The tradition of Köçek at the wedding entertainments

The dancer boys tradition has an important position and function in the Ottoman era entertainment life. Kastamonu having been one of the most important cultural and artistic centers of Anatolia, by hosting many civilizations is one of the cities conveyed preserving its moral and material values. The term of "köçek" (dancer boys) in Kastamonu region and around Kastamonu is the name given to the men who dance with drums, zurna and kemane music far away from the erotism and homosexvality and wear their costume only for their show, adopted as a pary of Anotolia entertainment culture It is an important tradition that people get men who are called as "köçek" (dancer boys) to dance at women and men's parties, in circumcision ceremonies and takıng bride ceremonies. The dancer boys tradition is considered as an inseparable part of Kastamonu culture and wedding ceremonies. The dancer boys, the most colorful dancers of the performing arts in the Kastamonu region have continued their experiences with master apprentice relationship from generation to generation. Dancer boys are the musicians who can sing their dance music and also play drums, kemane und zurna instruments professionally. Dancer boys are inseparable whole with the other dancers at the same team in the Kastamonu region. People, who are interested in the profession of traditional dancing "köçek", are respected. Although köçeklik (dancer boys) tradition has lost its importance due to the progress of technology, popular culture, decreasing of village wedding ceremonies, shortening of ceremony times and migrations; dancer boys in the region are accepted as the joy and fun of the wedding ceremonies. Köçek (dancer boys) tradition is accepted as a cultural heritage and seen as a tradition to be conveyed to future generations by people in different occupations. This work is seen important in terms of providing Kastamonu province's rich cultural heritage transmission to today and finding out the positions and the statues of dancer boys in wedding ceremonies and society. In this research, about Kastamonu tradition, "qualitative and quantitative" research methods have been used together. The survey questions prepared by the researcher were given to the participants living in Kastamonu and their districts (n:566); considering their, gender, residence, occupation, education and marital status etc. properties. The "cronbach alpha coefficient" kat of the questionnaire was found 86. The qualitative data of the study were collected with the help of semi-structured interview prepared by the researcher. The semi-structured interview was conducted with 53 participants from the local population living in Kastamonu and members of dancer boys who keep this tradition alive.