Çukurova riddle asking tradition and ve çukurova riddles (Adana-Osmani̇ye)

Amongst the oral literature products, riddles are known in all societies for ages and they are amongst the rich products of the Anonymous Turkish folk literature as they are oral and anonymous. Riddles also have a tradition where they are asked in unique rules. This tradition called "Riddle asking tradition" still exists in Çukurova though it is not as popular as it was in the past. Some riddles are forgotten in time and some are still hidden in the mind of those who keep this tradition. In this study, the riddles of Çukurova become the subject with the Çukurova tradition of riddle asking. Our study consists of nine chapters. In the prologue which is also called the first chapter of the study, information has provided first about the subject, aim, scope, borders, method and techniques of the research area and then the historical, geographical, economical and socio-cultural structure of the research has been mentioned. Following the information, studies about the riddles have been mentioned. In the second chapter, general information has been given regarding the type of riddle and the Turkish world and the Anatolian riddle asking tradition have been mentioned. In the third chapter, Çukurova riddle asking tradition has been discussed. In the fourth chapter, the form in Çukurova riddles has been mentioned, the riddles have been evaluated in different perspectives in terms of prosaic and poetic structure, of construction, of being metered or not, of number of syllables, of pause structures, of rhymes and repeated voice and rhyme orders. In the fifth chapter, the division and evaluation of Çukurova riddles have been made in respect of the themes of the riddles with content denomination in Çukurova riddles. In the sixth chapter the Çukurova riddles have been evaluated in terms of language and style. In the seventh chapter, the riddles' relations with mythology, cult, color and numbers within the frame of the ancient Turkish belief pre-Islam. In the eighth chapter, there are Çukurova riddle texts, which were determined from oral and written sources, to be evaluated under other chapters of our study. The ninth chapter which is also the final chapter concludes including the conclusion oral source of information, bibliography, general network sources, dictionary of local words, photographs, resume, riddle index according to its answers, riddle index according to its themes. The aim of this study is to discuss the riddle asking tradition which used to have in the past a significant place in Çukurova folk culture from past to present throughout the historical process and to determine the Çukurova riddles as to record the compiled riddle texts and to evaluate these texts from various aspects and to contribute to the similar studies to be carried on regarding this subject in the future. Keywords: Riddle, Tradition, Adana, Osmaniye, Çukurova