Abstract:
The bard tradition, which dates to kam-shamans and went through a socio-cultural change process, was replaced by the minstrel literature tradition over time. The minstrel literature tradition and its representatives are the most important part of the Turkish cultural treasure. To date, many efforts have been made to protect this cultural treasure. This study is based on Erkiletli Âşık Hasan, whose name has not been heard until now, but who is considered one of the master minstrels of the 18th century minstrel style Turkish poetry around Kayseri center / Erkilet region. The study aims to contribute to the survival of cultural values by considering the life of the minstrel and his sociocultural environment as a whole and revealing the existence of poetry. Although Âşık Hasan is the performer of the folk song "Erkilet Güzeli", which is sung by many artists in electronic cultural environments even today, the folk song still appears anonymously in the records. In addition to eliminating this deficiency, it focuses on issues such as determining the minstrel literature traditions of the region and the minstrel's place within these traditions by examining and evaluating her art based on the existence of poetry.
In the study, in addition to the methods applied so far in this field, the "statistical method", which has not yet been applied in minstrel literature research but was introduced in order to reach clearer results and make more accurate interpretations, was used. Therefore, it can be said that another aim of the study is to disseminate this method and make it available to researchers who will conduct new studies in the field. With this method, the level of survival of minstrel literature traditions throughout the country can be determined and the corruptions in the tradition and the preservation of values can be revealed with clear data. In addition, since poems have the characteristics of texts, the "systematic analysis method", which is a text-centered analysis method, was also used in the analysis part.
While preparing the study, mostly written and printed sources were used. New poems were obtained as a result of examining and reading the manuscripts/cönks identified by scanning the cönks and magazines in the manuscripts section of the National Library and Rasim Deniz's personal library. A total of 160 poems and their variations were brought together to enrich the poetic existence of the minstrel. The method of estimating the original version of the work based on the variations obtained is called "edition criticism". All the variations that can be identified in the texts section have been brought together and the most accurate version of the poems has been tried to be revealed through text repair. In addition, based on the readings, extensions were used in the text part, considering the sound values due to the language and alphabet characteristics of Ottoman Turkish. However, in the evaluation part, the sound characteristics of the Turkish Language Association were taken as basis.
As a result of the research and examinations, it was determined that Erkiletli Âşık Hasan found a place for himself in both oral and written culture. It is seen that Âşık Hasan, the representative of his period who was especially considered as a master of puns and attracted attention with his narrow-legged poems, is talked about even today and is mentioned in minstrel assemblies.
