Traditional Ecological Knowledge in Proverbs: Agriculture, Circular Time and Space ATASÖZLERİNDE GELENEKSEL EKOLOJİK BİLGİ: TARIM, ZAMAN VE MEKÂN
Turkbilig, cilt.49, ss.339-358, 2025 (Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 49
- Basım Tarihi: 2025
- Doi Numarası: 10.59257/turkbilig.1660550
- Dergi Adı: Turkbilig
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Scopus, Linguistic Bibliography
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.339-358
- Anahtar Kelimeler: agriculture, circular time, oral culture, Proverb, space, traditional ecological knowledge
- Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Proverbs are cultural elements in which the knowledge and experiences that societies have accumulated over centuries are passed down from generation to generation in concise expressions. Since primitive times, people have attempted to make sense of the universe they live in, the flow of time and the natural environment, and in this process, they have experienced many things, produced knowledge, and these experiences and knowledge have survived to the present day as narratives or formulaic expressions. This article aims to reveal the human-nature relationship by focusing on the traditional ecological knowledge contained in proverbs. In the study, proverbs are examined under three categories: those reflecting traditional knowledge related to agriculture and animal husbandry, those reflecting knowledge related to folk calendar and meteorology, and those reflecting settlement forms and practices focused on harmony between man and nature. The fact that the source of income of traditional society is agriculture and animal husbandry has enabled the production of traditional knowledge in a wide range from seeds to cuisine, and it is possible to follow this knowledge from proverbs. Again, proverbs related to folk calendar and meteorology, which emerged within the circular time frame adopted in connection with agricultural and animal husbandry activities, are abundantly encountered. Apart from these, the proverbs that emphasize which products will be useful and usable from which materials in nature, how settlements and production areas will be shaped according to nature, in short, harmony with nature and the environment are also worth considering as another title. Under these categories, the study examines how ecological knowledge is reflected in proverbs and how traditional society expresses its harmony with nature and the environment through proverbs that convey observation and experience. The proverbs prominently emphasize a holistic perception of nature, the necessity for humans to adapt to it, and a strong advisory tone against untimely or harmful actions that disrupt natural balance. It is seen that proverbs are not only a part of language and culture, but also provide an important memory in the development of sustainable environmental awareness.