The main themes of epics that telling the Russian atrocity around Artvin and environment

Poetic epics are a type of poetry with special musical tunes, by which the minstrels convey the cases and events they observe in the community to the listeners. Themes that are incorporated into poetic epics are the idea sor emotions dominant in the poems, which are reflected through symbolical concepts form the inner world of the poet to the outer world. In poetic epics various themes are used depending upon the world perception, interpretion and reflection by the minstrel. The minstrels form Artvin province and its neighbourhood used many themes while narrating the events that happened before, during and after the War of '93, fought between Russian and Ottoman forces. The events that took place in the war atmosphere restricted the themes used by the minstrels, and lead to the composition of epic poetry dealing mostly with the negative aspects of the war. Minstrels lived in Artvin province and its neighbourhood focused mainly on such themes as death, torture, helplessness, revolt, migration and homesickness in their poetic epics, by which they gave voice to the tragedies and suffering experienced by our people of the time. At times, minstrels ciriticized the statesmen, cursed the enemy, and at other times they made self-criticism. They also stressed that homeland is the main value that makes a human being himself. That independence is the most crucial value for the Turkish nation is also conveyed throughout Anatolia thorugh the poetic epics of the minstrels. As regards their value of reflecting the sufferings experienced by Anatolian people during Russian Wars, North-east poetic epics should not be forgetten and they must be conveyed to the next generations as they form a very important historical source. These poetic epics and the legendary figures they depict should be made more presentable so as to attract the attention of new generations. It is obvious that such an issue is of paramount importance in order to enhance national consciousness and awareness. Keywords: The '93 War, Epic, Theme, Thematic Classification, Minstrelsy Tradition