Last week, my housemate and I did a spot of travelling along the Mediterranean coast of Turkey during the half-term holidays. Our first stop was to the tourist centre of Bodrum in the south. We stayed with a couchsurfer named Cemil, who put us up in the four-star hotel he managed. While we were there, our host proved to be a great source of local information and after mentioning my disappointment at missing out on experiencing the big camel wrestling festival the week previous, Cemil did a quick search and discovered a smaller event taking place that weekend.
Camel wrestling may sound like a ridiculous idea dreamt up by drunken fools, but it is in fact a legitimate activity among rural Turks during the winter months. As winter is the traditional mating season for camels, the males tend to be more aggressive at this time. Naturally, these randy beasts would fight among themselves in order to impress any females nearby. The camel breeders of Turkey turned this into a sport, though without the fight to the death that would occur in nature. Instead, a ring of referees surround the two competitors, ready to pull them apart before any damage could be done. Afterall, the 'athletes' are a primary source of income for most of the owners. In order to judge the contest, the umpires decide the outcome using a series of accepted 'moves' a camel can make. I have no idea what these could possibly be, so I could only watch in bemusement.
Apart from the camel meat kebabs that were served up ringside (very tasty, I have to say), which must have been a little distressing for the camels to walk past, the whole event was surprisingly animal cruelty free. That is not always the case, unfortunately, but I always find it difficult to impose 'western' morals upon other cultures. Hunting for sport is still possible in most European and North American countries, so it would be hypocritical to be critical, especially when in Asia these activities are part of the customs and the way of life.
In Kyrgyzstan, for example, my colleagues and I went on a hunt with a local and his eagle. On horseback we trekked through the hills and valleys near our guide's village. We got to witness first-hand the majesty of an eagle in full-flight and on the hunt and were lucky enough to see it capture a fox. On the other hand, I have to admit to finding it difficult to agree with the blatant cruelty that had taken place the day before when at the festival designed to showcase the talents of the birds of prey. During one of the events, the organisers had chained up a wolf so that the pack of dogs could take it in turns to attack the animal. Whenever the wolf fought back, a steward with a club would put it back in its place and allow the dogs to continue their massacre. I didn't stay any longer and moved on to watch something less brutal.
Whether for good or ill, there's no doubting the part the multitude of animals play in shaping life. I'm just glad I get to see this in action and marvel at yet another aspect of my life on the move.
