EVLİLİĞE GEÇİŞTE BİR ERGİNLENME RİTÜELİ: GELİN EKMEĞİ
AN INITIATION RITUAL IN TRANSITION TO MARRIAGE: BRIDE BREAD

Summary/Abstract: Marriage, one of the important transitional stages of life, is a universal ceremony performed by two different individuals in the context of presenting the social role change process to the approval of the society. With the contract (religious or civil marriage) announced in the social sphere shaped as a result of the norms, the relationship between men and women is placed on a legitimate ground. The action performed between different cultures and human communities also has rituals that are same amount of diversity. In areas where traditions determine social functioning, rituals constitute an important part of transition periods. In the essence of the traditions and customs carried out during the transition from being single to marriage, there are many practices that point to initiation. In this study, the bridal bread ritual carried out at weddings in Kurtalan district of Siirt and the functions of the ritual in social life are discussed. It is a original female initiation ritual in terms of tradition, cultural values and messages that are fed by the collective memory of the region. In this direction, the symbols, cults and actions in the ritual were determined and tried to be interpreted. The individual, who tries to reach the social status change process with the ritual applied during marriage, is faced with some symbolic duties and responsibilities. The bride-to-be, who is trying to reach the process of social status change, is faced with a number of symbolic duties and responsibilities. Trying to pass the necessary stages to reach her goal, the candidate completes the initiation process in the eyes of the society, by eating the bread, which is the focal point of the ritual. With the study, it has been determined that the tradition has a continuity and that it fulfills the mission of transferring culture between generations today. In addition, the scope of the study consists of data collected as a result of field research and some information obtained from written sources.

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