Yağlı Güreş (IPA:[jɑ:lɯ ɟyrεʃ]) is the Turkish national sport. It is commonly known as oil wrestling (sometimes as grease wrestling) because the wrestlers douse themselves with olive oil. It is related to Uzbek Kurash and to Tatar Köräş. The wrestlers, known as pehlivan, meaning hero, wear a type of hand-stitched lederhosen called kisbet (sometimes kispet), which were traditionally made of water buffalo hide, but now also of calf leather.
Unlike Olympic wrestling, oil wrestling matches may be won by achieving an effective hold of the kisbet. Thus, the pehlivan aims to control his opponent by putting his arm through the latter's kisbet.
To win by this move is called paça kazık. Originally, matches had no set duration and could go on for one or two days, until one man was able to establish superiority, but in 1975 the duration was capped at 40 minutes for the baspehlivan and 30 minutes for the pehlivan category.
If no winner is determined, another 15 minutes—10 minutes for the pehlivan category—of wrestling ensues, wherein scores are kept to determine the victor.
The annual Kırkpınar tournament, held in Edirne in Turkish Thrace since 1362, is the oldest continuously running, sanctioned sporting competition in the world. In recent years this style of wrestling has also become popular in other countries, most notably the Netherlands and Japan.
History: The earliest depictions of wrestling are found in the Beni Hasan Temple in Egypt. The sport of oil wrestling dates back to 2650 BC in Egypt and Assyria. The foremost olympic sport in ancient Greece was wrestling. As depicted on numerous illustrations, the wrestlers used to compete completely naked. Olympic athletes greased themselves with olive oil, probably to protect their skin from the Agean sun.
Turks on the other hand knew neither the olympic wrestling (which is Greco-Roman meaning legs are not involved) nor olive oil because they were nomadic land people from central Asia. However Turks wrestled free style and considered it a national sport. Turkish wrestlers had started covering themselves according to the Islamic law (between the navel and the knees) after the 10th century. When the ancient Turkish freestyle wrestling met the ancient Greco-Roman olympic oil wrestling, a new wrestling style was born: Traditional Turkish Oil Wrestling.
Freestyle and the leather clothing came from traditional Turkish wrestling called "karakucak" (literally means black lap), olive oil came from the ancient olympic wrestling and most of the wrestling terms from Farsi. In the Ottoman Empire, wrestlers learned the art in special schools called tekke, which were not merely athletic centres, but also spiritual centres, similar to those attended by the Japanese Sumo wrestlers, where it was taught that man is not just matter, but also spirit.
These centers bear a striking resemblance to the Zurkhanes of Iran. This could explain the abundance of Farsi terms in oil wrestling. Since competition without the harmony of matter and spirit would be detrimental to the development of good character, wrestlers oil one another prior to matches as a demonstration of balance and mutual respect. Equally, if a younger man should defeat an older man, he kisses the latter's hand (A sign of respect for elders in Turkey, similar to a Japanese bow).
Matches are held all over Turkey throughout the year, but in early summer the wrestlers gather in Kırkpınar for the annual three-day wrestling tournament to determine who will be the baspehlivan (chief hero) of Turkey. Every year, around 1000 wrestlers attend the tournament. Ottoman chroniclers and writers attest that the Kırkpınar Games have been held every year since 1362, making them the world's oldest continually sanctioned sporting competition. Only about 70 times were the Games cancelled. The matches have been held there since 1924, where they were moved after the Balkan War. The original site had been some 35 kilometres distant.
Kırkpınar, on the outskirts of Edirne (the second capital of the Ottoman Empire until the fall of Constantinople in 1453), was once the site of the summer hunting palace of the Ottoman Sultan.
There are some organized competitions outside Turkey, prominent among which is the Royal Dutch Power Sport Federation (KNKF Koninklijke Nederlandse Krachtsport en Fitnessfederatie) in the Netherlands.
Famous Wrestlers (Pehlivans):
1861-1886 Gaddar Kel Aliço
"Ruthless Bald Alico" (born
1845 - died 1922), champion for 26
years, left the sport after a defeat by
Koca Yusuf and became the coach of Adali
Halil.
1887 Koca Yusuf of Sumnu / Aliço
apprentice (b. 1857 Sumnu, near
Deliorman Bulgaria - d. 4th of June
1898) defeated in 1885 Kel Alico at the
Edirne Kırkpınar and got the
Gold Belt. Champion for 18 years. He
defeated all the wrestling champions in
Europe and went to America to defeat
Robert the Champion of America, becoming
the Universal Champion of wrestling on
the 21st of May 1898. Finally, in
Chicago, Yusuf quickly defeated the
famous Ed Lewis.
1888 Adalı Halil Pehlivan / Aliço
apprentice (b. 1871 Kilise Köy,Greece -
d.1926 Edirne) was buried on the special
erected Pehlivan Cemetery. At the
beginning of the Edirne Kırkpınar
all wrestlers and officials go to his
grave for a ceremonial prayer.
Yusuf Pehlivan of Geçkin
1914 Hergeleci İbrahim (b. 1848
in Islopol Razgrad - d. 1915), nicknamed
Hergeleci as he was a trainer of wild
horses, defeated Adali Halil at the
Edirne Kırkpınar and became
the coach of Koca Yusuf. In Paris,
France, he wrestled with Yusuf. The
match was interrupted and never
completed.
Kara Murat of Çömlek Village
Molla İzzet of Silivri
Nakkaş Eyüp of Çatalca (b.
Kestanelik Village near Catalca) was
nicknamed Nakkas (miniaturist) because
he was very careful while wrestling, so
it was commonly said his style is that
of a miniaturist.
Yenici Mehmet
Mahmut of Kızılcık (b.
1878 Kizilcik near Dobruca, Romania - d.
1931 Eskişehir, Turkey)
After oilwrestling-fame of being Champion
at the Edirne Kırkpınar he went to
Paris where he stood undefeated after 27
wrestling matches. His fame spread around
the World and Kizilcikli Mahmut won all the
wrestling matches he fought in the USA in
the years 1908, 1909, 1919 and 1922. His
legendary strength is still remembered in
Romania.
Mehmet of Kurtdere (b. 1864 in
Deliorman, Bulgaria)- d.1939 Balıkesir,
Turkey) wrestled with all famous
wrestlers of his time and was very
famous. He traveled to France, Great
Britain, The Netherlands and the USA but
was never defeated.
Çolak Mümin Molla ( b.1873 Kavala,
Greece - d.1915) became famous after he
defeated Adali Halil. There are
conflicting stories about this hero of
the Edirne Kırkpınar. Mumin
was called Colak for having one arm
missing (or paralyzed).
Suyolcu Mehmet
Benli Badullah First Champion of the
Turkish Republic Era, in 1924
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