The Cultural Diversity of Cumra

Cumra, located in Konya, is a district known for its natural beauty, fertile agricultural lands, and friendly people. It is said that two key factors played a role in Cumra being recognized as Turkey's first modern urban example when it gained district status in 1926. Today, the center of Cumra has a larger settlement area than some mid-sized provincial capitals.

Over time, settlers from various regions brought their own cultures to Cumra. Although their clothing, belongings, traditions, and customs differed, their shared cultural values came together, creating a unique social structure based on strong solidarity.

This fusion of cultures also enriched Cumra's cuisine. In addition to dishes like Bulgur pilaf with boiled meat and black pepper, typical of the Dağlılar (mountain people) and Ovalılar (lowlanders), there are other traditional foods such as arabaşı (especially made with rabbit meat), mıkla, gaygana, papara, sarma (stuffed vine leaves), sütlü çorba (milk soup), övme, topalak, sacarası, mantı, and höşmerim.

There are also regional dishes specific to Turkmen and Yörük cultures, including şirli, kakaç, göçe (keşkek), tutmaç, and bükme. Additionally, a sweet called taptapı, made with molasses, butter, and flour, is quite famous in the mountain villages.

Since around 7000 BC, Cumra and its surroundings have been home to various settlements. The most significant prehistoric site in the region is the world-renowned Çatalhöyük.

There are also many mounds dating back to the Neolithic and later periods, including Abditolu, Alibeyhüyüğü, Dedemoğlu, İçeri Cumra, Karahüyük, Karkın, Küçükköy, Seyithan, Sırçalı, and Uçhüyük. While there are no historical artifacts from the Seljuk period in the area, mosques and bridges from the Karamanid period can still be found.