Observation of the Van region lullabies in regards of social gender


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Çakmak S.

cilt.3, sa.2, ss.301-322, 2023 (Hakemli Dergi)

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 3 Sayı: 2
  • Basım Tarihi: 2023
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.301-322
  • Van Yüzüncü Yıl Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Lullaby is one of the most natural performance forms of folk songs in many cultures, especially sung by mothers under the influence of local melodies and stereotypes in order to put their babies to sleep. Although the reasons for singing the lullaby differ in every woman and culture, the effect of its cultural motifs and symbolic structure on the development of the child is undeniable. The first information that the baby needs to learn, especially the troubles that the mother has difficulty in explaining, and wishes for the future are all expressed in lullaby lyrics. In this study, the lullaby singing/listening performances of rural women living in the Van region, who are illiterate or have very limited literacy, and women living and working in the city with a good level of education were examined in oral culture. By comparing the lullabies of women living in rural areas with the lullabies of educated women living in the city center, a comparative field research was conducted on the "lullaby" genre in Turkish oral culture. The lullabies compiled were analyzed by discourse analysis method, and the situation of the space where women live, especially social stereotypes, being trapped and exposed to gender taboos, was examined in the lullaby lyrics. It was predicted that the thematic structure would provide information about gender inequality by comparing the lullabies sung by women living in the city center to the lullabies sung by women living in rural areas. The reasons for the influence of the compared spatial differences on lullabies were determined with the answers given to semi-structured observation/interview questions. The effect of spatial differences on female sexism was investigated and determined based on the lullaby melody and lyrics. When the studies on the lullaby were examined, it was seen that the functions of the lullaby such as the literary aspect, educational aspect, cultural aspect, catharsis aspect were examined, the gender and stereotypes aspect was partially touched upon and it was seen that no detailed research was conducted in this direction. The number of interdisciplinary approaches to music research is increasing. Since lullabies are a cultural element as well as a field of study for music sociology, they provide important clues in terms of both interdisciplinarity and determining social dynamics. The identification of gender-related signs in lullaby lyrics can give an idea about the development of the society. In this respect, the study will contribute to interdisciplinary studies in music and women's folklore. In this study, the interviews conducted with women singing lullabies in Van province and its districts are presented with ethnographic method. Participant observation, semi-structured and unstructured interview techniques were used to obtain the data.