Limited Place of the Dead Body: Graves with Circassian Identity in Kayseri /Ölü Bedenin Sınırlanan Mekânı: Kayseri’deki Çerkes Kimlikli Mezarlar
Tracing to the roots of a community identity can be possible only by uncovering the places of the living and the dead. Therefore, the manners of defining the identity of their own community emerge in its dependence within the place. In the context of place and identity dependence, it can be assum...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cyprus International University
2019-02-01
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| Series: | Folklor/Edebiyat |
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| Online Access: | https://www.folkloredebiyat.org/Makaleler/1181130195_98-7.pdf |
| Summary: | Tracing to the roots of a community identity can be possible only by uncovering
the places of the living and the dead. Therefore, the manners of defining the
identity of their own community emerge in its dependence within the place. In
the context of place and identity dependence, it can be assumed that the death and
its rituals can give traces in terms of expressions of identity. In this point of view,
cemeteries as ritual spaces for death, one of the rites de passage, have a function
in the construction process of the cultural identity. Since there are many Circassian
villages in Uzunyayla extended along in Kayseri and Sivas, it is considered as one of
the regions in Turkey where Circassians are densely populated. Moreover, although
the geographical features of the region are not similar to Caucasia, Uzunyayla is
named as “Little Caucasia” by its people because of preserving and sustaining the
Circassian traditions. Thus, this article includes the identity constructions of the
people who identify themselves as Circassian and live in Kayseri through the dead
bodies and graves as the ritual spaces for death. The aim of this article is to reveal
the role of dead body and its place (grave) in keeping the community identity alive
in the context of place and identity relations. The data of this study collected in a
fieldwork conducted in between July 2016 and December 2018. This fieldwork was
carried out with Circassians living in the city centre. Qualitative research method
was used in this study, and semi structured interviews were conducted along with
participant observation. The research reveals that Circassians in Kayseri city centre
feature death practices and deathscapes in addition to their daily life for sustaining
their Circassian identity. They also use their family signets and flag symbols of the
Adyghe Republic in their graves and in their daily life as well. |
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| ISSN: | 1300-7491 1300-7491 |