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  • Manage No, Sortation, Country, Writer ,Date, Copyright
    Manage No EE00000140
    Country Turkey
    ICH Domain Oral traditions and representations Performing Arts Social practices, rituals, festive events
    Address
    As a highly common tradition, this element, known as “Yâran Sohbeti (talks)” in Çankırı, “Yaren Organization” in Kütahya-Simav, “Sıra Gecesi” in Şanlıurfa, “Kürsübaşı Sohbeti” in Elazığ and “Barana Sohbets” in Balıkesir- Dursunbey, is maintained and has been preserved all across Turkey. Similar meetings can be seen with different names as “cümbüş” in Ankara and its surroundings, “Delikanlı Örgütü” in Kazan District of Ankara, “Gençler Heyeti” in Niğde-Dündarlı, “Gezek” in Kütahya City Center and Isparta, “Kef/Keyif” in Antalya and Isparta, “Muhabbet” in Beypazarı District of Ankara, Kırşehir, Yozgat, Karabük Safranbolu, “Oda Teşkilatı” in Balıkesir-Edremit, Manisa-Soma, “Oturmah” in Van, “Sıra Yârenleri” in Konya-Akşehir. (Er, 1998) Except for the ones above listed, the concerning ICH Commissions have identified and proposed the following elements to be included in the inventory; Ardahan (Erfene/Arfane), Afyon (Gezek), Bursa (Erfane/Gezek), Erzincan (Sıra Gecesi/Herfene), Diyarbakır (Velime Geceleri).
Description Seemingly regarded as a leisure time activity today, “Traditional Sohbet Meetings” tradition with its historical background and institutional structure has a crucial role in social life. In some regions of Turkey, since the tradition is at the risk of disappearing practiced solely among the elderly, though it is preserved in some other parts of Turkey in accordance with the changing conditions of life. As seen in Çankırı case, the element has a significant role within the local culture, therefore Çankırı is defined as “Land of Yâran” by the residents of Çankırı. Although “Traditional Sohbet Meetings” meetings have different names in different regions of Turkey, they all have the same function. In a discipline of teach and delight, the primary aim is to have conversations and talks in leisure times. “Traditional Sohbet Meetings” talks, through the concepts of love, fellowship, brotherhood and respect for each other, ensure safeguarding and conservation of traditions as well as creating a sense of neighborhood. The participants admitted to “Traditional Sohbet Meetings” communities vary from region to region. While in some regions only single men are admitted to the community, in some other regions, participants of the community are from different age groups and professions. For example, the groups in Manisa-Soma and Balıkesir-Dursunbey are classified as the youth, the middle aged and the elderly. Hence, in Soma, the meeting place of the young men is named as “Delikanlı Odası”, as “Köşe Odası” for the middle aged and “Koca Oda” for the aged. “Traditional Sohbet Meetings” are characterized as patriarchal meetings; however the mothers and wives encourage those male members who take the advantage of those meetings in respect to its social and cultural benefits. “Traditional Sohbet Meetings” communities gather at regular periods particularly in winter. For instance, “Sıra Gezmeleri” in Şanlıurfa, is held once a week preferably in Saturday evenings. The beginning and ending month as well as the time schedule concerning the dates and hours of the meeting are decided jointly. Non-participation except for the excuses such as death, illness etc. is subjected to penalty and the non- participant members not obeying the rules of procedures are also fined. The penalization practiced today has mainly turned into punishing with a fine. The total sum is allocated for organizing the following meetings, for the people in need as well as building fountains and roads. These communities usually compose of 5-30 persons and those members are guided by 3-5 community leaders, whose names vary from region to region. The community leaders are appointed via election or through proposals made by the elderly who are highly respected and designated by the consensus of all Yârans. The duty of community leader is to arrange in-group relations and to control the flow of the meetings. In this context, he has sanction power and the members are expected to obey the decisions made by the community leader. The titles of the community leaders can be summarized as follows: “Bayraktar” in Soma, Manisa; “Büyük Baranabaşı, Küçük Baranabaşı, Sohbet Çavuşu” in Balıkesir; “Büyük Yâranbaşı, Küçük Yâranbaşı, Köşe İhtiyarı” in Kütahya; “Delikanlıbaşı” in Ankara; “Efe, Saki” in Kırşehir; “Yiğitbaşı, Gönüller Ağası, Bayraktar” in Niğde; “Efrad” in Isparta, and “Büyük Başağa, Küçük Başağa, Çavuş” in Çankırı and ""Başkan"" in Şanlıurfa. Admission to Traditional Sohbet Meetings is of high dignity; nevertheless dismissal from the community is concerned as indignity. Certain procedures, which differ in each locality, are followed for the admission to or dismissal from or becoming a regular member or quitting the membership of the community. Being honest and modest, keeping secrets, not gambling, not wandering drunken around are accepted as the basic virtues and common rules in every locality. The members of the community have equal rights and commitments. There is no difference in social status among the members. The members of the community are taught and controlled by the leaders and by the other elder members in their daily lives. They also take the advantages of being a member of the community in physical and emotional support, if needed. The characteristics aforementioned contribute greatly to the members, the locality and to the society as well. The meetings are open to guests. The members sometimes bring their children along with them, which ensure the transmission of the tradition to future generations. Learns laying the table by her mother Learns joining in Sohbet by his father Traditional Sohbet Meetings are indoor activities. Those places can be the houses of the community members, be commonly-shared places called “köy odaları”, which has traditional features in Turkey, or rented places called “oda” for which expenses are shared as in Şanlıurfa case. Today, the meetings are held in the places allocated by local authorities. Interior design and setting differ in some regions yet generally sofa and floor cushion is used at the meetings. Traditional Sohbet Meetings consist of many elements but the main element is ""Talk"". This ""Talk"" has a wide range of topics, anything relevant to social life. Other elements of these meetings are folk music, folk dances, indoor plays, village spectacle plays and dining. There is not a certain order for practicing the elements; nonetheless, in each meeting there can be a specifically drawn order. List of dishes can show differences from region to region; nevertheless, not creating a difference in social status as well as not being costly for the host is carefully taken into consideration when preparing the dishes. For instance, the dish list is composed of çiğ köfte, deserts (künefe, şıllık, etc.) and strong coffee, known as mırra, in Şanlıurfa. In Çankırı, soup, güveç (casserole), rice and baklava are main dishes served in Yâran meetings. One of the most important elements of this tradition is music. Şanlıurfa Sıra Gecesi and Elazığ Kürsübaşı meetings, in a master-apprentice discipline, function as a conservatory for the traditionally trained performers. The musical performance begins with the pieces in rast and divan maqams; continues by other maqams if requested; and finalizes by kürdi and rast maqams. The instruments used in these meetings vary from region to region, but the main instruments are the bağlama, cümbüş (mandolin with a metal body), def (tambourine), violin, ud, kanun (zither) and kaval (end-blown flute). The local tunes are performed by the master bearers. Listening to music is also as important as performing the music. “Traditional Sohbet Meetings”, including music, dining, plays and talks, last until the early morning. Therefore, Traditional Sohbet Meetings compose all elements of life and culture. Owing to changing living conditions and migration from rural to urban area, Traditional Sohbet Meetings tradition is transmitted by its bearers to other cities.
Social and cultural significance As an oral transferring instrument of culture, Traditional Sohbet Meetings have a crucial role in transmitting folk literature, folk dances, folk music and village spectacle plays as well as societal practices. The young men participating with elder family members learn the element by experience and contribute to safeguarding of the tradition. By transferring some ethical values such as social justice, tolerance, benevolence and respect, these meetings have an educational function. Participating in “Traditional Sohbet Meetings”, without any discrimination, ensure building peace and tolerance within the society, thus the tradition contributes greatly to build intercultural peace and tolerance. Through mutual control, community members abstain from violating the social norms. The youth attending along with their fathers or the elderly members of the family, learn the basic virtues of life such as being respectful to the old aged, having the sense of responsibility, showing respect for the rights of others while grasping the cultural pattern of the society they belong to. The youth, attending the “Yâran Talks”, after all, gain an esteemed status in the public eye. “Traditional Sohbet Meetings” are based on trust, solidarity and benevolence. The community members support each other in some cases such as marriage; running a new business, etc. The community member grasping the concepts of sharing values, dedication and tolerance spend effort to create an individual sense of peace and trust and becomes a role model in respect to building good relations, obeying social norms, respecting to social values and contributing greatly to social peace. Concerning their economical, religious, political, social, psychological and artistic functions, these meetings have a multi-faceted characteristic in social life. Those meetings creating an ‘environment of sharing and trust’ help the members with social and psychological relief. Talks, plays, music and dining as the components of the element are vital instruments for developing friendship and amity among people while bringing them together on a common platform. Therefore, Traditional Sohbet Meetings thanks to the characteristics aforementioned have become more popular by means of communication. In Şanlıurfa, the non-participants of the tradition are reproached, which is a bare evidence for the necessity and the prevalence of those meetings. These social gatherings have become prominent in urban life by its function of entertainment. Apart from the visual aspects, the Türkü (traditional folk song) performed at those gatherings have attracted great interest which gave the opportunity to the musical groups of those meetings to release audio-visual products. The element is not only prevalent through the channels of mass media, it is widely known as a tourism activity in urban areas as well.
Transmission method In some regions of Turkey, since the tradition is at the risk of disappearing practiced solely among the elderly, though it is preserved in some other parts of Turkey in accordance with the changing conditions of life. The members of the community are taught and controlled by the leaders and by the other elder members in their daily lives. The meetings are open to guests. The members sometimes bring their children along with them, which ensure the transmission of the tradition to future generations. there is a saying: Learns laying the table by her mother Learns joining in Sohbet by his father Owing to changing living conditions and migration from rural to urban area, Traditional Sohbet Meetings tradition is transmitted by its bearers to other cities. As an oral transferring instrument of culture, Traditional Sohbet Meetings have a crucial role in transmitting folk literature, folk dances, folk music and village spectacle plays as well as societal practices. The young men participating with elder family members learn the element by experience and contribute to safeguarding of the tradition. Talks, plays, music and dining as the components of the element are vital instruments for developing friendship and amity among people while bringing them together on a common platform. Therefore, Traditional Sohbet Meetings thanks to the characteristics aforementioned have become more popular by means of communication. In Şanlıurfa, the non-participants of the tradition are reproached, which is a bare evidence for the necessity and the prevalence of those meetings. These social gatherings have become prominent in urban life by its function of entertainment. Apart from the visual aspects, the Türkü (traditional folk song) performed at those gatherings have attracted great interest which gave the opportunity to the musical groups of those meetings to release audio-visual products. The element is not only prevalent through the channels of mass media, it is widely known as a tourism activity in urban areas as well.
Community “Traditional Sohbet Meetings” communities consist of solely men who are above a certain age. The minimum age is generally 15-16, though the upper limit is not specified for joining in the community. As long as they are healthy, any men above the ages of 15-16, are allowed to attend those gatherings. The basic requirements for joining in those “meetings” are; to have an honest family, be trusted to keep secrets and to be respectful for the elderly. Participation in those ‘talks’ is not confined to any ethnic group or belief, thus it is freely accessible for all, whether they are colleagues, neighbors, friends from the military service, relatives, or childhood friends. Some of the bearers of sıra gezmeleri in Şanlıurfa are as below: Abdullah Balak, Abdullah Uyanık, Hasan Fehmi Hayırlı, Abuzer Akbıyık, Halil İbrahim Karaca, Hüseyin Uyanıkoğlu, Faruk Çadırcı, Osman Güvenç, Kemal Akan, Fuat Toksöz, Halil Savaş, Mahmut Taner, Ramazan Sağlam, Behçet Gürgün, Ahmet Buğruca, Mehmet Uzunlar, Musa Kazım Güzeller, Faruk Karagözlü, Eyüp Sabri Altekin,Yusuf Sağlam.
Type of UNESCO List Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
Incribed year in UNESCO List 2010

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