Kısas, Haliliye
It is built on top of an old archaeological mound (höyük) which has not been excavated because it lies completely under the town. Kısas is distinct because it has a predominantly Alevi Turkmen population, whereas most of the surrounding villages are populated by Arabs. It is one of only three villages in the area with a predominantly Alevi Turkmen population (the other two are Akarpınar and Sırrın). According to Mehmet Adil Saraç, the Alevi Turkmen community here has its origins in people fleeing from the Mongol invasions during the Middle Ages.
Kısas maintains strong Turkmen cultural traditions such as âşık folk poetry set to bağlama music. The âşık tradition is particularly associated with the village, and it is known as "land of the âşıks". Âşıks in Kısas stay in one place, unlike the tradition in regions further east where they tend to be itinerant. Instead, the Kısas âşıks mostly earn a living through farming or "doing practical jobs locally". Their main role is performing at Alevi cem rituals, as well as at the muhabbet, or informal conversation preceding a cem. They also perform at wedding ceremonies.
References
- ^ "Address-based population registration system (ADNKS) results dated 31 December 2022, Favorite Reports" (XLS). TÜİK. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
- ^ Mahalle, Turkey Civil Administration Departments Inventory. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
- ^ "Law No. 6360". Official Gazette (in Turkish). 6 December 2012.
- ^ "Classification tables of municipalities and their affiliates and local administrative units" (DOC). Official Gazette (in Turkish). 12 September 2010.
- ^ Çelik, Bahattin (2008). Arkeoloji'de Urfa (PDF). Istanbul: Fsf Printing House. ISBN 978-975-585-992-7. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
- ^ Saraç, Mehmet Adil (2018). Tanıklarıyla Urfalı Urfalıca (PDF). Istanbul: Şanlıurfa Metropolitan Municipality. ISBN 978-975-8165-40-7. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
- ^ Birkalan-Gedik, Hande (2018). "The Role of Female Minstrels in the Transmission of Alevi Ritual Knowledge: Two Female Âşıks from Kısas-Urfa, Turkey". Transmission Processes of Religious Knowledge and Ritual Practice in Alevism Between Innovation and Reconstruction (PDF). pp. 189–228. Retrieved 20 February 2023.