The musical components of Konya Oturak Alemi and The Oturak Folk Songs

Most of the concrete and abstract elements which form the culture are the entertainment facilities oriented. Most of the traditions, customs and the beliefs which are the most important parts of the cultural formation come into being in entertainment facilities. Tales, epics, jokes and riddles, dances and the folk songs are indispensable elements of the entertainment occasions and they play an important role in preserving and transmitting the culture and enabling the social order. There are many kind of facilities called yaren gecesi, sıra gecesi, gezek, ferfene, oda sohbeti in different parts of Anatolia but they need not to be entertainment purposed. Some facilities may include philosophical talks and moral teaching. This entertainment and talk facility appears as Oturak Gatherings in Konya. This folk culture can be associated with the tradition of Ahilik. Ahilik has had important contributions in preserving and transmitting the culture and enabling the social order. Having peculiar principles and rules, Ahilik is a tradition where truthfulness and fellowship, shortly all good virtues meet. It can be seen as a system which is based on the literature, music, traditions and customs. In this context, Ahilik tradition can also be associated with Konya Oturak Gatherings where music, dance and the literature meet together exhibiting our values like love, respect, responsibility, helpfulness, trust, tolerance and patience. In Konya Oturak Gatherings culture which is the subject of this investigation, music performance is in the foreground and distinct in addition to talk and entertainment. The folks to be played generally belongs to Konya repertoire and they have a certain order of occurrence.