"Tahtacı"s from Nomadic to Settled Life
Main Article Content
Abstract
In this study, the transition to settled life that led to changes in the religious, cultural and social life of the Tahtacıs and the change that occurred with the education provided by the Republic were discussed. The cultural life and the role of the Dede, which is important for Tahtacıs, still continue to be influential despite the change. A reflection of the change processes of Tahtacıs has been the subject of this study. With this study, the changes and developments that the researcher identified in the field research carried out on Tahtacıs living the area between Muğla and Antalya were discussed.
The traditions and values of the Tahtacıs living in the area between Muğla and Antalya are still the subject of many researches, especially the nomadic society culture and lifestyle, the unique cultural and social selves of the Tahtacıs as a sociological element. Due to their nomadic lifestyle, the variety of the work carried out by them was limited and they were called Tahtacı because of the work they did.
With the transition from the nomadic lifestyle to the settled life, changes began in their way of life. Despite their Alevi identity, Tahtacıs, who lived together with the Sunni community despite their differences in cultural and belief principles, started to gradually change their nomadic values. With the settled life and the influence of the Republic, changes began to occur in many issues from the economic pursuits of the Tahtacıs to their social lives. Weaknesses emerged in the authority of the Dedes, and the dependence on a person or a group in production began to disappear. Despite all the changes, it is a fact that teachings of Alevism and principles of belief have not completely changed or disappeared, but have been largely preserved.
Keywords: Tahtacıs, Alevism, Nomadic Turkmens, Settled Life.
The traditions and values of the Tahtacıs living in the area between Muğla and Antalya are still the subject of many researches, especially the nomadic society culture and lifestyle, the unique cultural and social selves of the Tahtacıs as a sociological element. Due to their nomadic lifestyle, the variety of the work carried out by them was limited and they were called Tahtacı because of the work they did.
With the transition from the nomadic lifestyle to the settled life, changes began in their way of life. Despite their Alevi identity, Tahtacıs, who lived together with the Sunni community despite their differences in cultural and belief principles, started to gradually change their nomadic values. With the settled life and the influence of the Republic, changes began to occur in many issues from the economic pursuits of the Tahtacıs to their social lives. Weaknesses emerged in the authority of the Dedes, and the dependence on a person or a group in production began to disappear. Despite all the changes, it is a fact that teachings of Alevism and principles of belief have not completely changed or disappeared, but have been largely preserved.
Keywords: Tahtacıs, Alevism, Nomadic Turkmens, Settled Life.