dünyanın her yerinde aynı deneyimlerle yaşanmadığını gösterir.
 Bu perspektiften bakıldığında geleneksel yönü öne çıkarılan icat edilmiş geleneklerin aslında modernite kapsamında inşa edilen modern sistemler oldukları dikkat çeker. Bu modern sistemler de ülkenin deneyimlediği özgün moderniteye göre kurumsallaşır. Ülkenin özgün modernite deneyimleri yalnızca icat edilmiş geleneklere değil, Batı’dan getirilen değer sistemlerine de ülkeye özgü nitelikler kazandırır. Bu ifadeler kapsamında Türk halk müziği, Türkiye’nin deneyimlediği modernite kapsamında üretilen, modern bir icat edilmiş gelenektir denilebilir. Moderniteyi Türk halk müziğinin neredeyse tüm bileşenlerinde okumak mümkündür. Benzer şekilde bugün bildiğimiz şekliyle kavram olarak sanat da tüm değer sistemiyle Batı’dan getirilen modern bir sistemdir ve modernite kapsamında sanat düşüncesi Türkiye’ye özgü bir hale bürünür. 
 Bu çalışma, Türk halk müziği ve yerel müzikler üzerine akademik ve/veya icraya dayalı çalışmalar yapan pratisyenler odağında yürütülen alan çalışmasındaki katılımcı gözlem ve deneyimlerle elde edilen nitel verilere ve literatür taramasıyla ulaşılan bilgilere dayanmaktadır. Ayrıca bu çalışma, modernite kapsamında inşa edilen Türk halk müziğini, modernitenin ürünü olan -bugünkü bildiğimiz anlamıyla- güzel sanatlar sistemini ve bu ikisinin birbiriyle ilişkisini, Batı-dışı modernlik kavramı kapsamında inceler.

THE EFFECTS OF MODERN POLITICAL MOVEMENTS ON CULTURAL IDENTITY: THE CASE OF RITES OF PASSAGE IN TÜRKİYE

An analogy is often established between the concepts of cultural change and cultural transformation. The forms represented by innovations that allow a concrete follow-up of culture in folk life can arise through change and transformation. The connection established between these two concepts is limited to new representation forms. Apart from this limited cooperation, cultural change often takes place in a balanced and harmonious manner without any obligations. Cultural transformation refers to a fragile process in which the individual or the community is forced to accept, often through the manipulation of the powerful, the elements such as history, origins, and sense of belonging in order to create an identity. Political identities and ideologies that affect the natural course of social and cultural change in Turkish sociology and culture have become dominant since the 2000s. The rich diversity of birth, marriage and funeral ceremonies contains important findings for understanding the arguments that affect the transformation of folk life and culture. This article discusses the impact of Islamist and secular ideologies and groups on the structural and functional transformations observed in rites of passage in Turkish folk life. The study argues that the roles of conflicting socio-political identities in the processes of reinterpretation and representation of folkloric knowledge are more pronounced than in the past. Data obtained with ethnographic research techniques also support this claim. The qualitative field research was conducted within the constraints of ritualistic traditional ceremonies of birth, marriage and death in urban and rural communities in western Türkiye.

Breast Milk in Turkish Folk Medicine

Günümüzde anne sütünün faydaları modern tıp çalışmaları ile kanıtlanmıştır. Son yıllardaki araştırmalar, anne sütünün suni ortamlarda üretilebileceği ve sadece bebeklerin beslenmesi için değil aynı zamanda tedavi amaçlı kullanılabileceğini de göstermektedir. Türk inanç ve düşünce sisteminde anne sütü, temizliğin ve berraklığın simgesi olarak kabul edilir. Tarihi kaynaklar çok eski dönemlerde, Türklerin anne sütünün faydalarından haberdar olduğunu ve halk hekimliği uygulamalarında anne sütünden yararlandıklarını gösterir. Bu çalışmada, Türk halk hekimliğinde anne sütünün kullanıldığı geleneksel tedavilere yer verilmiştir. Türk halk hekimliğinde anne sütünün tedavi amacıyla kullanılmasının mitolojik kökenleri tespit edilmeye çalışılmıştır. Türk halk hekimliğinde anne sütü kullanılarak yapılan tedaviler, yetişkin ve çocuk hastalıkları olmak üzere iki grupta tasnif edilmiştir. Yetişkinlerde arpacık, baş ağrısı, çatlak, göz ağrısı, göz iltihabı, göz kanlanması, göz kaşıntısı, karın ağrısı, kulak ağrısı, kulunç, uçuk ve yara tedavisinde; çocuklarda ise bağışıklık, burun tıkanıklığı, gaz çıkarma, göz ağrısı, göz çapaklanması, hıçkırık, kabakulak, kabuklanma, karın ağrısı, kırk basması, kızılca, kulak ağrısı, leke, mantar, öksürük, sarılık, ağlayan çocuk, sivilce, tüylenme, yara ve yüksek ateş tedavisinde anne sütünün kullanıldığı tespit edilmiştir.

Enhancing Assertiveness Through Traditional Turkish Folk Dance

The present study investigates the effects of assertiveness training programs through folk dances on high school students’ assertiveness levels. Pre-test post-test with control group design has been used to examine. Furthermore, a questionnaire including one open-ended question asked students to learn their opinion on training and its effects on themselves. Experiment and control group participants were administered the Rathus Assertiveness Inventory, and experiment group participants received a two–hour assertiveness training program through folk dances per week over eight weeks. The study sample included 203 students who were in first grade in the same school. Results revealed that students in the experiment group had significantly higher assertiveness levels than those in the control group (P<0.05), and experiment group students defined that this assertiveness training program positively affected them and increased their awareness about themselves.

The Prose Narrator in Turkish Folk Stories and the Formula in the Story

The Prose Narrator in Turkish Folk Stories and the Formula in the Story

Comparative Investigation of Fine Arts High School Music Department Curricula in Turkey from Past to Present

Fine arts high schools are schools that form the basis for vocational music education given in higher education institutions. These schools form the basis for higher institutions; therefore, it is of great importance that the contents of their curriculum be of a quality that will prepare them for higher education institutions. Based on this purpose, in this study, eight music department programs that have been reached in the fine arts high school music departments from their establishment to the present day were examined comparatively. Document analysis method was used in the data collection process of this case study model research, one of the qualitative research methods, was used. The data obtained by document analysis were analyzed by content analysis. When the findings obtained from the research were examined, it was found that the most striking results were that the biggest change at the first and second-grade level was in the foreign language course, as a result of the separation of high schools as “Music” department, “Turkish Folk Music” department and “Turkish Art Music” department in 2016, the piano course at the third-grade level was only included in the third and fourth grades of the music curriculum, and the course, which was under the name of “choir” until 2005, was divided into “Western Music Choir” and “Turkish Music Choir” after 2005. Suggestions were given in line with the results of the research.

Mythological Criticism of a Turkish Folk Narrative Poem

The word “hapsane” is another form of the word “usane” and “legend” and the poem “hapsane ha hapsane” is one of the common poems in the language of Azeri-speaking people of West Azerbaijan. This legendary poem, with its simplicity and sincerity and having most of the basic features of folklore, includes mythological elements such as travel, the companionship of the wise old man, meta-realities, magic, etc., which gives it a special privilege. It reveals the reason for its permanence and reputation. It is clear that folk tales have a strong connection with myths and by eliminating time and place and in the transcendental space of the ethnic unconscious, they connect the wishes and the very distant past to the present time. This research, using a descriptive-analytical method and a library study, has tried to show that folktales, along with being related to good and goodness and the way of collective production and having elements of life, are related to the beyond and are of mythological contrasts. O like the system of two elements of good and evil; pragmatism in national or ethnic spirit; They have the vividness of the whole existence and the archetype of traveling and searching for the father, ... and with the help of all these elements, they invite people to goodness. On the one hand, they are a tool to preserve the indigenous and ancient culture, and on the other hand, with all hope, they are the foundation for the upbringing and education of the new generation based on the good and popular teachings embedded in the collective unconscious.