Evaluation of Erzurum folk songs in terms of symbolic and thematic

Folk songs are among the genres in which emotions are experienced and felt most intensely in our society and culture. Folk songs carry the feelings and thoughts, longings, loves and experiences of the society they come out of. They include not only the spiritual feelings of the society, but also its historical past, customs, laws, clothes and local discourses. Thus, we see the reflections of material and spiritual culture best in folk songs compared to other genres. Erzurum folk songs, one of the most important parts of Anatolia's cultural heritage, reflect the socio-cultural structure, geography and culture of the region. These folk songs offer a deep and wide field of study not only in melodic terms but also with the symbolic meanings they contain. Together with the symbols, motifs and images in Erzurum folk songs, they leave traces in cultural memory and are passed down from generation to generation through folk songs. Along with the many cultural elements they contain, folk songs also constitute the basic building blocks of our national identity. At the same time, the symbols frequently encountered in folk songs include elements of nature, geographical places, historical events and traces of the life of the local people. Because folk songs are not a syntax formed by random words coming together, they are genres that contain symbols and images, contain deep meanings, and are adorned with various associations and motifs. Thus, they are genres that reflect the spirit and life of society. Since symbols, motifs and images are the accumulation of hundreds of years, the determination of such fine details is of great importance. Therefore, the symbolic evaluation of Erzurum folk songs aims to go deeper into the cultural heritage and to be aware of the various deep meanings behind the folk songs. In this study, it is aimed to determine the symbolic and thematic elements found in Erzurum folk songs, to shed light on the mysteries behind the folk songs, the past of the region, to offer clues about the future and thus to be a living part of the cultural heritage. Keywords: Folk Song, Symbol, Motif, Mythology, Culture, Folklor