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Baste in the Glory of a 650-Year-Old Tradition at the Kirkpinar Oil Wrestling Festival
Published on January 18, 2012 by Moneera Mellick, Writer
Country: Turkey 
The Experience
In the far northwest Turkish province of Edirne, it’s over 40 degrees at the height of summer, leaving competitors of the Kirkpinar Oil Wrestling Festival, as well as the crowd, sobered by the heat. The ancient Ottoman drums beat slowly at first, and the sound mimics the heart rhythms of the two remaining wrestlers (Pehlivans) who are leaning brow to brow in a defiant arch. They are dripping in olive oil; naked save for a pair of water buffalo leather pants (kispet).
On the spacious grassy arena, apply named “Field of the Brave,” the Kirkpinar Oil wrestlers occupy a small patch under the forgiving shade of an enormous Turkish flag. They begin, tactfully and swiftly, reaching for their opponents undergarments. Then, all at once, one wrestler is thrown onto his back, the other becomes a national hero, and the roar of 650 years of tradition fills the stadium.
Kirkpinar means “Forty Springs,” and draws its name from an old Ottoman tale of two brothers. Among 40 warriors sent to capture Rumelia in the 14th Century, one day the brothers began to wrestle each other between victories. After two days, neither brother could be defeated, and they died of exhaustion and were buried at the site under a fig tree. Years later, several great springs appeared there, and thus sprouted the tradition of Kirkpinar Oil Wrestling.
With its deep roots in the proud history and traditions of Turkey, Kirkpinar has been placed on the UNESCO Intangible Heritage of Humanity list. The three-day Kirkpinar Oil Wrestling Festival continues to this day as the oldest wrestling contest in the world. But thankfully it now has an enforced time limit of 40 minutes.
Each Kirkpinar Oil Wrestling match begins with a ritual of greasing the wrestlers, followed by exaggerated slow-motion marching, and stooped prayer-like prostrations. Whilst the oil-groping wrestlers can initially be awkward for new crowd members, they will soon get over this, and the sudden conclusion to the match comes with the defeated wrestler belly up.
The prized 14-carat “Golden Belt” is gifted to champions. With two wins already under his Kisbet, reigning champion Mehmet Yesil was knocked out in 2011. The crowning of his successor would have likely roused spirits from the original Ottoman legend. Hailing from Turkey’s southern reaches of Antalya, Ali Gurbuz only rose to glory after enduring a finale which drew deep into overtime. Mr Gurbuz was thrown onto the shoulders of an army of fellow warriors. From the stadium and beyond, you could hear his moment of victory as the 40-piece Ottoman band drummed in exhilaration.
On the spacious grassy arena, apply named “Field of the Brave,” the Kirkpinar Oil wrestlers occupy a small patch under the forgiving shade of an enormous Turkish flag. They begin, tactfully and swiftly, reaching for their opponents undergarments. Then, all at once, one wrestler is thrown onto his back, the other becomes a national hero, and the roar of 650 years of tradition fills the stadium.
Kirkpinar means “Forty Springs,” and draws its name from an old Ottoman tale of two brothers. Among 40 warriors sent to capture Rumelia in the 14th Century, one day the brothers began to wrestle each other between victories. After two days, neither brother could be defeated, and they died of exhaustion and were buried at the site under a fig tree. Years later, several great springs appeared there, and thus sprouted the tradition of Kirkpinar Oil Wrestling.
With its deep roots in the proud history and traditions of Turkey, Kirkpinar has been placed on the UNESCO Intangible Heritage of Humanity list. The three-day Kirkpinar Oil Wrestling Festival continues to this day as the oldest wrestling contest in the world. But thankfully it now has an enforced time limit of 40 minutes.
Each Kirkpinar Oil Wrestling match begins with a ritual of greasing the wrestlers, followed by exaggerated slow-motion marching, and stooped prayer-like prostrations. Whilst the oil-groping wrestlers can initially be awkward for new crowd members, they will soon get over this, and the sudden conclusion to the match comes with the defeated wrestler belly up.
The prized 14-carat “Golden Belt” is gifted to champions. With two wins already under his Kisbet, reigning champion Mehmet Yesil was knocked out in 2011. The crowning of his successor would have likely roused spirits from the original Ottoman legend. Hailing from Turkey’s southern reaches of Antalya, Ali Gurbuz only rose to glory after enduring a finale which drew deep into overtime. Mr Gurbuz was thrown onto the shoulders of an army of fellow warriors. From the stadium and beyond, you could hear his moment of victory as the 40-piece Ottoman band drummed in exhilaration.
When to Go to Kirkpinar Oil Wrestling Festival
The Kirkpinar Oil Wrestling Festival is held annually over several days, usually in late spring or early summer. With the exact dates differing from year to year, it is easy to be lead astray by inaccurate traveller forums, lazy travel agents, and an “official” website that has not been updated in several years. It is therefore best to contact the Edirne Tourist Information Office (Turizm Danışma Bürosu), Hürriyet Meydanı 17, ☎ +90 284 213-92-08 (edirnetourisminformation@gmail.com, fax: +90 284 213-92-08). Biletix is also a helpful resource for dates and ticketing information: http://web03.biletix.com/anasayfa/TURKIYE/tr. Tickets cost 60-90TL.
Odds n' Ends
The easiest way to reach Edirne is by bus from Istanbul’s main bus terminal (Buyuk Otogar). From there, bus tickets are sold from the various operator outlets, at a cost of 20TL. Buses depart about every 30 minutes, and the pleasant trip takes 2.5 hours. Upon arriving at Edirne’s main bus terminal, catch the free shuttle to the city centre, and then take a taxi to the Kirkpinar Oil Wrestling Festival site at Sarayici Stadium. It is worth staying overnight in Edirne as the city houses a wealth of attractions, and is a long day trip from Istanbul.
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