Examination of the wedding music performance practice in Turkish music culture from the perspective of music sociology

Abstract

This article addresses the practice of ‘wedding music performance,’ which holds an important place in wedding rituals. Wedding rituals are of great significance in terms of social solidarity and cultural transmission. One of the most fundamental elements of this ritual is music, which is an inseparable part of weddings. In Anatolia, musicians who perform at weddings refer to their profession as ‘wedding music performance.’ The study discusses who the communities that perform wedding music are, their professional status, the relationship between the wedding music practice and socio-cultural structure, and issues concerning social security and rights. The practice of wedding music performance is a cultural heritage element maintained by certain communities in Turkey but has not been sufficiently studied in academic literature. This study aims to fill this gap in the literature by addressing the relationship between wedding musicians and the socio-cultural structure, their labor processes, and the challenges they face. This research aims to examine wedding music performance and the social status of musicians from the perspective of music sociology. The study seeks to answer the following questions: Who performs wedding music? Under what social and economic conditions do these musicians work? This study is based on the case study model, a qualitative research method. The research focuses on communities referred to as ‘peripatetic communities’ that continue the profession of wedding music performance, including the Romani, Abdal, and Dom groups. Additionally, academic studies, theses, and field research in the literature have been used as sources. The study collected data through observation, literature review, and previous field studies. The collected data were analyzed using content analysis. Wedding music performance directly affects the economic and social status of this profession. The majority of musicians are deprived of social security and have irregular and insecure working conditions. Wedding music performance is a cultural heritage element that needs to be preserved and supported. However, there are serious deficiencies regarding the social security and working conditions of musicians. It is recommended that more academic work be conducted on improving the social rights of wedding musicians, regulating their labor processes, and ensuring their protection within the context of cultural heritage.