Gök Tanri’nin Temsilcileri: Koruyucu Kuşlar
Represents of Sky God: Protective Birds

Summary/Abstract: In the “20. International Museums Conference” organized by UNESCO and firstly arranged in Asia; Sotdae (protective bird) is chosen as the official symbol. In the Turkish Mythology, bird is one of the important figures. It is found that the bird figure is rather common in various remnants and foundlings in the living areas of Turkish people in Central Asia. A connection is built between “Sky God” belief which takes place in the religious beliefs of Central Asian Turkish countries and tribes and the meaning of the bird. Because the birds are flying in the sky, they have been seen as the represent of God and protective soul. Turkish tribes in Central Asia had erected a long stick in the areas they live and they put a bird which is chiseled from wood on the top of this stick and they believed that this protects the village. In the South Korean Mythology, the protective bird is also based before Buddhism period. The belief that the birds are protective is related with Shamanism. Those mythological birds represented a sky god or goddess on the legendary life trees. The Korean folk had built Sotdae since Three Kingdom (from B.C. 57 to A.D. 668). In the entrance of their villages, there are long wooden columns on which there are bird statues. These birds are the Sotdaes which protects the villagers, and delivers the peace and presence adjurations as an ambassador to the God. The place of this protective bird in Turkish culture and South Korean culture which has a great importance in Turkish culture and mentioned by different names; their effect on humans life, keeping alive them today and its application area in terms of “Practical Folklore and Mythology” is examined.

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