Conservation of intangible cultural heritage; introduction ofSilifke regional folk dances to tourism

Folk dances are the best way for individuals to express their identities and cultures in their regions. They enable us to obtain information about the society with its structure, content and functioning. In this study, Silifke folk dances and folklore, which are among the elements of intangible cultural heritage, were examined. Silifke is located in the Taşeli region in the west of Mersin province. The aim of this master's thesis is to investigate the rich cultural richness of Silifke folklore and to question how it can be evaluated in tourism promotions and to develop suggestions. In the literature of this thesis, the concept of cultural heritage, folk dances, the concept of tourism, folk dances unique to Silifke district, musical instruments used and the importance of these intangible cultural heritage items in tourism promotions were investigated. In the findings, features such as the musical instruments used in the games, the rhythm of the music, the musical lyrics used in the folk dances, the symbolic meanings of the rhythms of the folk dances, the clothes used in the games, the geography of the Taşeli Region and the lifestyle of the people were explained. In the field research of Mersin province Silifke district, the times and places where folk dances are played, the way they are played, the clothes of the individuals according to their gender and the spoon used during the game, etc. Detailed findings about the materials were obtained. Silifke folklore is a rich tangible and intangible cultural heritage that can be used in tourism promotions, and it is a treasure that reflects the characteristic structure of not only Silifke district but also Taşeli region. For this purpose, first of all, the literature on Silifke folklore was examined, communication with experts on the subject was established and fieldwork was carried out. According to the research data, Silifke folk dances are played with rhythmic, moving music, words, colorful clothes and spoons. It has been observed that folk dances such as traditional plateau migration, the geographical structure of the mountains, the vitality of nature, and eating and drinking in the Taşeli region reflect the traditional lifestyle of the people. It has been determined that the geographical, ethnographic structure, lifestyle and personality characteristics of Silifke folk dances and music are not evaluated in the tourism promotions of Silifke district. Considering the literature and the opinions and suggestions of the participants, suggestions have been developed to bring folk dances to tourism.