Examination of Cultural Anthropology in Esfarayen's Oral Literature

Abstract

The present study was aimed to examine people's oral literature in Esfarayen, an old city located in North Khorasan. Esfarayen possesses unique characteristics and a special culture with a rich oral literature, because it receives different races and tribes, especially Karmanji Kurds, Turks, Tats, and Persians, coming from different parts of Iran. Esfarayen's oral literature like in other parts of Iran is the product of mental, spiritual conditions based on dreams, failures, hopes, fears, and struggles in different areas of work such as agriculture and livestock. People in Esfarayen use oral literature for security, peace, survival, recreation, cultural affairs, and daily tasks; their oral literature includes vocals, anecdotes, lullabies, beliefs, superstitions, quotations, curses, prayers, and dreams. It should be noted that no study has been conducted with this approach. Being native and being an MA student, and more importantly, paying attention to people's oral literature have been the reasons why the author has selected this subject in the field of cultural anthropology. This research, using two study methods, has tried to gather, classify, analyze, and describe a considerable portion of people's oral literature in Esfarayen. The results obtained from show that ideas and linguistic and cultural differences help to reinforce people's culture in Esfarayen. Vocals, beliefs, superstitions, music, lullabies, fortunes, legends, stories, and anecdote in Esfarayen are taken from people's dreams based on history. This thesis has been provided by relying on a field and documentary research method (interview, corporate observation) and using a theoretical framework of functionalism, diffusionism, and interpretivism.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2016.v7n3s2p86