MUSIC IN THE ALEVI FAITH PRACTICES IN KARS-ARDAHAN PROVINCES AND DISTRICTS
Project no. 303 · Status: Kapanmış · 2017
Summary
This project aims to examine the musical structure of faith-based practices such as cem ritual in Alevi-Bektashi communities residing in the districts and villages of Kars and Ardahan. In this context, interviews and compilations were made, and the limited number of nefesi deyiş, düvazi imam, tevhid, semah, devriye and mersiye-type poems that remained in the memory of zakirs were recorded audio-visually. The musical works were deciphered, annotated and presented in the appendices of the project report. The findings obtained as a result of the interviews and observations were also deciphered, classified and archived for future academic articles. In addition, the transcriptions of the interviews were presented in detail in the annexes of the report. As a result, it has been observed that religious practices are diminishing among Alevi-Bektashi people in both provinces. These beliefs are kept alive only in some villages of Damal district of Ardahan, but the traditional ritual and musical structure begins to be forgotten in these regions as well. In addition, transmission of formerly rich traditions such as aşıklık and zâkirlik has remained quite limited today. Many factors such as migration from the villages to the cities, urban life style brought by the modern times, the lack of communication between dede-talip communities, and the interruption of oral culture transfer play role in the emergence of this situation. Keywords:Cem ritual, Zâkirlik, Âşıklık, Dede.