A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY ON SOME VARIABLES IN TRADITIONAL ABA WRESTLING: GAZIANTEP EXAMPLE

Abstract

Cultural activities are important accumulations that strengthen the ties of being nation and state. Customs, traditions and norms coming from the depths of history are accepted as a cultural element. Turks who lives in many geographical regions of the world with a separate state identity or an element of ethnic nation have also performed cultural activities in competition form. Among these competitions, wrestling has always taken its place. Aba wrestling is performed as a sports branch from the oldest Turks until today. The aim of this study is to determine the perspectives of the traditional aba wrestling individuals in the changing and developing globalization process and the most effective factors in their participation in the sport. In the study, the literature was examined and the data obtained as a result of the survey method used in the research were evaluated with statistical analysis. The population of the research consists of athletes participating in competitions organized by the Traditional Sports Federation and local administrations in the province of Gaziantep. The sample of the study was applied with a random method and a 5-item Likert type questionnaire to 128 wrestlers from Gaziantep, Kahramanmaras, Hatay, Mersin, Osmaniye and other provinces. In this study, the opinions of 128 athletes who form the sample to the 22 statements stated in the survey were evaluated with percentage and frequency analysis.