The fann is a genre of oral poetry attested among the Alawi community in the Turkish province of Hatay (Antioch), which is composed in the vernacular Arabic of the community by people known as finnāns. The manner of performance lies somewhere between song and speech, which reminds one of sprechgesang or melodized speech. Contents of the fanns cover a wide variety of themes, often humorous, sometimes tragic, and are rich sources reflecting many aspects of the cultural, daily and social life of the community from the 1930s until recent decades. Finnāns were main providers of entertainment in the past and popular in the community; they reported all kinds of events and played the role of expressing public opinion.
This lecture aims to give an overview of the form and the content of the fann tradition with its social and historical context. It is preceded by a documentary film screening and followed by a live performance by Nihat Çay.
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Issue 66, December 2023
Turkey’s Centenary Issue
