Malatya has hosted various cultures and civilizations throughout history. Aslantepe, Nemrut Mountain, Fırıncılar Höyük, Bayramtepe Höyük, Ören Höyük, the latter Höyük, Aslantaş, Kağköy Rock Reliefs, Levent Valley, Ansur and Kaletepe Höyük are the archaeological sites that can be seen.

FOLK DANCES

Malatya is located in the halay region. However, there are also dances other than halay. As a result of cultural exchange in other provinces, game varieties have increased. For example, it is seen that delilo is played in Elazig, pentafoot in Adıyaman, and papurine is played in Bitlis.

Halays are performed to the accompaniment of drums and zurna. Pulling halay is called "Dillan Pulling" in the region. The player who leads the dance, played with five people, is called "Pöççü". Both have handkerchiefs in their hands.

As an instrument; drums, zurna, kaval, baglama, cümbüş and darbuka are played. The clarinet is more common in Arapgir district. On the other hand, besides the halay, there are semahs that are performed collectively and have a ceremonial character. In Malatya and its surroundings, Hızır Semah, Bozok Semah, Demdem Semah, Arguvan Semah, Kırat Semah are performed. The ballad of “The Nightingale Blows in the High Ayvans”, known as henna air, is played by young girls and women while they are being hennaed.

The clothes in the games played in Malatya do not completely reflect this region. There are different types of clothing among the districts. Generally, in folk dances, men wear a white embroidered "Papak" called "Küm" on their heads. However, sometimes in dances, men's heads are uncovered.

For women, a fez called "Ashtray" surrounded by gold liras is worn, and an "Ambush" is worn over the fez. The top is attached to the dolak, or writing. An apron called bernavile is worn over the "shalwar", "three skirts" and three skirts. A white and red handkerchief is attached to the edge of the colorful shawl wrapped around the waist. On the feet, there are embroidered socks and a black sash.

The main games are:

Hospitality (Grani, Ağır, Ağır Malatya) / Applause (Arkuşta, Yarkutta, Halkuşta, Harkuşta) / Donkey Halayi / Arapgir Halayi / Bapuri (Papuri, Papori, Pagpuri) / Barde / Başayak Halayi / Çarşı Water Aunty / Algerian Dance / Çeçer / Dillan / Değirmenci Aunt / Delilo Aunt / Bride's Aunt (Nightingale Singing on High Ayvans) / Gerzani Aunt / Travel / Güvenk (Kevenkj / Güzeller (Nari) / Hem Hime (Hımhime) / Heyhat / Hoplama Aunty / Welcome / Karahisar Aunt / Keçike (Koçike) ), Keçikey, Lorke (Lorki) Halayi / Kemaliye Tamzarasi / Kırıkhan / Kol

TRADITIONAL CLOTHING

In the cultural life, clothing has been shaped by the characteristics of the region. With the Republican period, there were changes in men's clothing, while women's clothing showed a heavy development and experienced a development by keeping up with the changes in the social structure. Cotton and woolen fabrics are dominant in traditional clothing. "Arapgir Kemhası" woven in home looms, baggy trousers, aba abalars, and vests woven in culfa looms were the main items of clothing. It was used in clothing until 1975. It continues today, albeit to a lesser extent. In summary, local weavings, barred linen and goat hair fabrics were used in traditional clothing. Finely woven loincloths called zinc, white-colored, checkered calico linens, flannel, linen silk, and "Bervanik" as loincloth were widely seen in clothing. ” Embroidered (Embroidery) socks are worn as a complementary element to the clothing. Today, clothes reflect the characteristics of daily contemporary clothing.

a) Traditional Men's Clothing:

Shalwar, shirt, vest, waist belt, embroidered socks and black Yemeni as shoes constitute the men's clothing of the region.

b) Women's Clothing:

Women; They wear a "fez" called "ashluk" on the head and made of felt, called "Sakındırak" under the chin. A thin embroidered layer made of silver or copper is placed on top of it. Sometimes a row of gold is placed in front of this section, which is called hilly. The writing or black and white and purple “pouch” on the top is placed on a thin hoop. The ends are tied at the back, and they cover the "Izar" made of white thin cheesecloth, measuring 1-1.5 meters on the ashtray. The part on the back is left long and passes the waist level.

TRADITIONAL CRAFTS

While the handicrafts for the region continued their vitality until 25-30 years ago, they were on the verge of being forgotten or even lost as a result of technological developments and changing needs. Carpet, rug and saddlebag weaving is done especially in villages where sheep and goats are kept. Again, in some villages, culfa weaving and multiplier weaving, which were common in the past, have lost their characteristics today. While coppersmithing is carried out on a limited basis; business lines such as wood carving, coaching, saddle-making and Yemeni-making have disappeared. Only a few masters are trying to maintain their profession in the field of saddlebags. Aleppo work, bracelets known as Damascus work, and twisted pearl necklaces called pills, which used to have an important place in the field of jewellery, have now lost their importance. As woodwork; In Malatya mansions, wood carving decorations and other woodwork usage areas are common. Three-compartmented “Warehouse” where grains are stored and protected, wire cabinets where food is stored, chute used as a hollow churn, boats, wool spinning wheels, threshing machines, spoons, threshing machines, spoons, again fork used in threshing, wood-processed coffee and grain There are mortars and cooker hoods. Today they have lost their importance. There are wood-worked coffee and grain mortars and cooker hoods. Today they have lost their importance. There are wood-worked coffee and grain mortars and cooker hoods. Today they have lost their importance.

Coppersmiths' Bazaar, which fulfilled a common function in the past, has turned to souvenirs today. Today, instead of copper, it is seen that porcelain, steel, aluminum and glassware have become widespread.

Until more recent years, it has been seen that teşt, cauldron, (frost cauldron, bulgur cauldron, Kusgana, jingle cauldron), style, sini (large tray, medium tray, tray), bowls, sehen (plate), ewer, sieves of various sizes have been made. These; It was decorated with stylized flower and deer, roe deer and bird motifs, decorated with Seljuk and Ottoman decorations. As pottery, water jugs made from reddish earth by baking, pans with a wide interior and pots can be seen. This profession has completely lost its function today.

Crafts such as fence printing, curtains, table cloths, and handwriting as cloth and fabric printing made of wooden molds maintained its importance until recent years in Malatya and Arapgir districts.

Today, table cloth printing and especially the production of "bervanik", which is used as apron/loincloth by the women in the folk dance teams of the old women, and which is tried to be popularized as an article of clothing, is continued by a master. Developments in the field of weaving present a broad outlook. In addition to carpet types, it has lost its rug and cicim weaving. Julfa Türür weavings have lost their importance, and these looms are made for runners and tables, albeit a little. On the other hand, weaving known as "crmıktı" weaving, which was woven on hand looms in Yeşilyurt district in the past years, is used in coarse clothing and in making mats.

In the past, "Manusa Weaving" as a large business area in Arapgir district, up to 1100 flat looms and jacquard looms met the fabric needs of the environment. Those woven on these looms were taken to many parts of Anatolia and to Aleppo by caravans and sold.

Among Malatya weaving products, rugs and carpets of Ören, Kürecik, Dirican, Parçikan, Başören and Sinan Villages are famous. Malatya rugs; It is distinguished by its waters that surround the rectangular surface and resemble Kale bastions. There are hexagonal and octagonal medallions in the middle sections. Bird and camel neck, scorpion foot, ram horn and geometric shapes are encountered. Black, brown, beige, navy blue and white colors are frequently used near the forehead. Rugs are called "Seven Mountain Flowers" in the region. Dirican rugs are known as “Dirican eye white rugs” and “chest rugs”. The floor of rugs with chests is divided by rectangles, and each section is called a chest. In Sinan rugs, the belt water is rhombic. The main pattern of the rug is rose.

In Malatya, where cicim weaving is done, weaving takes place on Yataş looms. In Cicim weaving, exhibitions, sacks, saddlebags, shepherds' bags are made.

Malatya is also famous for its carpets. Especially Ören, Başören, Dirican, Parçikan, Kürecik carpets have made their name known. Today, carpets that are woven on the looms opened with the support of the state and set up by the Public Education Center in the villages show a wide development. The famous Ören carpets of the region are bordered. There are medallions in the middle. Decorations such as ram horns, dragon claws, stylized flowers, plant shoots; As there are white, black, red and dark blue colors, there are also cotton warps. Carpets and products woven with this technique; It has created a usage area with its rich varieties such as side carpets, floor carpets, divan carpets, prayer rugs, carpet pillows, bags and saddlebags. The number of knots in one dm2 of Malatya carpets is around 700. The fringes of some of the carpets are straight, while some of them are braided. While the wool used was completely dyed with root dyes in the past, this dyeing has decreased today. It has been replaced by ready-made paints.

CIVIL ARCHITECTURE

Wood is the most used material after adobe in Malatya houses. The beams connecting the walls, interior and exterior joinery, floors, floors, windows, doors, stairs, cabinets are all made of wood. Iron is only used as a railing on doors, windows and overhead ventilation.

There is a "Selamlık Section" in the big houses of Malatya houses, which are usually called mansions.

This section is entered through the wide street door. This section is the guest room of the house and is large.

Today, traditional Malatya houses are rapidly disappearing. Especially the mansions are scattered in the “Beşkonaklar” and other neighborhoods on the Cinema Street. This feature has been preserved, albeit to a small extent, in the districts Yeşilyurt and Arapgir.

KITCHEN CULTURE

Malatya traditional houses have kitchen and pantry. The kitchen is usually in the north-facing direction of the house. The pantry is located either adjacent to the kitchen or in a downstairs section in two-storey houses. In the kitchen, there are containers in the shelves called “Kaplık” or “terek”. “Alık”s are lined up on one side of the kitchen or pantry. In the cellar, besides the food materials, there are dryers, excess goods, wheat and a sieve and sieve used for their sieving. The closet where the beds are located is located in this section. The stove is located in a convenient place where the kitchen is located. There is a hood one meter above the stove. Grain and winter food are stored in a cool place in the cellar. Pickles and jams are stored in bins and stored here. Winter meat roasts are pressed into tins and placed on the pans that are half a meter above the ground in the cellar.

Meals are eaten on trays placed on the table cloth laid on the ground.

Malatya culinary culture has a rich appearance and is generally mostly bulgur. Diversity of food is observed on special days such as celebrations, ceremonies, seeing a child, making vows. Kuymak (Herle) is taken to see the puerperant woman who gave birth.

When guests come to the house, during the week of Hıdırıllez, when a dream is seen, "Kömbe" is performed to wish good luck. In addition, foods such as “Hızır Kömbesi” and “Sehen Cutting” are made in Hıdırellez and distributed to at least seven neighbors. The types of meals in weddings are concentrated on three main types. These; It consists of meaty bulgur pilaf, tiritli dish and seasonal fruit, tzatziki and salad.

The meals given after the death are like the types of meals at weddings. This is given a general name, such as "can vaccine" or "forty food".

In addition to such dishes, "flour halvah" is also made. In cases such as starting a new job, buying something new for the house, throwing a belt, they continue the tradition by making köbbe and sacrificing a sacrifice to their neighbors.

Bread varieties hold an important place in the culinary culture. These; tandoori bread, phyllo bread, henna bread, taplama bread, flatbread, sour bread, honey bread, herb bread, pileke, doner, stone ashtray, handle, hair face, greasy bread, hair on…

Soups; lentil soup, roasted noodle-bulgur soup, tarhana soup, black soup, pitpiti soup, gendime soup, ear soup, döğme soup, rice soup, ayali soup, pirpirim soup, kelle-paça soup, sour soup, keşli soup, gurut soup, ashura soup, malhita soup etc. countable.

Meatballs; It has an important place in Malatya cuisine. The main ingredient is bulgur. It is known that there are more than 70 types of meatballs in Malatya. Some of the names are:

Ana and daughter, stuffed meatballs, sumac and sour meatballs, squeezed meatballs, apple meatballs, bulletproof meatballs, gilgirik meatballs, liver meatballs, poppy ball meatballs, bald meatballs, spinach stuffed meatballs, potato stuffed meatballs, zucchini pinch meatballs, tuber meatballs, egg-squeezed meatballs meatballs, pumpkin meatballs with yogurt, raw meatballs with meat, raw meatballs, raw meatballs with lentils, keloğlan meatballs, and bland eggplant meatballs can be counted.

Wrapping and stuffing: Mulberry leaves, zucchini, chard, lettuce wraps with olive oil, vine leaves, cherry leaves, bean leaf wraps, beet leaf wraps, onions stuffed, zucchini flowers can be counted.

Meat and vegetable-based Meals: Meat tiridi, skin graft, steamed, roasted skin, fried potatoes, fried beans, aubergine batter, boran imam fainted, roasted beetroot and vegetable dishes can be counted.

Jams-Syrups-Pickles: Apple, quince, pumpkin, strawberry, plum, rose etc. Jam is made from such species. Again, syrups are prepared from grapes such as cranberry, cherry, plum, rose. Moreover; Pickles are made from vegetables such as peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes. Mulberry halva, grape pulp, foam pulp, grape sausage, molasses, roasted cherries, cheese dessert, crazy girl's baklava, apricot dessert with cream, Arapgir's cheese halva, Halbur dessert, stuffed dessert, rice pudding and crocus rice pudding can be counted.

NOTE: You can find more information in the local food section.