Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
MILLI FOLKLOR, sa.101, ss.25-39, 2014 (AHCI)
Cultural heritage cannot be transmitted to urban areas in its original form due to several reasons such as urbanization, migration and modernization and is living with the memories of the old people. As a way of compensation for cultural loss which stems from the obstacles of transmitting cultural heritage from one generation to the next, UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage has offered revitalization, providing not being contrary to sustainable development. According to the fieldworks and published articles, Crocus Day, which was maintained in rural areas of central Anatolia about 40 to 50 years ago by children and considered a Nevruz practice, can be addressed as a case for revitalization. Crocus Day Celebrations are good examples to indicate the relationship between intangible cultural heritage and sustainable development. Nowadays, several series of activities to revitalize Crocus Day, forgotten as a traditional activity for children, is being performed with the participation of the middle aged and old people who cherish the memory of and had attended in their childhood. By the efforts of several universities and municipalities, in particular after the contribution and joint decision of the seven countries on registering Nevruz multinational file in The Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009 resulted in the studies on revitalization of Crocus Day in urban cities to speed up. This article discusses on the contribution of such revitalization efforts towards safeguarding Crocus Day in particular and intangible cultural heritage in general and on generation to generation transmission in accordance with the sustainable development principles. Practices devoted to revitalize Crocus Day have taken the tradition away from its original form and the functionality once the era the tradition was maintained, ritualistic features got lost, standardized and transformed the tradition to the other festivals celebrated in urban areas. Despite the negative sides of revitalization, several benefits from the awareness of the Crocus Day celebrations can be prospected as follows; contribution to the cultural heritage in order to be remembered, strengthening the sense of belonging to the community, raising awareness of youth towards the environment and nature, becoming the source of inspiration of cultural and artistic creativeness. Considering these prospects revitalization of Crocus Day is applicable for transmission of cultural heritage from older to younger and from rural to urban.