Kalandar Night

Kalandar is the name of a centuries-old New Year’s celebration tradition primarily found in the Black Sea region of Türkiye, especially in Trabzon, Rize, and Artvin like. It is a festive observance that embodies numerous beliefs, entertainments, costume and symbols. In the eyes of local residents, Region the tradition is valued, yet the concept itself is nearly unknown across much of Türkiye. Most people in Türkiye first became familiar with the term through the 2016 film “Kalandar Soğuğu,” directed by Mustafa Black, which sparked public interest and helped generate awareness of what Kalandar actually represents.

Depiction of Karakoncolos

It is believed that the person who enters the home first on the first day of the month of Kalandar (14 January) brings prosperity and good fortune. Therefore, it is desired that the first entrant be someone wealthy and auspicious. This tradition holds a special place in Black Sea Region, particularly in Trabzon and Gümüşhane. On this night, children go door to door in the streets. They leave sacks at doors, ring the bell, and then sing cheerful folk verses while waiting for gifts from the homeowners:

"On Kalandar night the chimney is wide,

The teacher who fills my sack,

The teacher who does not fill it,

Above is male, below is female."

Following preparations within the community, evening celebrations intensify with a blend of music, melodies, ritual and beliefs. One region where Kalandar is still celebrated today as a living tradition is the village of Livera (Yazlık) in the Maçka district of Trabzon. Academician Zeynep Kantarcı, a local resident, describes the festivities as follows:

“The village youth light a large bonfire in the village square and place a huge cauldron filled with snow on top of it. Around this cauldron, young people and children form a circle and begin dancing the horon to the accompaniment of the kemençe. Later, a group of local youths and children perform the traditional Kalandar entertainment known as ‘Karakoncolos’ or ‘Momoyer,’ going from house to house reciting rhymes, folk verses, and songs. The procession begins at the home of the village’s eldest resident. First, the door is knocked on; as soon as it opens, the children and youths hiding nearby throw a sack tied with a rope through the opening, or climb onto the roof and lower the sack down the chimney, hoping the homeowner will place food inside—such as bread, nuts, apples, or pears. This is called ‘throwing the sack’ or ‘visiting houses during Kalandar.’ The children and youths make great efforts to remain unrecognized, while the homeowner tries to guess who they are. If the homeowner cannot identify them, they gently pull the rope to draw the sack inside and place offerings such as corn, hazelnuts, apples, pears, or bread inside, ensuring the children can retrieve their gift. If the homeowner correctly guesses the identity of the visitors, they humorously place items like a kitten, a piece of wood, thread, or rag inside the sack as a joke. All the collected items are stored and later shared among the group to eat together, as it is believed this brings abundance and prosperity. Afterwards, an improvised performance begins with 103 exchanges of verses, centered around the grotesque dark-colored creature known as ‘Karakoncolos’ or ‘Momoyer,’ which means ‘mountain man’ or ‘bear’ in Rumelian dialect. This creature is imagined to be the size of a cat, monkey, or child, covered in fur or hair. It wanders at night, is mischievous but harmless, yet its appearance instills fear and panic. For this reason, on Kalandar night, the village children and youths dress in animal pelts, tie cowbells around their waists, blacken their faces with soot, and let their hair hang loose to assume the guise of Karakoncolos.” (Kantarcı, 2017: 495–496).

Citizens dressed as Karakoncolos

As mentioned above, in the region, the Kalandar celebration includes a entity known as “Karakoncolos,” along with associated beliefs and theatrical performances named after it. According to a widespread belief in the Eastern Black Sea region, particularly common, Karakoncolos, Koncolos, Yaban Adam, and Publik are considered half-demon entities believed to emerge from the forest during winter, arriving in villages through storms or from the sea (KK-3, KK-4). İbrahim Tuncer, a researcher from Çaykara district of Trabzon who has studied local traditions, provides the following information about Karakoncolos: “Karakoncolos or Karakoncilo is likened to a jinn, fairy, bear, or monkey. Although imagined as a creature covered in hair and possessing limbs of various animals, it is mostly depicted as a bear or monkey and is thought to sneak into homes during the darkest hours of the night. To prevent it from entering, households leave food outside their doors, believing it will eat the offerings and leave.” (Tuncer, 2017: 224–225).