GELENEĞİN GÜNCELLENMESİ BAĞLAMINDA KÜTAHYA ERKEK GEZEK KÜLTÜRÜ
THE CULTURE OF MALE GEZEK GATHERINGS IN KUTAHYA IN THE CONTEXT OF TRADITION RENEWAL

Summary/Abstract: Traditional oral culture encompasses a wide array of ceremonies, rituals, and performative practices. Among these, conversational gatherings hold particular importance for the preservation and transmission of cultural heritage across generations. Although these gatherings are predominantly organized by men, in certain regions they are also held by women, young girls, and young men. Despite regional variations, this tradition has endured for centuries throughout Anatolia. With the advent of the internet and digital technologies, it has undergone various transformations, yet continues to exist in its essential form in some areas. Terms such as Eyvan Geceleri, Oturmah, Yârân, Yâren, Oda Sohbetleri, Sıra Gecesi, Sıra Toplantıları, Gezek, Sıra Gezme, Cümbüş, Kürsübaşı, Ferfene, Barana, and Eymavan Geceleri reflect the diversity of this cultural phenomenon. Similar traditions are also maintained outside of Turkey, particularly in the Turkic world, where they are referred to by names such as Coro Bozo, Meşrep, Geşdek, Konuşma, and Muhabbet. This study focuses on the “Male Gezek” tradition in the city center of Kütahya—a princely city rich in cultural heritage. Serving both educational and social functions, this tradition is governed by its own unique rules of participation and performance. The Gezek gatherings operate within a master-apprentice framework, aiming to cultivate a shared cultural memory among participants. Through fieldwork conducted in Kütahya, this research examines both the historical and contemporary forms of the Gezek tradition. It explores various dimensions including its general characteristics, organizational structure, modes of performance, conditions of participation, seating arrangements, attire, etiquette, ceremonial conduct, and disciplinary codes. Music plays an integral role in these gatherings, with traditional folk songs and oral cultural expressions from Kütahya enriching the entertainment aspect of the events. This study seeks to document and preserve a cultural tradition that plays a vital role in the transmission of intangible heritage. In addition to literature review and ethnographic fieldwork, data were collected through interviews with key informants and surveys conducted among participants of the male Gezek gatherings. Given that these events are closed to women, the research was shaped through direct engagement with male participants who have firsthand experience of the tradition.

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