Open Access

Keten Halva in the context of intangible cultural heritage: A qualitative study on production process, cultural significance, and sustainability

1 Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts, Istanbul Medeniyet University, Istanbul, 34956, Türkiye ROR

Abstract

This study was conducted in response to the need to document the tradition of keten halva, which is gradually disappearing today. The aim of the research is to reveal the production process and cultural significance of keten halva, a traditional product that has survived from the Ottoman period to the present day. The study was carried out with 20 participants living in Akçahalil/Tekirdağ who are knowledgeable about the production practice of keten halva. In the research, a semi-structured interview technique was used as a data collection tool, and the production process was also examined on-site through participant observation. The data were collected through face-to-face interviews, and analyzed using content analysis. As a result of the analysis, four main categories were identified: production process, cultural context, mode of transmission, and the reasons for the decline of the tradition. The findings indicate that keten halva is a cultural practice based on collective production and sustained through oral transmission; however, it is at risk of disappearing due to the weakening of intergenerational transmission. In conclusion, in addition to its existing registration in the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Türkiye, it is considered necessary to support practice-based transmission environments and strengthen intergenerational interaction to ensure the sustainability of the keten halva tradition.

Keywords

How to Cite

Dogu Baykut, E. (2026). Keten Halva in the context of intangible cultural heritage: A qualitative study on production process, cultural significance, and sustainability. International Journal of Eurasia Social Sciences, 17(64), 667–678. https://doi.org/10.70736/ijoess.2354

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