Nilgün ÇIBLAK COŞKUN

Today, the tradition of village theatrical plays, though not strongly performed as in old days, in some of our provinces still retain its vitality. Mersin, one of the southern fountains, is one of the provinces where this tradition is kept alive. The villagers, especially those who provide their subsistence with agricultural products or animal husbandry, produce a variety of theatrical plays during winter. Among these plays, the "camel birth" and "loverbeloved" attract attention in terms of its content, structure and function as well as being performed in entertainment environments such as local festivals and festivals outside the village environment. In this report, as a result of the field research we conducted in Mersin province, we have examined "camel birth" and "lover-beloved" plays by observation and interview methods from the oral culture medium; the time and place of plays have been examined as regards stage and cast. In addition to the form, content and structure of the plays, the characteristics of the execution environment are also examined in detail. In addition, these plays, which have held a significant place in our culture from the past to the present day, have been alysed in terms of the sociocultural aspects and functions. In our review, it has been determined that both "camel birth" and "lover-beloved" were performed in urban areas and in successive festivals. This change in the enviroment has also influenced the content of the plays, but this has not changed their entertainment and recreational functions. The games have important clues in terms of their content related to the community‘s views on life, their lifestyles, ideas or beliefs in the events in the nature.

Keywords: Theatrical Village Plays, Origin of Ritual Plays, Animal Imitation, Camel Birth, Lover-Beloved, Mersin