Abstract
Folk songs are a cultural treasure that takes its source from the people. It is an occasion for people to pass on their love, heroism, feelings, sadnesses, traditions and customs to the next generations. Folk songs carry traces of many elements of the life of the people. In this context, it is sometimes fed with the words of love that caresses the souls, and sometimes it becomes a refuge for pleas where discontent turns into curses. Curses, which are also called “ilenç” and “kargış” and used in times of sadness, reproach and anger, are expressions that are very common in folk songs, although they do not sound good.
In this study, 5259 folk songs in the TRT Folk Song Repertoire were examined and their expressions of curse were classified in terms of their addressees. While the detected disturbances are sometimes directed to family members, sometimes they are directed to the person himself. It is seen that the curses on love are more comprehensive. Because it is unthinkable that interferers who separate a person from their loved ones should not be exposed to curse arrows. In folk songs, it is possible to come across elements of curse related to the false world, bad years, enemies, homesickness, elements of nature, cities, villages and general reasons. Although cursing is a situation that should be avoided and not welcomed in our culture, it is seen that these stereotypical words, which have a humorous and satirical identity, are sometimes used. In folk songs, different curse expressions such as "your house be destroyed, your back be bent, the owls sing in your homeland, the fires burn, your rose bloom in the morning, find it from God, do not get enough of your youth, lie ill on the bed, suffer in debilitating trouble, your tears not dry, do not be able to give your question, your life be over..." are used for the addressee. The curses in the folk songs, in which the utterances vary according to the regions, are the efforts of a person to seek refuge in Allah in situations where he cannot cope, and in a sense, to seek his right through spiritual means.