Folk beliefs in kökenli neighborhood, Altinordu district, Ordu province

Folk beliefs emerge as cultural elements that reflect how a belief system is perceived, interpreted, and practiced in everyday life within a society. In this context, folk beliefs represent not the individual, but the social manifestation of religion and play a crucial role in the transmission of cultural heritage. This study examines the historical development of folk beliefs, their relationship with religion, and how this relationship is reflected in Kökenli Neighborhood of Altınordu District in Ordu Province. Although some of the folk beliefs and rites of passage in Kökenli have been shaped within the framework of Islamic belief, they also bear traces of the pre-Islamic ancient Turkic religious culture. It is evident that many elements inherited from the traditional Turkish belief system have survived to the present day, reshaped under the influence of Islam. Thus, these beliefs and practices carry both religious and cultural identities. The aim of this study is to reveal how folk beliefs emerged in Kökenli Neighborhood, to what extent they continue to exist today, and how they have transformed over time. These orally transmitted beliefs should be recorded and preserved in written form to ensure their transmission to future generations. Today, traditional folk beliefs and practices in Kökenli are gradually losing their prevalence and narrowing in scope, leading to the erosion and eventual loss of cultural values. Accordingly, this research aims to prevent the disappearance of forgotten beliefs and practices by documenting these cultural elements and contributing both to academic literature and to the collective social memory. During the research process, interviews and fieldwork were conducted with local residents, through which various folk beliefs were identified. Their modes of practice, functions, and religious-cultural foundations were examined. Furthermore, the influence of pre-Islamic traditional Turkish culture and Islamic belief on folk traditions was evaluated. The study focuses on folk beliefs related to rites of passage such as birth, marriage, and death and these beliefs have been analyzed within the framework of the History of Religions. Kewords: History of Religions, Folk Beliefs, Transition Periods, Altınordu District, Kökenli Neighborhood.