An Evaluation on the Compilation and Preservation of Mythology, Folktales, and Stories in Turkish History during the Republican Era and Their Continuation in the Present Day

An Evaluation on the Compilation and Preservation of Mythology, Folktales, and Stories in Turkish History during the Republican Era and Their Continuation in the Present Day

Hasan IŞIK

Abstract

The study evaluates the current presence of elements from Turkish oral culture, such as mythology, tales, and stories, by comparing them with the contemporary state and historical evolution of similar content in Western culture. The aim is also to determine whether analogous content in Western culture is adapted and utilized as a sphere of cultural influence by mass media worldwide. The study further assesses how these existing Turkish cultural elements are applied in daily life, drawing examples from Keloğlan tales and Dede Korkut stories. Through the analysis of these examples, the study emphasizes the significance of the discussed issue and highlights not only the necessity of preserving it but also adapting it. According to the conducted research, despite initial efforts to collect and preserve these cultural elements during the early years of the Republic period, similar to the initiatives in the Western world between the 17th and 19th centuries, it is concluded that the process was shortlived and failed to secure a lasting place in the contemporary world. The study attempts to draw some inferences considering the relevance of these cultural values in the present time, utilizing sufficiently updated Keloğlan tales and insufficiently updated Dede Korkut stories. It underscores the role and importance of mass media in the context of Turkey and the Turkic World concerning this issue.

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Journal of Gazi Academic View is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY NC)

ISSN: 1307-9778 E-ISSN: 1309-5137

 

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