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“OUR COMMON EUROPEAN ROOTS” COMENIUS PROJECT

ANCIENT TURKISH SPORTS AND GAMES

ANCIENT TURKISH

SPORTS

Turkey is one of the rare countries in the world which has an article related to sports in her Constitution. Article 59 of the Constitution says, "The State takes measures to develop the physical and mental health of Turkish citizens of all ages and encourages the spread of sports among the masses.’’

Our Great Leader MUSTAFA KEMAL ATATÜRK says

“I like sportsmen who are smart, agile and also well-behaved”

The Kırkpınar Oil WrestlingThe Kirkpinar oil wrestling festival takes place in Edirne, Turkey. Thousands of people from different age groups, cultures and regions travel every year to see Pehlivan (wrestlers) fight for the Kirkpinar Golden Belt and the title of Chief Pehlivan. The golden belt is carried through the city in a procession, followed by prayers recited in the Selimiye Mosque. Next, the oil man oils the wrestlers assisted by the towel holder, before the warm-up exercises and greetings. The wrestlers each wear kispet, thick trousers made of water buffalo or cow leather. As the wrestling takes place, the drum and shawm bands play the traditional repertoire of the festival. Kirkpinar oil wrestling is open to people from all cultures, regions and ages without discrimination between religion, language or race. Pehlivans are considered exemplary figures in society with attributes such as generosity, honesty, respectfulness and adherence to traditions and customs. All Pehlivans are trained in the master-apprentice tradition.

CiritCirit, is a traditional game which has been played by Turks for many centuries. Turks brought this horse-riding game with them in their journey from Central Asia to Anatolia . For Turks, the horse was both sacred and indispensable. All the days of their lives were spent in the company of horses.

Yet to this day, almost everywhere around the country, young men in villages continue to play Cirit on the occasions of weddings and holidays. This sport, along with wrestling, continues to be a contest of bravery in all corners of Turkey . The zurna, a reed instrument something like an oboe, is played along with drums at the Cirit field to grab people’s attention.

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Turkish ArcheryThere were several kinds of sportive archery contests in Ottoman. The foremost contest was long distance shooting. It was a fact that Ottoman archers had been shooting to tremendous distances. Turkish target called "puta". Leather bag stuffed with sawdust or cotton seed.(Military Museum, Istanbul).The feathers and the forms of those arrows were suitable for target shooting and arrow points in form of olive stones as it is used today were common.

 

Puta

MANGALA Numbers of participants : 2 players

Materials : Mancala board (i.e., 2 rows of 6 or 7 pits

Rules of the game:

At game setup, 5 pieces are placed in each pit. At his or her turn, the player takes all the pieces from one of his or her pits and drops them one at a time into the following pits counterclockwise. If the last piece in a distribution is dropped in a pit that contains 1 or 3 pieces (2 or 4 with the one just dropped), all those pieces are captured by the player. Also, if there is a continuous line of pits with either 2 or 4 pieces before the one where the capture has occurred, all the seeds in those pits are captured as well. Players may capture on either side of the board. The game ends when all the pits are empty. The player who captured most pieces wins the game.

Traditional Turkish Children’s Games

SAKLAMBAÇ (HIDE AND SEEK)

Numbers of participants : Min.5 players

Rules of the game :

One is chosen as "ebe" means the person who is on duty. Ebe turns to the wall and starts to count up to fifty. Others try to hide himself or herself as soon as possible. After counting, ebe says "okay!". And starts to see the other persons. If ebe sees someone and says his or her name and adds "sobe" aloud, put his or her hand on the wall. Others try to say "sobe" and put his or her hand on the wall without being seen by ebe. The person to be seen and be said his or her name aloud becomes new ebe. Then new ebe is on duty. The game starts again. This goes on and on and on.

Drop The Handkerchief

Numbers of participants : Min.5 players

Materials : Handkerchief

Rules of the game :

A children's game in which all the players but one stand in a circle facing inward, while that one player stealthily drops a handkerchief behind  a player in the circle who must pursue and attempt to catch the one who dropped the handkerchief before the latter reaches the vacated place.

BLIND MAN’S BUFF

Numbers of participants : Min.5 players

Materials : Scarf

Rules of the game : Eyes of the player has tied up with a cloth or a handkerchief. Enough secured that the player can’ t see anywhere and nobody; everybody walk and touch by circling the player. Blind Man tries to catch them, if he/she catches one of them, he/she tries to recognize and tells the name by touching the face–arms and body. If he/she tells the a wrong name, he/she continues to be the Blind Man, if tells the right name, the caught one becomes the new Blind Man in this case.

HOPSCOTCH Numbers of participants : Min.2 players

Materials : Chalk , stone

Rules of the game : As it is played on one foot, the name of it is Hopscotch.

Squares or circles are drawn on the floor/ground with chalk. Lines are drawn in joined shape. Numbers are written in the squares/circles from 1 to 8 in general. Player places the slider disc on to the first square/circle as not to place it on the line and without stepping on the dics’ section, continues on tripping up to the 8TH section. After reaching to the 8TH square/circle, the player stands on this two feet. Later on the player turns back and goes to the beginning doing the same. When the player comes to the 2 ND square/circle, kneels down on his/her single foot and takes the disc from the first square/circle and trips over the first square/circle without stepping on it. Play goes in the same routine from 1 to 8 and in the second run played vice versa.

NINE STONES

Numbers of participants : 8 - 10 players

Materials : Stones , a ball

Rules of the game : Played with 8–10 players.

Firstly two groups are formed. Each group consists of 4–5 players. Then normal weighed stones – generally small marble stones are used – are set up overlapping. Player chosen the midwife tries to knock over the stones with a ball from a certain distance. Midwife has to run away as soon he/she knocks down the stones. The ball this time is on the hands of the other group and this group tries the stones not to be overlapped by midwife his/her group. When midwife and his/her group completes the overlap of the stones without knocking by the ball, they beat the other team 1 to 0.

MERCHANT ; OPEN THE DOOR Numbers of participants : 6 - 10 players

Materials : Chalk

Rules of the game : Two players choose code names for themselves. Then faced with each other and grasp hands in order to form the door of the play. Other players make a row. By saying “Merchant; open the door” they walk through the midwives. Midwives hold their hands and let the player go in, whisper their code names to the eyes of the player, ask to choose one of it. By told code names randomly, each midwife forms his/her team. This continues until the last player. Soon a line is drawn on the floor/ground, each team takes their place. All the players grasp with each other from their waists. First players hold hands by placing their foot on the line, and the groups begin to fetch each other. When a group fetches the other to their line, they win.

SNAP UP CORNERNumbers of participants : 4 – 6 players

Materials : Corners

Rules of the game :

As places like streets, outer doors of the buildings, two trees or window sides are more opulent; it is especially played at the streets. “Snap Up Corner” is played with a few people. Midwife stands more than in the middle compared with the players. Players try to change their places with each other in order to avoid from caught by the midwife. Player who has caught by midwife during this place interchange, looses his/her spot/corner and becomes the midwife. Players pretend that they are changing their spots/corners in order to cheat the midwife. This play is very entertaining.

TISSUE SNATCH Numbers of participants : 10 players

Materials : A tissue , chalk

Rules of the game :

Tissue Snatch is played between the two groups having equal amount of players. Teams, leaving 20 – 25 meters of distance in between, line in parties. 50 cm diameter of a circle is drawn in the middle of the distance and a tissue or another material is put on the middle of the circle. A referee or a captain is choosen. This referee/captain could stand in the mid of the circle and handle the tissue/material. When the referee/captain shouts like “fifths”, the fifth players of the teams run to snatch the tissue/material, the player who gets the tissue/material runs away and the other tries to catch him/her. If tissue/material snatched player returns to team without caught by the other player, makes the team win 1 point. It the other player catches the tissue/material snatched player, his/her team looses 1 point. Upon the tissue/material snatched player’ s return to team without being caught, referee/captain shouts another number and the play goes on. The more point gained team wins the play.

BALL STRUCK Numbers of participants : Min. 6 players

Materials : A ball

Rules of the game :

Two player from the first team exchangingly places by line in order to hit the opposing team’ s players with the ball. Aim of the ball shooter team players is to hit the opposing players while they try to escape from a ball hit. If one of the opposing player is hit by ball, he/she becomes the sideliner. If ball throwing team could hit all players of the opposing team, they have got the right to play in–line, if they don’ t they continue on as bthe ball thrower team. (P. S. If the players of in–line team could be able to catch the thrown ball without dropping it on the ground/floor, they won a soul. They continue to be in–line player as they won more souls by catching the ball.)

İSTOPNumbers of participants : Min. 3 players

Materials : A ball

Rules of the game :

This is a play that is played at outer places at good weather with three or more players as girls and boys together. If the number of players could be more the play becomes more enjoyable. Every player chooses a nickname for him/herself or take their role in the play with their own names. Midwife takes the mid place and throws the ball to the air and says the name of one player. Name’ s told player tries to catch the thrown ball. As soon he/she catches the ball yields “İSTOP”. Meanwhile the other players try to run as far as they can. But at the time ball master says “İSTOP”, all the other stop and stay where they are. The holder of the ball tries to beat the nearest player with the ball. Stopped players would not make any move. If the he/she hits, the beated player becomes midwife and throws the ball to air. If he/she could not hit, midwife role continues and by throwing the ball through air, the play continues.

GYROSCOPE

Numbers of participants : Min. 2 players

Materials : A gyroscope

Rules of the game :

It is made of wood in the form of an ellipse with a sharp tip. Rope is wrapped around a spinning top. One end of the rope is connected to the finger. Players toss it as quickly as possible. The winner is the one who spins the gyropcope long time. Few people can play the game at the same time. Gyroscope is adapted to the present day as Byblade.

STRING GAMENumbers of participants : Min. 2 players

Materials :

Rules of the game :

Two players sit opposite. One of the players, the rope passes as aesthetic cross between her fingers. Then the other player gets his hand without disturbing the shape of the rope with similar motion and makes a new way. Fingers need to be very careful, otherwise you will be confused.

MARBLE GAMENumbers of participants : Min. 2 players

Materials :

Rules of the game : The classic game of marbles tests patience, skill and hand-eye coordination. Although traditionally a children's game, marbles can be a great way to pass the time for adults who don't mind getting their knees a little dusty. The basic game is simple, but there are many variations on its rules.

JUMPING ROPENumbers of participants : Min. 2 players

Materials :

Rules of the game :

Jump rope game is a game for two or more children . Playing alone player gets two ends of the rope to a hand. Throws the rope back. Stopped until the wrist so that the feet of rope, the rope passes over the head forward and turning jumps over the rope as he drove toward the feet.

Leap Frog, Birdir Bir

One of the most common names in Turkey for Leapfrog is Uzun Ejek, meaning "long donkey." Not only in some parts of England is it Donkey, Jump the Long Horse, or Jump the Long Mare, but in other countries it has similar names too: in Germany Das lange Ross, in Italy II cavallo lungo, both meaning "long horse," in Belgium it is Le plus fort cheval, "the strongest horse.”