Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
cilt.15, sa.4, ss.507-529, 2020 (Hakemli Dergi)
This study focuses on how the hishashe burial tradition belonging to the group who identify themselves as Greek-Orthodox Christians living in and around Antakya have adapted to a wider cosmology and culture over time depending on cultural interaction, the relationship between this practice constituting the group identity with religion and gender, and what these mean. Additionally, identifying and recording the reasons why this burial type which is seen to be diminishing are also among the purposes of this study. In line with these purposes, Antakya and Samandag districts of Hatay were visited in April 2018, and Altinozu district was visited in April 2019. Information related to Hışhaşi tradition were collected by visiting Antakya city center, Sarilar and Tokacli (Cneydo) neighborhoods of Altinozu and Cemal Gursel neighbourhood of Samandag. As a result, in this burial form, hishashe where the males are to be buried, in other words, "Ancestors chamber" is pre-determined. This is the place where father, grandfather, uncle and other male individuals with a blood tie who are regarded as the "Ancestor". Moreover women are placed in the family tomb either including her own mother and father or including her children and husband at her preference. In a sense, hishashe is the reuinon of individuals who are regarded to be from the family. At the same time, for a woman who is separated from her family after marriage, it is the return-back to her home after so many years. These are the houses where individuals who have migrated to many parts of the world reunite, where they return. This is the place where homesickness ends. It is reunion. It is an endless kinship, ancestral relationship. According to Christian theology, hishashe is the gateway to immortality. These are the houses where the family members gather until the day of resurrection. However, it was understood that there have been differences in the frequency of practice and the architecture of hishashes over time as a result of interactions. Today, a decline in this practice was observed due to socio-economic and health-related reasons.