Local Climate Knowledge and Folk Calender as Intangible Cultural Element: A Field Research in Safranbolu (Karabük)

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Local geographical knowledge is a daily and frequently used type of knowledge that is produced throughout the centuries as a consequence of the natural and social activities of the local inhabitants living in the area and that is transmitted to the next generations. This study deals with the folk meteorology knowledge, as an intangible cultural heritage element, of the inhabitants living in Safranbolu district of Karabuk province and the consequent folk calendar. In order to reveal the folk meteorology knowledge, face-to-face interviews were conducted with the local inhabitants living in Safranbolu. The interviews were conducted in the coffee shops located at the village square and the office of the village headman with the participation of the village elders and the inhabitants that have knowledge on the subject. The interviews showed that the names of the events related with the climate characteristics of Safranbolu were related with the agricultural and breeding activities and that a folk calendar based on specific days was produced over the years. The villages within the boundaries of searching sector have variety of callender days and local climate knowledge. However, Yazıköy does not have extensive usage of callender days and local climate knowledge. Location of Yazıköy has more proper transportation conditions than other related villages to Safranbolu. Therefore, villagers in Yazıköy have more variety of working area than other related villages and villagers no shortage of agricultural labor. Secondly, level of education is higher in Yazıköy than other villages and this reason brings about business opportunity in KARDEMİR. Until recently, the inhabitants of Safranbolu gave special importance to the specific days of the folk calendar that was a legacy of their ancestors. However, rapid changes that Turkey faced after the 1980s affected the local inhabitants and the importance of the local traditions declined. Consequently, new generations have little knowledge about the folk calendar. However, folk calendar and the specific days, which are produced as a consequences of experiences over years should be protected and transmitted to the next generations in order to protect intangible cultural values.

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Karabük , Safranbolu , Local Geographical Knowledge , Callender Days , Folk Calendar

eastern geographical review

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eastern geographical review