‘Anatolian Rituals’ from Birth to Death Explained in Muğla

Within the scope of the cultural meetings organized monthly by the Beşkaza Culture and Solidarity Platform, the June program held at the Muğla Teachers' House addressed the important heritage rituals of Anatolian culture. At the event where Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University faculty member Associate Professor Dr. Filiz Gümüş Dönmez gave a presentation, many rituals from birth to death, from marriage traditions to evil eye beliefs were shared with the participants.

During the program, incense was burned at the entrance of the hall, and the widely practiced lead pouring tradition in Anatolia was also symbolically reenacted. Participants had the opportunity to get to know many practices that hold an important place in cultural memory both by seeing and listening.

"What Keeps Societies Standing Are Rituals"

Devrim Karakuş, President of the Beşkaza Culture and Solidarity Platform, emphasized the importance of rituals in the cultural continuity of societies, saying, "What keeps societies, civilizations, and institutions standing are rituals. We recalled some of our rituals passed down for thousands of years, learned some, and confirmed others. We also thank our member Associate Professor Dr. Filiz Gümüş Dönmez. Each of our members is a preserver and transmitter of culture for future generations. In this respect, each of our members is a cultural transmitter."

"Passing This Culture to Future Generations Is a Sacred Duty"

Associate Professor Dr. Filiz Gümüş Dönmez, who delivered the presentation, expressed her happiness in sharing the rituals they teach every year to their students also with their fellow citizens, saying, "Every year we exhibited the rituals we teach to the Tourism Guidance Department students of Muğla University on campus. Our president asked us to present these to our members. It was a broad subject and field, and explaining it to our fellow citizens, as well as showing some rituals symbolically, was a special happiness. It is a sacred duty to pass on the rituals accumulated by our culture through generations to future generations. I feel indebted to the lands where I was born and raised. I am very pleased with this organization. I thank the organizers and all Beşkaza residents."