A Cultural Analysis of Turkic Folk Beliefs and Turkish Horror Movies

The present article focusses on the representation of Turkic folk elements in contemporary Turkish society. It can be argued that folklore underlies a nation’s unconscious psyche because it is passed down - often unconsciously - from generation to generation. Therefore, the study of folk beliefs may provide a better understanding of a people’s identity and other cultural traits. In order to ascertain the role of Turkic folk motifs, Turkish horror movies have been chosen as media for the analysis. These movies appear suitable for this research because they deal with the underlying human feeling of fear. Moreover, horror movies offer an opportunity for examining the representation of faith and its transformations in modern societies. In the present study five Turkish horror movies released from 2004 to 2017 are examined in detail. As a result it can be stated that the analyzed horror movies provide indeed interesting references to Turkish folk motifs and how these motifs are reflected in contemporary Turkish society. They allow for understanding changes of perceptions of the role of traditional and modern women, the opposition of the urban and rural, pre-Islamic beliefs, exorcism rituals, amulets, death, and resurrection.