Pazar, Devlet ve Gelenek Ekseninde Etnobotanik Bir İnceleme: Gezo Örneği
Özet
In this study, the usage value and cultural importance of the sweet sap/must, which is
called gezo in the local language in the Southeastern Anatolia and Eastern Anatolia
regions and is caused by a plant worm that occurs on oak trees every 5-10 years. It has
been tried to be discussed from the perspective of anthropology and ethnobotanical
sciences. In the provinces of Bitlis, Bingöl, Muş, Tunceli, Mardin and Şırnak, where the
field work was carried out, thissweet sup/must is collected and processed through
various processes and turns into molasses, mold or honey. İs given great importance and
value in the places where it is made. Plants that are normally easily obtained, accessible
in all seasons, close to settlements, and versatile in terms of use are valuable nutrients
for the community. The situation is different with Gezo; although it can be easily
obtained (when it forms),converting it into proper food is a time-consuming process. It
is not a product that is available in all seasons, and moreover, it is not a product that can
be accessed every year. It is mostly not close to settlements. However, its versatility
makes it a valuable food that can be demanded, even though it is rare. In this case, is the
versatility feature enough for a product to be transferred in social memory, tradition and
culture? Within the framework of these data, an evaluation was made based on the
results obtained from the field study. As a result of the field interviews, it has been
shown that each of the production, distribution and consumption stages of a traditional
product will have a place in social memory, rituals, oral tradition and daily life as long
as it is sustainable and functional. Based on the unique methods of anthropology and
some hypotheses and indices used in ethnobotany, the usage value of the 'gezo' was
calculated and its cultural context was tried to be analyzed. At the end of this study, it was
seen that the 'gezo' was shared on social networks due to its medical, economic, religious,
social and cultural qualities.
Keywords: Gezo, use value, cultural importance, social network, tradition,
transmission, anthropology, ethnobotany
