fields of glory
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Yagli Gures - the most famous and historic Turkish athletic tradition that dates back to the Ottoaman Empire takes place at the beginning of each summer as part of Kirkpinar - in the city of Edirne, in Northwest Turkey. Edirne has witnessed a rich cultural history, and was the capital of the Ottoman Empire until 1453. Yagli Gures literally means ‘oiled wrestling’. It is the focal point of the Kirkpinar festival and in 2011 it marked the 650th year anniversary.

Every year, about 1,200 wrestlers attend the competition and wrestle in different categories of skill with ages ranging from boys to men in their late 50’s. The wrestlers wear tight, short leather trousers called ‘Kispet’, made of buffalo leather weighing approximately 30 pounds, and they cover themselves entirely with olive oil. The olive oil the wrestlers rub on their bodies before a match is a fundamental element to the sport, and holds religious significance. The oil represents the spiritual being within Man and serves as a reminder of the importance of spiritual balance during the match. Wrestling without the oil and therefore without the spiritual relationship is considered harmful for the improvement of the human character.

The wrestlers train for this competition for an entire year. To win a match, you must throw your opponent onto your back, which is an almost impossible task given the amount of olive oil that is used. The winner’s prize is a 24K gold belt, which is only given to a wrestler if he wins the competition three years in a row.

As a native of Turkey, I have been fascinated by Kirkpinar, the longest sanctioned sporting competition in the world and recently, UNESCO has recognized this tradition as one of the intangible cultural heritages of the world.