The place and function of food in social practices: Aksaray example

Cultural heritage is all kinds of tangible and intangible assets that enable a society to gain an identity, that extend from the past to the present, and that carry universal and local values. Cultural heritage, which undergoes change and transformation with the interaction of societies or the requirements of the age, has been taken under protection by UNESCO. . Although initially the protection of material heritage as cultural heritage had priority, the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, which entered into force on October 17, 2003, has enabled the protection of cultural heritage transmitted orally in addition to material heritage. One of the five areas covered by the Convention is "Social Practices, Rituals and Feasts", which includes rites of passage such as birth, weddings and death, as well as holidays, festivals and feasts. Social practices not only contribute to the cohesion and communication of individuals, but also serve as a threshold that allows people to move to a different position from their previous situation. One of the noteworthy elements in these practices is food culture. Food culture is not only a human need within social practices; it also has an impact on lifestyles and cultural values. The common points that unite people in time and space are the most important factors that make a community a society. Food is present in almost every part of social practices, rituals and feasts. In addition to transition periods such as birth, wedding, funeral, large tables are set during feasts, festivals and holy periods. The objective of this study is to examine the food culture together with Social Practices, Rituals and Feasts, to determine its place today and to examine the function of food. The examples of the study are limited to the dishes made in Aksaray province. The examples of the research were selected from academic studies and data obtained from current field studies.