Süryani Mutfak Kültürü; Mardin Örneği (Syriac Cuisine Culture; Example of Mardin)

Abstract

The production, preparation and presentation of food differs in every society. There are many gastronomic values that make each society special and distinguish it from the other. Culinary culture varies from region to region, and religion and geography have a great impact on creating a cuisine culture. Syriacs convert to Christianity and observe various diets and fasts in accordance with the teachings of the religion. In this study, the culinary culture of the Syriacs, one of the oldest communities of Mesopotamia, the cradle of civilizations, was researched. The city of Mardin, located in the Tur Abdin region, where Syriacs have lived throughout history, was chosen for the study. Mardin is a city that lives in harmony with the different ethnic groups it hosts. It is important to carry out the study in the city of Mardin, where Syriacs live intensely and which has a spiritual value. The study was prepared within the framework of the cultural analysis (ethnography) pattern, which is one of the qualitative research methods. In the study, interview technique was used and data were collected by interviewing Syriacs living in Mardin through a semi-structured questionnaire. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 15 Syriacs living in Mardin and the obtained qualitative data were analyzed by descriptive analysis. When the foods consumed by the participants according to the meals were examined, information was given about the foods they consumed during the fasting periods and on special days.