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A World Cultural Heritage: Anatolian Camel Dealing Culture and Camel Wrestles

About the Author

Assoc. Prof. Vedat Çalışkan delivers courses on tourism geography and cultural geography at the Department of Geography at Çanakkale
Onsekiz Mart University. Having acted as an academic advisor for the process of foundation of the Turkish Federation of the Camel
Dealing Culture and Camel Wrestles, Doctor Çalışkan is among the founder members of the federation, which was founded in 2012.
The research on camel wrestles and the camel dealing culture by Doctor Çalışkan gained momentum upon his contribution to a documentary
by TRT in 2008. The documentary on camel wrestles prepared for the TRT program called ‘Yansıma’ (Reflection) was followed by the book
entitled ‘Kültürel Bir Mirasın Coğrafyası: Türkiye’de Deve Güreşleri’ (Geography of a Cultural Heritage: Camel Wrestles in Turkey) and
published in 2010. Doctor Çalışkan made an academic contribution to the 6-episode documentary called ‘İpek Yolu Deve Güreşleri’ (Silk
Road Camel Wrestles) and prepared in 2012 by Hakan Yavuz. Recently, the documentary film entitled “Holy Camel ! : A True Love Story”
and academically advised by Doctor Çalışkan became one of the 12 films accepted to the National Documentary Competition Program of
the 35th İstanbul Film Festival. Directed by Sibel Mary Şamlı and written by Gizem Selçuk Casalins, the documentary film met viewers in
April (2016) within the scope of the festival. Doctor Çalışkan also has various manuscripts and papers that he wrote about the relationships
of the Anatolian Camel Dealing Culture and Camel Wrestles with tourism and cultural heritage.
Doctor Çalışkan states that the research he has made has particularly raised great attention abroad. Having provided a large number of
representatives of national and international media with information on this culture, Mr. Çalışkan adds that they include Andreu Reverter,
a Spanish photographer and documentarian; Joe Parkinson (Wall Street Journal); Anne Andlauer (RIF-Radio France Internationale);
Jodi Hilton, a photojournalist; Alexander Christie-Miller; and Anadolu Agency. Besides, Doctor Çalışkan, who finds it quite amazing
that those from many countries who are curious demand information or documents on the subject from him, ascribes this interest to
“the fact that this culture is most commonly and colorfully maintained in Anatolia” and to “its uniqueness”. Stating that the visitors
categorized as special cultural tourists come to Turkey from very distant countries of the world just to experience this event, Doctor
Çalışkan also underlines the potential of the matter for international tourism.
Doctor Çalışkan, who evaluates that this asset – which he calls ‘the hidden cultural heritage of Anatolia’ – is a genuine and living world
heritage, calls on the relevant institutions to take an action in order for this heritage asset, which bridges between time-space and people,
to be included in UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage.
e-mail: cografya16@gmail.com