Her milletin kendine özgü bir kültürü vardır. Halk kültürü bu özgün kimlikte önemli bir yere sahiptir. Sözlü ürünler ise halk kültürü içerisinde geçmişten günümüze varlığını sürdüren anonim ürünlerdir ve ne zaman ortaya çıktığı, ilk kim tarafından söylendiği bilinmemektedir. Kuşaktan kuşağa sözlü ortamlarda söylenerek gelecek kuşaklara aktarılmakta ve varlığını bu kültürel zenginlikle beslenerek devam ettirmektedir. Bilmeceler, sözlü ürünlerden olup bu kültürel hazinenin en önemli halk ürünlerinden biridir. Çünkü bilmecelerde halkın anlayış ve kavrayışını, parlak ve keskin zekâsını görmek mümkündür. Aynı zamanda bilmecelerde geçen kavramlar, her türlü varlığı algılayış şekli ve bilmecelerde sorulan her türlü unsur o toplumun kültürel geçmişinden de izler taşır. Her bilmece kendine özgü ortamlarda belli bir gelenek içerisinde sorulur. Bilmece sorma geleneği olarak adlandırılan bu geleneğin yaşatıldığı yörelerden biri de Çukurova'dır. Bilmecelerin kendine özgü bir icra edilişi, dolayısıyla bir geleneği vardır. Bu çalışmada Çukurova'daki bilmece sorma geleneği birçok bakımdan değerlendirilmiş; bilmece geleneğinin hangi mekânlarda yaşatıldığı, bilmecelerin çeşitli icra ortamlarında bir sorulma ve çözümleme yönteminin olduğu, ceza ve ödül motifleri içerdiği, birçok işleve sahip olduğu görülmüştür. Adana ve Osmaniye'nin ilçe ve köylerinde yaptığımız alan araştırmasında kaynak kişilerin verdikleri bilgiler doğrultusunda; Çukurova'da bilmece sorma geleneği, Çukurova bilmece sorma geleneğinin yaşatıldığı mekânlar, Çukurova bilmece sorma geleneğinde bilmecelerin sorulması ve çözümlenmesi, Çukurova bilmece sorma geleneğinde ceza-ödül motifi, Çukurova bilmece sorma geleneğinde amaç ve işlev başlıkları altında Çukurova bilmece sorma geleneği ortaya konulmaya çalışılmıştır

Each union has their own culture. Folklore has a significant place in this unique identity. Oral products are not known when and by whom on top of anonymous which have existed in folk culture from past to present. Oral products have been handed down future generations by telling in verbal occasions and oral products have continued their existence by taking advantage of this cultural wealth. Riddles are one of the most important folk products as a verbal product by reason of it is possible to see folk’s understanding and perspicacity in riddles. At the same time, the notions what are asked within riddles bear the stamp of cultural history and the perception of society. Each riddle is asked within specific tradition of it in unique occasion. One of the regions in which tradition -named as asking riddlemaintained is Çukurova. Riddles have their own perform, accordingly have their own tradition. In this study, tradition of asking riddle in Çukurova has been evaluated in many respects and it has been seen that the riddles have a method of asking and analysis; punishment and award motives and many functions. At the fieldwork, in the direction of information of sources people who live in villages and counties of Adana and Osmaniye, it has been put down to the fact under the title of asking riddle and its analysis; punishment-award motive in the tradition of asking riddle in Çukurova; performer and listener in the tradition of asking riddle in Çukurova, its expression place and time and its purpose and function Riddles have their own perform, accordingly have their own tradition. In this study, tradition of asking riddle in Çukurova has been evaluated in many respects and it has been seen that the riddles have a method of asking and analysis; punishment and award motives and many functions. At the fieldwork, in the direction of information of sources people who live in villages and counties of Adana and Osmaniye, it has been put down to the fact under the title of asking riddle and its analysis; punishment-award motive in the tradition of asking riddle in Çukurova; performer and listener in the tradition of asking riddle in Çukurova, its expression place and time and its purpose and function. Although field research on the riddles was conducted previously, there are very few studies on the tradition of asking riddles. It was usually briefly referred to asking riddle tradition while compiling them in the field research; but it was noticed that information did not cover all aspects of this tradition. We believe that addressing the tradition of asking riddles in Adana and Osmaniye areas widely in the frame work mentioned above will contribute to the further studies to be done after this study. In the study, methods and techniques of folklore were used. The method of compiling the materials through “Field research” was used. Written resources were used in building the theoretical substructure of the study. The material was evaluated by examining the non-periodicals and periodicals publications. After scanning the studies conducted previously and written resources on the subject, the questions to be asked to resource people were prepared. In the compilation, the techniques of observation, interview and questionnaire were implemented. We can say that the tradition of asking riddles in Çukurova was much more common in the past. We see the speed of cultural changes in the two decades that passed. Therefore, we can not say that this tradition is being carried on today as before. However, when the elders think of the past, they mention it longingly; they are call that their childhood passed in the happiness of warmer relations all together and asking riddles was a one of these amusing games. When we went on field research on riddles, while asking riddles to the people who got together at homes, we personally witnessed that a very amusing and warm atmosphere was created and how they enjoyed it when they asked riddles to oneanother. Riddles now take part in books with their teaching functions for children, so riddles remained in books; but people who lived in the time when the tradition of asking riddles was common, continue to keep riddles alive in their memories and ask riddles to oneanother when they gather on special days by remembering warm atmospheres in the past. There is no special time or environment to ask riddles in Çukurova. Riddles are asked in all places where people gather. According to the information we provide based on resource people, asking riddles in Çukurova is carried out usually in winter time when there is no electricity and meeting up at homes under the light of kerosene lamps. Other than that, women ask riddles while doing some work collaboratively like making bread, boiling bulgur and spinning wheel to ease their work. There is a unique method and tradition of asking riddles in Çukurova. The group of people that will be asked riddles is divided in two groups first and they gather around the people who are masters in asking riddles. The side trying to solve the riddle asks some questions to the others like ‘’Can it be eaten or drunk?”, “Is it organic or inorganic?’’ in order to get some tips. If the riddle can not be solved despite the tips, they start a bargain. The person who asks the riddle wants a city name from the otherside. In Çukurova, various rewards or punishments are given to the people who solve or don’t solve the riddles. They speak beforehand about what the reward or punishment will be. The aim of the tradition of asking riddles in Çukurova is usually having a good time and easing daily work that is done collaboratively. While asking riddle tradition in Çukurova was common in the past, today people are rapidly moving away from this tradition due to the changes in lifestyle, the advancement in technology and increasing recreational activities. In Çukurova, people getting together in the evenings, especially in rural areas,used to tell stories, tales, asking riddles to oneanother, meanwhile various food and drink used to be served. It is understood that the tradition of asking riddles in these environments took place in the oral tradition; but it is difficult to say that asking riddles tradition in Çukurova is the same as before due to the fact that previous environments and the reasons that bring people closer to oneanother are vanishing. Now only elder people who come from that tradition remember riddles. Even though the environments creating the traditions of asking riddles have vanished, those who remember and pass riddles sustain this oral culture products. While riddles used to be called “metel, mesel / stories, proverbs” in the old times in Çukurova, they are now commonly known as “bilmece / riddles’’. The places in Çukurova, where riddles were maintained, were usually formed in the daily lives, riddles became a source of amusement when people got together. Depending on the information supplied by the source people, there is no specific time to ask riddles and that they were asked while people did work collaboratively like boiling bulgur, spinning wheels, picking cotton, etc. at meetings held at homes, in folk amusements, at meetings with various purposes. There are specific rules in Çukurova, just like everywhere else, on how to ask and solve riddles. According to these rules, the riddles are asked in a tradition. People are split into two groups and they try to solve the riddles by asking questions like “Is it organic or inorganic?”, “Can they be eaten or drunk?” and getting the hints. Meanwhile, in order to make asking the riddle more interesting, we can see some items like handkerchiefs, sticks, etc. are used. This approach shows that asking riddles is not just an ordinary action but it has a particular method. The one who askes the riddle, asks the one who can not solve the riddle to donate a city that he finds valuable, these are usually major cities. So, donating cities is also common in this area. Saying rhymes before and during asking riddles also exists in the tradition of Çukurova asking riddles. Some rhymes are like introduction to asking the riddles, that is, the people who hear the rhyme will understand riddleswill be asked; some rhymes are said during asking the riddles and some words criticizing the one who can not solve the riddles are said. We can say that the reward-punishment motive in the tradition of Çukurova riddles asking is very zestful. Before asking riddles, what rewards or punishments will be given are talked about and determined before hand. We think that reward-punishment part at the end of the asking riddles must be the most exciting and most amusing part. Because who will get a reward or punishment becomes a race in the end. The functions and purpose of asking riddles tradition in Çukurova are amusing people, bringing them together and also they are important from the point of that they help oneanother during their dailywork. Consequently, asking riddles in Çukurova takes place in a specific way and a unique tradition. In this study, we tried to put forth this tradition with all its aspects. If other studies to be done in other fields regarding asking riddles are done and made a part of the science world, we think they will be a source for the comparative studies.