Folk beliefs and practices related to transition periods of life in Kyrgyzstan (Death example)

This study aims to reveal the historical continuity and transformation dynamics of these beliefs by analyzing Kyrgyz folk beliefs of transitional periods within the framework of three basic transitional stages of human life such as birth, marriage and death. In the study, the effects of ideological interventions, especially during the Soviet Union period, on the different stages of the Islamization process and the folk culture of traditional Turkish religious beliefs are discussed with a comparative and holistic approach. Within the scope of the research, it has been revealed that these transition rituals are not only a traditional folkloric heritage, but also play a central role in the construction of individuals' social identities, religious perceptions and collective sense of belonging. It has been determined that folk beliefs have not completely disappeared in the face of transformative processes such as modernization, secularization and ideological pressures, on the contrary, they continue to exist with various adaptations and are reproduced with new layers of meaning. This study not only makes an original contribution to understanding the religious and social-cultural fabric of Kyrgyz folk culture, but also sheds light on general theoretical frameworks on the function and evolution of folk beliefs in modern societies. Therefore, this research is an important reference for different academic disciplines such as anthropology, history of religions, sociology and Central Asian cultural studies.