Aim
Traditional sohbet meetings are a traditional cultural element that symbolizes social unity and solidarity, where participants share their knowledge and experiences, have fun and have a good time together. Traditional sohbet meetings, which are the carriers of oral culture, have various gains such as the development of social relations, the fulfillment of needs, the integration of future generations with the society they live in, and their preparation for life, thanks to these features. The research aims to determine the history, content, functioning, social, cultural, touristic characteristics, transfer of cultural memory and the effects on the development of young generations of the Sandıklı yarens, which are among the chat meetings, which are called by different names in different regions and are a form of entertainment.
Method
Within the scope of the research, semi-structured interviews were conducted with local people participating in Sandıklı yarens. The findings obtained as a result of the interview were subjected to descriptive analysis.
Findings
In the interviews conducted within the scope of the research, among the prominent findings are that Sandıklı Yarens date back to the Central Asian period as they are a type of traditional conversation meetings, increase the sense of unity and solidarity among the people of the region, are effective in transferring the culture of the region to young people, and serve as a kind of educational place for young people.
Results and Suggestions
Considering the socio-cultural impact of the Sandıklı companions, their sustainability is important in terms of keeping the cultural heritage values alive and transferring them in accordance with the original. Young people should be encouraged to participate, especially in order for them to recognize their cultural values and gain belonging and cultural identity.
Originality
Traditional conversation meetings are held with different contents and names in different regions of Anatolia and the Turkic Republics. In this study, we focused on the Sandıklı seminars held in the Sandıklı district of Afyonkarahisar province. The fact that there is no study in the literature that deals with the Sandıklı companions descriptively and evaluates them from a cultural perspective makes the study unique.