09.02.2025 09:01
In the village of Çamlıca, located in the Keşan district of Edirne, the Balkan tradition of 'Bocuk Night' was celebrated. During the night, individuals dressed in frightening costumes, painting their faces or wearing masks, knocked on the windows and doors of houses, scaring the residents and keeping the tradition alive.
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After the storytelling of horror tales and stories in the village of Çamlıca in Keşan, the celebration of 'Bocuk Night' was held, where young people dressed in white sheets and scared the villagers by banging on windows. This year, the 17th 'Bocuk Night' was attended by people from various cities in Turkey, especially Tekirdağ, Kırklareli, and Istanbul.
Registered as 'Çamlıca Bocuk Night' by the Turkish Patent Institute, the event is being worked on to enter the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List. The event featured choreographies and performances carrying traces of ancient times, the Middle Ages, and other cultures with which the region interacted.
HOUSEHOLDERS WERE SCARED, PUMPKIN DESSERT WAS SERVED
Live music and DJ performances were presented on alternative stages set up in the event area. Young people dressed in white or red sheets and painted their faces distributed pumpkin dessert to the guests. Those with painted faces and masks who took to the streets scared the householders by banging on windows and doors.
"WE HAVE BEEN CELEBRATING THIS NIGHT AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER"
Nursel Engin, a resident of Çamlıca village, stated that she prepared pumpkin for the night and served it to the guests, saying, "This tradition has been going on for years, and we celebrate it. We cooked pumpkin for today and serve it to the guests. We have been celebrating Bocuk Night as long as I can remember. I hope it continues for a long time."
Kadriye Keçmen (75) expressed her happiness for the preservation of the tradition. Keçmen said, "Our elders always told us to cook and serve pumpkin so that the Bocuk wouldn't come to us. I also cooked pumpkin for that reason tonight. The young people came and scared us. We were really happy because a tradition is being preserved," she said.
"WE DRESSED IN OUR COSTUMES AND DID OUR MAKEUP"
Banu Gezer, who came from Lüleburgaz in Kırklareli, said, "I am coming from Lüleburgaz. This is my first time participating in Bocuk Night. Actually, I didn't know much about it. We dressed in our costumes and did our makeup. This year, it was possible to come. The night is going very fun. I hope it continues like this," she said.
Dilay Şen, who came from Çorlu in Tekirdağ, noted that they wanted to preserve the tradition because she is also a Balkan immigrant. Şen stated, "I think this is more fun than Halloween. In addition to Balkan culture, the horror themes here are also great. I know it is a tradition believed to drive away evil spirits. There are such customs in the Balkans. I am also a Balkan immigrant," she expressed.
WHAT IS BOCUK NIGHT?
Bocuk Night, which is said to be a tradition from the Middle Ages, involves cooking pumpkin in every house to prevent the entity called 'Bocuk' from coming home and causing harm. During the night, foods such as pumpkin dessert, thin pancakes, corn boiled in water, pear, quince, seeds, almonds, roasted peanuts in the stove, and walnuts are consumed. The night, attended by family members, neighbors, and relatives, also emphasizes the importance of making pancakes in addition to pumpkin. Young people scare their neighbors by saying 'Bocuk is coming' while wrapped in sheets. It is believed that the entity called 'Bocuk' roams in human form dressed in white. Bocuk Night is also recognized as a symbol of the coldest night of winter. If a piece of wood thrown into the water is found frozen on the surface in the morning, it is believed that the people in that house will be healthy, fit, and strong throughout the year.
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