Turkish Oil Wrestling
In Turkey, oil wrestling is an ancient sport. The wrestlers wear tight short leather trousers called “Kispet”, made of water buffalo leather weighing approximately 13 kilograms (29 pounds), and they cover themselves with olive oil. Matches take place throughout the country but the most famous and most important tournament takes place in Edirne at the end of June and beginning of July, or at the end of July, every year. In 2020, it was canceled due to coronavirus threat, but actually finally took place in 2021 this time when Mr. Ali Gurbuz won the final match and holds the title of “bas pehlivan”. It’s a big fair as well with music and celebrations and it goes on until the morning. Usually lamb roast is a very popular food.
History of Turkish Oil Wrestling
The sport of oil wrestling emerged in the 1100s BC in Persia, when the legendary wrestler Rostam saved his country from the evil forces. The Persian term for a wrestler is “pehlivan,” which was first used by Parthian–who expelled the Greeks from Iran –to describe wrestlers. With the first arrival of Islam in Asia Minor, spirituality and philosophy became part of the physical garment of a pehlivan; Turkish oil wrestling also became established as a sport on its own during a campaign by Ottoman Sultan Orhan Gazi to capture Rumeli (Thrace). During this time they captured forts on what is now the Turkish/Greek/Bulgarian border and started wrestling for fun. After an exhausting wrestle, both men died and their friends buried them under a fig tree. Kirkpinar, meaning “40 springs,” was named after two of those friends that wrestled for hours under this tree without victory. When decades later soldiers returned to see if anything had changed since burying their friends, they noticed 40 springs had sprung up at the site; thereafter, people started organizing a tournament annually held at Kirkpinar in Edirne Province. This city served as the capital of the Ottoman Empire for 91 years and continues today to be home.
Winner prizes
The winner of the Edirne Kırpınar wrestling competition receives $100,000 USD. The wrestler that manages to win three consecutive Turkish National Championship “Baspehlivan” awards receives a 14-carat golden belt, weighing 1.5 kilograms, along with cash and gold award prizes. Companies or banks also give sportsmen awards just for appearing in advertisements with their logos. The Edirne Municipality both gives cash and gold prizes to the three winners and pays for athletes’ travel tickets, which are called “yolluk” (road).
Chain of Turkish Oil Wrestlers
Through a traditional Turkish upbringing, each wrestler needs an apprentice. The master of the art will teach and train them in the process of oil wrestling. After the master retires and their apprentices take their place, they stand in competitions such as Kirkpinar to see who is truly the best. A wrestler can get into different weight classes but they must have succeeded in lower levels before they are allowed to compete.
Role of Kispet
In Olympic Wrestling, holding the wrestling suit is regarded as a foul. In oil wrestling, most games are made on the kispet. The wrestlers try to put their hands go through the kispet of their opponents as much as possible. To a well-tied kispet, it is impossible to put a hand or arm through. The pehlivan who can achieve putting his hand through his opponent’s kispet can control him this way and hold from the lower end of his pants in Pacca (a type of garment). This way he can beat his opponent with the game called Paca Kazik and if they are younger they would kiss the older wrestler’s hand.
How long an Oil Wrestling tournament lasts?
The ancient sport of wrestling in Turkey was once limited only by the sun. Wrestlers would wrestle for days with no time limit, and those who were unable to distinguish themselves would go on to the next day. In 1975, wrestling tournaments were limited down to 40 minutes for bas pehlivan category. If there is a winner within these limits, then the two wrestlers will continue for 7 minutes without a score recorded. Winners at this last stage are determined by scoring points during the last 7 minutes (golden point). Other categories are restricted to 30 minutes, and when there is a tie during the last 7 minutes of wresting, the first wrestler who scores a point wins. In order to combat doping, in 1999 doping control was introduced during Kirkpinar.
On the last day of Kirkpinar, the Turkish president arrives on location to watch the finals. The person who is victorious receives a prize from the President, their sponsor, and the mayor.
Aga Ceremony
There’s a traditional Aga ceremony at the end of every Kirkpinar tournament. Where the Tournament Chairperson is voted in as the “Aga” for the event the following year. The festival includes sponsors that bid on a ram, which has markings on it so that means one of them can win by bidding higher than any of the others. There are various festivities going on such as hosting celebrities and providing housing for athletes.
These wrestlers were head of wrestling for the Ottoman Sultan Abdulaziz: Alico, Kavasoglu Ibrahim the Great, Samdancibasi Kara Ibo. Sultan Abdulaziz took them on his trip to Europe and England. They wrestled around the world, from Europe all the way to America. One, Kara Ahmet, even won a world champion title in Paris in 1899.
