The tradition of minstrelsy and the analysis of the music in the Cem houses (Example of Zile district of Tokat province)

The tradition of transferring music from generation to generation, together with words and movements, is under the threat of extinction with the negative effect of globalization. Therefore, the transfer of music from generation to generation is important in terms of obtaining cultural heritage in the globalizing world. The tradition of minstrelsy and the music culture in the cemevis, with its unique features and style, have been kept alive and preserved for centuries. In this study, it is aimed to reveal the formation stages and unknown aspects of the music of the minstrel tradition and Cem houses of the Zile district of Tokat, to determine the cultural and musical elements that represent the traditional music culture in an analytical and cultural context. Zile district of Tokat province is one of the regions where the minstrel tradition and cem house belief are kept alive. In the study, interviews were held with the participants who live in the district of Zile, Tokat, who continue the tradition of minstrelsy and Cem, and the findings were analyzed by qualitative analysis method. Descriptive analysis model were used in the study. The study is important in terms of revealing the diversity of the music in the minstrels and Cem houses in the Tokat Zile region. As a result of the study, it is seen that the tradition of minstrelsy and cem rituals reflect the cultural accumulation of the past to the present through words and music. It is seen that the music culture and art used in the tradition of minstrelsy and cem show diversity with the differences in the region and cultural structure. In the Cem rituals, clothes such as three skirts and belts are worn, the baglama and then the violin are used as the basic instrument. In the content of the words and music of the minstrels, the science of mysticism and the love of the Ehl-i Beyt are at the forefront. The effect of the melodies of the minstrel tradition, which is the carrier of the word, and the music used in the Cem rituals on the people becomes stronger when the word and music are combined. Although the practice of minstrel and cem traditions differ in different regions, certain traditional practices continue in Tokat Zile district.