Abstract
TRANSITIONS IN THE FOLK CULTURE OF KOLSUS VILLAGE, ULUKIŞLA DISTRICT, NİĞDE PROVINCE: BIRTH
Childbirth traditions, playing a vital role in the transmission and preservation of Turkish folk culture from generation to generation, are among the most fundamental cultural elements ensuring the continuity of social memory. Although various studies on birth traditions exist in Turkish folklore literature, the scarcity of field studies holistically addressing pre-natal, perinatal, and post-natal practices specific to Kolsuz village in the Ulukışla district of Niğde constitutes the main starting point of this research. This study aims to identify in detail the traditions, rituals, and folk beliefs shaped around childbirth in Kolsuz village. The research was conducted using an ethnographic approach within qualitative research methods; field data were gathered through participant observation and reciprocal interview techniques. The findings reveal that alongside general practices such as protection against al basması, forty-day purification, and naming, unique regional rituals—such as hanging the umbilical cord from the ceiling—are also maintained. With this study, an important contribution is made by documenting the childbirth traditions of Kolsuz village and introducing original field data to Turkish folklore literature.
Keywords
Birth Traditions, Kolsuz Village, Rites of Passage, Folk Beliefs, Ulukışla