Amasya Region Zakir Works Archiving Project
August – December 2025
AMASYA
The zakir tradition in the Amasya region is an important cultural heritage passed down from generation to generation through oral transmission. If this traditional musical and belief structure is not systematically documented, many works risk extinction. The aim of this study is to preserve the cultural heritage, increase its accessibility, and pass it on to future generations by digitally archiving the works of representatives of the rich zakir tradition of the Amasya region. For this purpose, the works of artists who performed their own compositions as zakirs in the Amasya Cemevis (a place of assembly with fundamental importance for Turkey's Alevi-Bektashi tariqa populations) will be recorded, the works will be transcribed, and the arranged sounds and notes will be sent to the Repertekül website, widely used by researchers and artists, for publication. Furthermore, this digital archive will strengthen the cultural identity of the region and support the promotion of local culture. This project aims to contribute to the field of oral traditions and narratives, which fall under the category of intangible cultural heritage. The zakir tradition, as an oral cultural practice intertwined with folk music and the Alevi-Bektashi faith, is a body of knowledge and skills passed down from generation to generation. In this context, the project; It aims to contribute to the preservation and sustainability of regional cultural identity through the digital archiving and dissemination of these traditional works.
