Religions

Abstract

: Â ¸sıks , renowned for their adeptness at improvisational poetry, are viewed as the inheritors of certain shamanic functions within historical contexts. Originally, shamans assumed diverse roles encompassing poetry, medicine, and priesthood before social and religious transformations prompted a gradual shift of the poetic responsibilities, first to individuals termed ozan (bards) and later to â ¸sık , beginning from the 15th to 16th centuries. Â ¸sıks share parallels with shamans in their upbringing, developmental stages toward â ¸sık lık (bardhood), and esteemed societal positions. Their reverence for deceased masters becomes evident in their artistic presentations, wherein they express homage to the memories, and consequently the spirits, of their masters by reciting the works of esteemed â ¸sık masters, notably Köro˘glu, during their performances. This practice, referred to as “ usta malı söylemek ” (the performance of the masters’ poems and folk songs) within the Turkish â ¸sık tradition, represents an endeavor to establish a connection with the spirits of ancestors. The resemblance between the tradition of â ¸sık s evolving within the master–apprentice dynamic and shamans invoking the spirits of departed ancestors, embarking on celestial and subterranean journeys empowered by them, and the â ¸sık s’ homage to their masters’ spirits through recitations of their works, thereby sensing their masters’ influence by engaging with them, is striking. This study explores the extent to which contemporary â ¸sık s consciously embrace this resemblance. To this end, a sample group of 34 â ¸sık s residing in diverse regions of Türkiye was interviewed, and the acquired data were analyzed using the document analysis method. Accordingly, all the â ¸sık s who participated in the study were nurtured within the tradition of the master–apprentice relationship akin to shamans. They diligently sought to evoke the spirits of their masters during their performances by reciting masters’ poems and songs, reminiscent of shamans invoking the spirits of deceased shaman ancestors through prayers resembling divine verses. Furthermore, while variations specific to different regions and age groups existed among these â ¸sık s, it was observed that consciously reciting the poems of their masters elevated the masters’ spirits. Simultaneously, they harbored concerns about the potential harm that neglecting this practice might inflict upon the tradition, themselves, and their surroundings.