Missionary Journalism in the Early Republican Period: Folklor Postası
Meriç HarmancıFolklore journals have important value both in the past and currently in terms of allowing one to follow the course of folklore history research, the view and studies of the intellectuals of the period on folklore, and the information and findings obtained in research. The first folklore journal in Türkiye was the Halk Bilgisi Mecmuası [The Folklore Periodical], which started its publication life in 1928. This journal was followed by Halk Bilgisi Haberleri [Folklore News], the first issue of which was published in 1929, and Folklor Dergisi [Folklore Journal], which started publication in 1943. However, Halk Bilgisi Mecmuası and Folklor Dergisi only published one issue each. Publishing 19 issues between 1944-1946, Folklor Postası [Folklore Post] was the second folklore magazine to be published regularly. This study aims to reveal the understanding of folklore and the course of folklore studies in the first period of the Republic by focusing on the articles and authors published in Folklor Postası, one of the oldest Turkish folklore journals and an important area for Turkish folklore research. The analysis attempts to present a portrait of the Republic based on all 19 issues of Folklor Postası magazine. For this purpose, the analysis follows all traces in the magazine, from cover words and articles to visuals and researchers serving folklore. Folklor Dergisi is a treasure that provides a rich data source in terms of its content pertaining to Turkish culture, sociology, literature, history, and folklore and is a proof of the support Republican intellectuals gave to folklore through their works and writings in this current year when we celebrate the centennial of the Republic.
Erken Cumhuriyet Dönemi Misyoncu Dergiciliği: Folklor Postası
Meriç HarmancıFolklor dergileri; folklor tarihi araştırmalarının seyrini, dönemin aydınlarının folklora bakışını ve çalışmalarını, yapılan araştırmalarda elde edilen bilgi ve bulguları takip edebilmeyi sağlaması açısından geçmişte de günümüzde de önemli bir değer ihtiva eder. Türkiye’de ilk folklor dergisi 1928 yılında yayın hayatına başlayan Halk Bilgisi Mecmuası’dır. Bu dergiyi 1929 yılında ilk sayısı çıkan Halk Bilgisi Haberleri ve 1943 yılında yayınlanmaya başlayan Folklor Dergisi takip eder. Ancak Halk Bilgisi Mecmuası ve Folklor Dergisi sadece birer sayı çıkmıştır. 1944 yılında yayınlanmaya başlayan ve 1946 yılına kadar 19 sayısı çıkan Folklor Postası, düzenli yayınlanan ikinci folklor dergisidir. Bu çalışma, Türk folklor dergilerinin en eskilerinden biri olan ve Türk folklor araştırmaları açısından önemli bir yere sahip Folklor Postası dergisinde yayımlanan yazılara ve yazarlara odaklanarak Cumhuriyet’in ilk dilimindeki folklor anlayışını ve halk bilgisi çalışmalarının seyrini ortaya koymayı amaçlamaktadır. İncelemede Folklor Postası dergisinin tüm sayılarından hareketle bir Cumhuriyet portresi sunulmaya çalışılmıştır. Bu amaç doğrultusunda dergideki kapak sözlerinden, görsellere; yazılardan halk bilimine hizmet eden araştırmacılara kadar tüm izler takip edilmiştir. Folklor Postası, muhtevası itibariyle Türk kültürü, sosyolojisi, edebiyatı, tarihi ve folkloru bakımından zengin veri kaynağı sunan bir hazine niteliği taşırken Cumhuriyet’in yüzüncü yılında, Cumhuriyet aydınlarının çalışmaları ve yazılarıyla folklora verdikleri desteğin vesikası niteliğindedir.
The first independent folklore journal on Turkish folklore was published in 1928. Chronologically speaking, Folklor Postası, whose first issue was published in 1944, ranks fourth. However, because the two journals that appeared in between only published one issue each, Folklor Postası is the second folklore journal to have been published continuously and is therefore very important. Launched on October 15, 1944, Folklor Postası completed its publication life with its 19th issue published in December 1946. The owner of the journal was Kemal Akça. Muzaffer Erdoğan had been an editor-in-chief for the first five issues. From the sixth issue onwards, Dr. Fethi Ferit Uğur became editor-in-chief and maintained this position until the 18th issue. From the fourth issue onwards, İhsan Hınçer was seen as the secretary and an editor in chief of the journal.
The writing staff of Folklor Postası consisted of intellectuals, each representing the success stories of Republican Türkiye in their own field, most of whom were employed in the bureaucracy and who had shouldered the establishment process. This staff of writers brought to the journal the understanding of folklore that had been positioned along the axis of culture as institutionalized in the founding phase of the Republic. With the establishment of the Republic, recording the products of the society’s culture became important, as it had gained widespread educational tools. Folklor Postası also carried the identity of a recording tool for people who had internalized this need and mission. Folklore journals were one of the most favorable tools of the period for compiling and disseminating Turkish folklore products throughout the country, and the journal writers paid attention to compiling the products belonging to folk culture and literature, in addition to original articles. They worked to get to know the people and to be aware of their creations, including these in the journal. The journal presented readers not only with the products of folk literature but also with many aspects of Turkish cultural heritage. The journal also included opinion pieces on folklore and folk literature, novel reviews, movie reviews, criticisms on articles published in other journals, book reviews, and articles on various topics related to folklore and folk literature. In this respect, every aspect of folklore was covered by the intellectuals of the Republic. Folklor Postası revealed the mission the intellectuals of the newly established Republic had undertaken.
A new era had begun with the Republic, and a new literary, cultural, and historical line began to be drawn in direct proportion to the decisions taken in this era. One of the ways to follow this course and the path being drawn was the content of Folklor Postası. The fact that so much emphasis had been placed on folklore in the early years of the Republic points to the reconstruction of the old perception and the path left behind, as well as to national identity. The founding will that had become institutionalized with the establishment of the Republic prioritized the field of folklore, one of the clearest flowing sources of society, in order to make its ideology about the people and to use this will to include the people in this founding enthusiasm, take them forward, and raise them. The Republic of Türkiye had been established with a nation state reflex after the victory of the War of Independence and prioritized folklore studies in order to produce policies favoring national consciousness in the field of culture. Working like a school, Folklor Postası undertook an important task in compiling, recording, and transferring folklore products to future generations. By addressing the public, the journal at the same time brought together the intellectuals and society it wanted to prepar.
