СОВРЕМЕНА СОСТОЈБА НА ПРАЗНУВАЊЕТО НА ЃУРЃОВДЕН/HIDIRELLEZ КАЈ ТУРЦИТЕ ВО РЕПУБЛИКА СЕВЕРНА МАКЕДОНИЈА
CONTEMPORARY PRACTICES OF CELEBRATING GJURGJOVDEN/HIDIRELLEZ AMONG THE TURKISH COMMUNITY IN THE REPUBLIC OF NORTH MACEDONIA

Summary/Abstract: Hıdırellez is a traditional Turkish festival that symbolizes the arrival of spring and is celebrated across a wide geographic area from Central Asia to the Balkans. Celebrated on May 6 according to the Gregorian calendar, Hıdırellez represents one of the common cultural traditions of the Turkic world and is among the seasonal festivities that mark the awakening of nature and the beginning of spring. As this holiday is commemorated with various rituals and customs throughout the regions inhabited by Turkish populations, in the Republic of North Macedonia this tradition is preserved not only among the Turks but also among other ethnic communities through local celebrations. This paper explores the beliefs and customs related to Hıdırellez among the Turkish population in the Republic of North Macedonia, focusing on the contemporary ways in which the festival is celebrated. The aim of the study is to document the current ritual practices that characterize Hıdırellez celebrations today. Special attention is given to greening related rituals and the tradition known as martufal, which still survives in certain regions. In 2017, this cultural element was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Hıdırellez, as a living cultural practice among the Turks in North Macedonia, is deeply rooted in oral tradition, beliefs, and nature related rituals, transmitted from generation to generation.

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