The Camel Handlers

Camel wrestling has been a spectator sport in Turkey for more than 200 years. It’s said to have originated as a competition between the owners of the camel caravans laden with precious goods that slowly moved across Anatolia and beyond. Bred especially for this sport, the camels’ names can be given by their owners, inspired by their behavior in matches, or even reflect popular TV characters, like the American detective “Columbo.” Held in the winter months, these tournaments are often fundraisers for educational, health, cultural, sports, or social welfare organizations.

Here we see several handlers relaxing just opposite Arif’s home-studio, in the teahouse where he routinely observed daily life in Ayvalik’s At Arabacilari Meydani (Horse-cart Drivers Square). A camel gaily bedecked for a tournament can be seen through the window—a detail Arif provides us to identify these fellows.