Özet:

Every year in Kilis province and its villages, a traditional practice called zeyrat is being held in late April or early May. In this days, people go to their nearest places instead of going to sacrifices and eat the food they prepare here together with the guests. According to the situation in some villages, a prayer for rain is made, prayers are made, wishes are made. It is seen that some of these places called zeyrat in the region are a tomb, a grave or a wooded area. The transitional periods connected with season such as Nevruz, Hıdırellez are widely celebrated in wide geographical areas in Turkish culture. At first sight, the days of Zeyrat seem to be one of these ceremonial practices depending on the season. But this practice is a synthesis practice involving ancestors cult, tree cult, and sacrifice ritual. In this direction, the practice is a traditional practice which is important in the context of folk culture. In some villages, it is not known who belongs to the graves in the places where they are visited. These places, which are not even known as graves, are blessed by turning them with stones. This situation emerges as an application of ancestral cults. In addition, the blessing of certain trees is mythological origin. In this article, ritual practices were analyzed by introducing the tradition of zeyrat days; old and present practices are compared and their functions in society life are revealed. The data in the study were obtained by observation and interview. This data has been evaluated using the approach of culture analysis.

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