Kakava is a celebration event of

Romani people in Turkey The Romani people in Turkey () are a Romani subgroup in the Republic of Türkiye. They are Sunni Muslims mostly of Sufi orientation. The majority speak Turkish as their first language and have adopted Turkish culture. Many have denied their ...

. Its place of origin is

East Thrace East Thrace or Eastern Thrace, also known as Turkish Thrace or European Turkey, is the part of Turkey that is geographically in Southeast Europe. Turkish Thrace accounts for 3.03% of Turkey's land area and 15% of its population. The largest c ...

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

Events

The belief that a Savior ''Baba Fingo'' would come and rescue them is immortal in the

Romani folklore Romani folklore encompasses the Fairy tale, folktales, Mythology, myths, oral traditions, and legends of the Romani people. The Romani were nomadic when they departed India during the Middle Ages. They migrated widely, particularly History of th ...

of the

Romanlar in Turkey The Romani people in Turkey () are a Romani subgroup in the Republic of Türkiye. They are Sunni Muslims mostly of Sufi orientation. The majority speak Turkish as their first language and have adopted Turkish culture. Many have denied their ...

. It is believed he was a Commander of the Pharaoh-Troops from the Military of ancient Egypt. Although the Roma in Turkey are officially Muslims, the pre-Islamic Kakava (Cauldron Festival) has been preserved in Eastern Thrace. It is celebrated on May 5-6 in Edirne with great fanfare and attracts foreign visitors. The main meaning of the festival is the popular belief of the East-Thracian Turkish Roma in a redeemer named Baba Fingo, who once led the Roma people out of Egypt along with Moses and the Hebrews—a strong reference

Sources and parallels of the Exodus The Exodus is the founding myth of the Israelites. The scholarly consensus is that the Exodus, as described in the Torah, is not historical, even though there may be a historical core behind the Biblical narrative. Modern archaeologists believe th ...

and Erev Rav. Turkish Roma go down to the edge of the river

Tundzha The Tundzha ( ; ; ''Tonsus'' in antiquity) is a river in southeastern Bulgaria and northwesternmost Turkey, a left tributary of the Maritsa. With a length of 390 km, of which 350 km are in Bulgaria, it is Maritsa's longest tributary, ...

, at the night of 5–6 May that they decided as the day "Rescue Event" had happened. They put candles in the River and wash their hands, face and feet in the water, for the memory of the miraculous day. The main source of joy is the immortality of the Savior Baba Fingo. In Turkish a saying: ''Baba Fingo Gelecek, Bütün Dertler Bitecek'' (Father Fingo Will Come, All Troubles Will Be Over). For that reason, they entertain madly.

Kakava in Turkey

's western cities of

Edirne Edirne (; ), historically known as Orestias, Adrianople, is a city in Turkey, in the northwestern part of the Edirne Province, province of Edirne in Eastern Thrace. Situated from the Greek and from the Bulgarian borders, Edirne was the second c ...

and

Kırklareli Kırklareli () is a city in the East Thrace, European part of Turkey. It is the seat of Kırklareli Province and Kırklareli District.Kırkpınar

oil-wrestling Oil wrestling (), also called Turkish oil wrestling, is the national sport of Turkey. Oil wrestling includes oil and traditional dress, and its rules are comparable to karakucak. In Assyria, ancient Egypt, and Babylonia, oil wrestling was perf ...

tournament is held each year. After light the

Bonfire A bonfire is a large and controlled outdoor fire, used for waste disposal or as part of a religious feast, such as Saint John's Eve. Etymology The earliest attestations date to the late 15th century, with the Catholicon Anglicum spelling i ...

and jump over it. Music playing and Belly dancing is performed. The official part ends after the distribution of rice dish

pilaf Pilaf (), pilav or pilau () is a rice dish, or in some regions, a wheat dish, whose recipe usually involves cooking in stock or broth, adding spices, and other ingredients such as vegetables or meat, and employing some technique for achieving ...

to the around 5,000 attendees. The celebration continues in the dawn of the next day at the bank of

Tunca River The Tundzha ( ; ; ''Tonsus'' in antiquity) is a river in southeastern Bulgaria and northwesternmost Turkey, a left tributary of the Maritsa. With a length of 390 km, of which 350 km are in Bulgaria, it is Maritsa's longest tributary, ...

References

{{commons category, Kakava Romani culture Romani folklore Edirne Province Kırklareli Province May observances Festivals in Turkey Romani in Turkey Eastern Thrace

Events

Kakava in Turkey

See also

References