Sarıkeçili Yoruks, who set off from Mersin’s Bozyazı district in April with camels and lead a nomadic life with their camels and goats in the foothills of the Taurus Mountains in Konya, spend the summer months in the forest, feeding their animals. Stating that he has been carrying on the tradition of his ancestors for years, Ali Uçar (72) said, “When we migrated from Central Asia with our camels and animals, we came to Konya. I continue this generation and this is my tradition. The generation before us also spent their lives in the mountains, and we have been in the mountains since we were born. We didn’t want to get involved in city life because we have animals. I have 10 children, I raised them all in the mountains.”
Ali Uçar, a father of 10 children who continues the tradition of nomadism with his family, sets off from Bozyazı in the spring with his wife, daughter, son-in-law and grandson with 20 camels and dozens of small cattle. Setting up tents and stopping along the way, the Uçar family reaches Aladağ in Konya’s Hadim district, where they spend the summer months and graze their animals. They store the dairy products they obtain from the animals and set off to return to Mersin when the winter season approaches.
‘OFFICIALS SHOW AVAILABLE PLACES’
Explaining that he continues his nomadic tradition, Ali Uçar said, “We move from Mersin in the spring and go to the plateaus of Konya Taurus Mountains. Recently we have been coming to Ağaççı Plateau. Thanks to the forest management officials, they show us the available places and thanks to them, we graze our animals. Our originals migrated from Konya to Mersin.
We heard it from our grandfathers, but the new generation does not know this. Konya is originally nomadic. From there we scattered everywhere. When we migrated from Central Asia with our camels and animals, we came to Konya. I continue this generation and this is my tradition. The generation before us spent their lives in the mountains, and we have been in the mountains since we were born. We didn’t want to get involved in city life because we have animals. I have 10 children and I raised them all in the mountains.”
‘I WILL LEAVE NOMADISM IF MY GRANDDAUGHTER SAYS I WILL STUDY’
Uçar, who never leaves his grandson Ali Dilekmen (3), whom he calls ‘the last Yoruk’, by his side, said, “Ali is growing up without fear. He grows up among camels, horses and goats. Ali loves animals very much, he cannot leave their side, he values them. We will send my grandson to school when he reaches school age. If he says ‘I will go to school’, I will quit being a nomad. Without us, Ali will not go to school. Because he has no friends here. He cannot hold on to the friends there. We need to be by his side,” he said.
GOATS AS PLAYMATES
Fatma Dilekmen (28), who said that she will ensure that her son Ali gets an education when he reaches school age, said, “Ali is the joy of our house. He goes with his grandfather to graze camels. He gets among the goats and plays with them. We smile when we look at him.
If I have a pain or a problem, I forget everything when I see Ali. Ali will be 3 years old and he has never been sick until now. We have neither taken him to the hospital nor used any medicine. I don’t know if it is because he grows up in a natural environment. He has no fear, he goes wherever he wants. He grows up in this life in a tent. I am afraid that he will not want to go to school when he reaches school age. But I want him to study and become a soldier.”
‘IF MY GRANDDAUGHTER WANTS TO STUDY, WE WILL DISMANTLE THE TENT AND GO TO THE CITY’
Explaining that she brought 10 children into the world, grandmother Hatice Uçar (67) said, “I raised my grandson. Ali, the youngest nomad, was born and raised in a tent. When he grows up, he seems to be a very good person, someone with a clear eye. My children did not go to school and started to work in animal husbandry. I raised 10 children. Ali became something sweeter than a son. I don’t know if this is the case with my children. He is our precious, our joy. If my grandson wants to study, we will dismantle the tent and go to the city.”
