Abstract:

ruBeing the most important element of the oral culture of Karachay-Malkar (Taulu) community, lullabies are the first sounds babies hear while growing up. The first words they hear from their native language, the first words that makes sense to them are whispered to their ears by lullabies. From the time they were born, children receive the culture of the community they are in, from lullabies told by their mothers, firstly. As an individual of the society, creating the children’s future information, skills, and habits, significant part of the traditions are determined by children folklore products. When the idea “learning starts at their mother’s belly for children” is considered, the children place the words of the lullaby from their mothers’ nice and soft voice to their sub-consciousnesses. While their consciousnesses are developing, they shape their future life with the oral and practical elements of the culture that they encounter in their daily life. Due to the fact that Karachay-Malkar community, living in the Diaspora, are in an intense assimilation process, with help of the effects of communication devices, the tradition of singing lullabies in Taulu language is facing extinction. This process is the baseline of the cultural disappearance. Even though old traditions are still being pursued melodically, it is seen that some of the words of the lullabies are changing. In this text, reasons of the changes aforementioned, and baseline information about the similarities and differences of the Karachay-Malkar, who have to live in Diaspora, tradition of singing lullabies’ and homeland Caucasia will be approached.

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