The function of music in the context of social identity in Kahramanmaraş Abdal tradition

Abdal ensembles, known for their musician identities in today's Anatolian geography, play an important role in shaping the musical identity of their region and musical practices, which are a cultural element. Abdal music performers, as the dominant musicians of the region, have a significant impact on the formation of social identity in the rituals that take place in the province of Kahramanmaraş, which is located in the easternmost part of the Mediterranean region. Events in history have created a symbol of belonging in the shaping and ritual use of today's Abdal music. In this context, in this study, the musical practices of the Kahramanmaraş Abdals were handled with the concept of social identity and the function of music in the formation of social identity was tried to be determined. In the study, in which field research method was used, twelve resource people were interviewed and in the light of the data obtained from the interviews, the role of the musical practices of the Kahramanmaraş Abdal ensemble in the formation of social identity was examined. In addition, a total of eighteen works that have not been recorded in the field before were compiled, and ten of them were notated with hanging drum beats. It has been one of the main results that Abdal Halil Ağa, who is the symbol of Kahramanmaraş Abdals among the musical practices that are effective in the formation of social identity, attributed a meaning to the drum instrument in history and played an important role in the formation of social identity.