İlkyaz YILDIZ

Turkish folklore products have changed, transformed and sometimes even forgotten, depending on many political, social and economic reasons throughout history. In order to prevent these losses, many expert researchers, both at home and abroad, have recorded folklore products and conducted important folklore studies. Apart from expert researchers, there are also local folklore researchers who are interested in folklore studies and conduct voluntary studies. When the relevant literature is searched, it is possible to come across various books, theses, articles and papers about expert researchers. However, studies on local folklore researchers are unfortunately negligible. For this reason, many researchers who have spent years in folklore studies, compilation studies, and cultural studies are forgotten after their death and their studies are lost. In this study, the life of Hayrettin Günay, one of the important local folklore researchers, and his studies in the field of folklore are emphasized. Hayrettin Günay’s works on folk literature, folk music, kemenche tradition, folk dances, transition periods, traditional hunting, festivals, children's games, folk language, folk botany, handicrafts published in various publications, especially in Yeşilgiresun newspaper, have been examined by considering. In this direction; The aim of the research is to present the folklore studies of Hayrettin Günay, a local folklore researcher, to examine these studies and thus to bring the researcher's contribution to Turkish folklore into the literature.

Keywords: Hayrettin Günay, Giresun, volunteer folklore researcher, folklore, folk literature.