2013-2015 OUR COMMON EUROPEAN ROOTS MEETINGS AND TOPICS 5th project meeting – 22nd – 27th March 2015 at Zespól Szkól Ekonomicznych Secondary Technical School, Starogard, Gdanski, Poland Topic : “Ancient European sports and games: what did our ancestors play?”

3. Turkey is one of the rare countries in the world which has an article related
to sports in her Constitution. Article 59 of the Constitution says, "The State
takes measures to develop the physical and mental health of Turkish citizens
of all ages and encourages the spread of sports among the masses.’’
Our Great Leader MUSTAFA KEMAL ATATÜRK says
“I like sportsmen who are smart, agile and also well-behaved”

4. The Kırkpınar Oil Wrestling
The Kirkpinar oil wrestling festival takes place in Edirne, Turkey.
Thousands of people from different age groups, cultures and regions
travel every year to see Pehlivan (wrestlers) fight for the Kirkpinar
Golden Belt and the title of Chief Pehlivan. The golden belt is
carried through the city in a procession, followed by prayers recited
in the Selimiye Mosque. Next, the oil man oils the wrestlers assisted
by the towel holder, before the warm-up exercises and greetings.
The wrestlers each wear kispet, thick trousers made of water
buffalo or cow leather. As the wrestling takes place, the drum and
shawm bands play the traditional repertoire of the festival.
Kirkpinar oil wrestling is open to people from all cultures, regions
and ages without discrimination between religion, language or race.
Pehlivans are considered exemplary figures in society with
attributes such as generosity, honesty, respectfulness and
adherence to traditions and customs. All Pehlivans are trained in the
master-apprentice tradition.

5. Cirit
Cirit, is a traditional game which has been played by
Turks for many centuries. Turks brought this horse-
riding game with them in their journey from Central
Asia to Anatolia . For Turks, the horse was both
sacred and indispensable. All the days of their lives
were spent in the company of horses.
Yet to this day, almost everywhere around the
country, young men in villages continue to play Cirit on
the occasions of weddings and holidays. This sport,
along with wrestling, continues to be a contest of
bravery in all corners of Turkey . The zurna, a reed
instrument something like an oboe, is played along
with drums at the Cirit field to grab people’s
attention.

6. Turkish Archery
There were several kinds of sportive
archery contests in Ottoman. The
foremost contest was long distance
shooting. It was a fact that Ottoman
archers had been shooting to
tremendous distances. Turkish target
called "puta". Leather bag stuffed with
sawdust or cotton seed.(Military
Museum, Istanbul).The feathers and
the forms of those arrows were
suitable for target shooting and arrow
points in form of olive stones as it is
used today were common.
Puta

7. MANGALA
Numbers of participants : 2 players
Materials : Mancala board (i.e., 2 rows of 6 or 7 pits
Rules of the game:
At game setup, 5 pieces are placed in each pit. At his
or her turn, the player takes all the pieces from one
of his or her pits and drops them one at a time into
the following pits counterclockwise. If the last piece
in a distribution is dropped in a pit that contains 1 or
3 pieces (2 or 4 with the one just dropped), all those
pieces are captured by the player. Also, if there is a
continuous line of pits with either 2 or 4 pieces
before the one where the capture has occurred, all
the seeds in those pits are captured as well. Players
may capture on either side of the board. The game
ends when all the pits are empty. The player who
captured most pieces wins the game.

9. SAKLAMBAÇ (HIDE AND SEEK)
Numbers of participants : Min.5 players
Rules of the game :
One is chosen as "ebe" means the person who is on duty. Ebe turns to
the wall and starts to count up to fifty. Others try to hide himself or
herself as soon as possible. After counting, ebe says "okay!". And
starts to see the other persons. If ebe sees someone and says his or
her name and adds "sobe" aloud, put his or her hand on the wall.
Others try to say "sobe" and put his or her hand on the wall without
being seen by ebe. The person to be seen and be said his or her name
aloud becomes new ebe. Then new ebe is on duty. The game starts
again. This goes on and on and on.

10. Drop The Handkerchief
Numbers of participants : Min.5 players
Materials : Handkerchief
Rules of the game :
A children's game in which all the players but one
stand in a circle facing inward, while that one
player stealthily drops a handkerchief behind
a player in the circle who must pursue and attempt
to catch the one who dropped the handkerchief
before the latter reaches the vacated place.

11. BLIND MAN’S BUFF
Numbers of participants : Min.5 players
Materials : Scarf
Rules of the game : Eyes of the player has tied up
with a cloth or a handkerchief. Enough secured
that the player can’ t see anywhere and nobody;
everybody walk and touch by circling the player.
Blind Man tries to catch them, if he/she catches
one of them, he/she tries to recognize and tells
the name by touching the face–arms and body. If
he/she tells the a wrong name, he/she continues
to be the Blind Man, if tells the right name, the
caught one becomes the new Blind Man in this
case.

12. HOPSCOTCH
Numbers of participants : Min.2 players
Materials : Chalk , stone
Rules of the game : As it is played on one foot, the name of it is
Hopscotch.
Squares or circles are drawn on the floor/ground with chalk. Lines are
drawn in joined shape. Numbers are written in the squares/circles
from 1 to 8 in general. Player places the slider disc on to the first
square/circle as not to place it on the line and without stepping on the
dics’ section, continues on tripping up to the 8TH section. After
reaching to the 8TH square/circle, the player stands on this two feet.
Later on the player turns back and goes to the beginning doing the
same. When the player comes to the 2 ND square/circle, kneels down
on his/her single foot and takes the disc from the first square/circle
and trips over the first square/circle without stepping on it. Play goes
in the same routine from 1 to 8 and in the second run played vice
versa.

13. NINE STONES
Numbers of participants : 8 - 10 players
Materials : Stones , a ball
Rules of the game : Played with 8–10 players.
Firstly two groups are formed. Each group consists of 4–5 players.
Then normal weighed stones – generally small marble stones are used –
are set up overlapping. Player chosen the midwife tries to knock over
the stones with a ball from a certain distance. Midwife has to run away
as soon he/she knocks down the stones. The ball this time is on the
hands of the other group and this group tries the stones not to be
overlapped by midwife his/her group. When midwife and his/her group
completes the overlap of the stones without knocking by the ball, they
beat the other team 1 to 0.

14. MERCHANT ; OPEN THE DOOR
Numbers of participants : 6 - 10 players
Materials : Chalk
Rules of the game : Two players choose code names for
themselves. Then faced with each other and grasp
hands in order to form the door of the play. Other
players make a row. By saying “Merchant; open the
door” they walk through the midwives. Midwives hold
their hands and let the player go in, whisper their code
names to the eyes of the player, ask to choose one of
it. By told code names randomly, each midwife forms
his/her team. This continues until the last player. Soon
a line is drawn on the floor/ground, each team takes
their place. All the players grasp with each other from
their waists. First players hold hands by placing their
foot on the line, and the groups begin to fetch each
other. When a group fetches the other to their line,
they win.

15. SNAP UP CORNER
Numbers of participants : 4 – 6 players
Materials : Corners
Rules of the game :
As places like streets, outer doors of the buildings, two trees or
window sides are more opulent; it is especially played at the
streets. “Snap Up Corner” is played with a few people. Midwife
stands more than in the middle compared with the players. Players
try to change their places with each other in order to avoid from
caught by the midwife. Player who has caught by midwife during
this place interchange, looses his/her spot/corner and becomes
the midwife. Players pretend that they are changing their
spots/corners in order to cheat the midwife. This play is very
entertaining.

16. TISSUE SNATCH
Numbers of participants : 10 players
Materials : A tissue , chalk
Rules of the game :
Tissue Snatch is played between the two groups having equal amount of
players. Teams, leaving 20 – 25 meters of distance in between, line in
parties. 50 cm diameter of a circle is drawn in the middle of the distance
and a tissue or another material is put on the middle of the circle. A
referee or a captain is choosen. This referee/captain could stand in the
mid of the circle and handle the tissue/material. When the
referee/captain shouts like “fifths”, the fifth players of the teams run
to snatch the tissue/material, the player who gets the tissue/material
runs away and the other tries to catch him/her. If tissue/material
snatched player returns to team without caught by the other player,
makes the team win 1 point. It the other player catches the
tissue/material snatched player, his/her team looses 1 point. Upon the
tissue/material snatched player’ s return to team without being caught,
referee/captain shouts another number and the play goes on. The more
point gained team wins the play.

17. BALL STRUCK
Numbers of participants : Min. 6 players
Materials : A ball
Rules of the game :
Two player from the first team exchangingly places by line in order to
hit the opposing team’ s players with the ball. Aim of the ball shooter
team players is to hit the opposing players while they try to escape from
a ball hit. If one of the opposing player is hit by ball, he/she becomes
the sideliner. If ball throwing team could hit all players of the opposing
team, they have got the right to play in–line, if they don’ t they continue
on as bthe ball thrower team. (P. S. If the players of in–line team could
be able to catch the thrown ball without dropping it on the ground/floor,
they won a soul. They continue to be in–line player as they won more
souls by catching the ball.)

18. İSTOP
Numbers of participants : Min. 3 players
Materials : A ball
Rules of the game :
This is a play that is played at outer places at good weather with three or
more players as girls and boys together. If the number of players could
be more the play becomes more enjoyable. Every player chooses a
nickname for him/herself or take their role in the play with their own
names. Midwife takes the mid place and throws the ball to the air and
says the name of one player. Name’ s told player tries to catch the thrown
ball. As soon he/she catches the ball yields “İSTOP”. Meanwhile the other
players try to run as far as they can. But at the time ball master says
“İSTOP”, all the other stop and stay where they are. The holder of the
ball tries to beat the nearest player with the ball. Stopped players would
not make any move. If the he/she hits, the beated player becomes
midwife and throws the ball to air. If he/she could not hit, midwife role
continues and by throwing the ball through air, the play continues.

19. GYROSCOPE
Numbers of participants : Min. 2 players
Materials : A gyroscope
Rules of the game :
It is made of wood in the form of an ellipse with a sharp tip.
Rope is wrapped around a spinning top. One end of the rope is
connected to the finger. Players toss it as quickly as possible.
The winner is the one who spins the gyropcope long time. Few
people can play the game at the same time. Gyroscope is
adapted to the present day as Byblade.

20. STRING GAME
Numbers of participants : Min. 2 players
Materials :
Rules of the game :
Two players sit opposite. One of the players, the rope passes as
aesthetic cross between her fingers. Then the other player gets
his hand without disturbing the shape of the rope with similar
motion and makes a new way. Fingers need to be very careful,
otherwise you will be confused.

21. MARBLE GAME
Numbers of participants : Min. 2 players
Materials :
Rules of the game : The classic game of
marbles tests patience, skill and hand-eye
coordination. Although traditionally a
children's game, marbles can be a great way
to pass the time for adults who don't mind
getting their knees a little dusty. The basic
game is simple, but there are many variations
on its rules.

22. JUMPING ROPE
Numbers of participants : Min. 2 players
Materials :
Rules of the game :
Jump rope game is a game for two or more children . Playing alone
player gets two ends of the rope to a hand. Throws the rope
back. Stopped until the wrist so that the feet of rope, the rope
passes over the head forward and turning jumps over the rope as
he drove toward the feet.

23. Leap Frog, Birdir Bir
One of the most common names in Turkey for Leapfrog
is Uzun Ejek, meaning "long donkey." Not only in some
parts of England is it Donkey, Jump the Long Horse, or
Jump the Long Mare, but in other countries it has similar
names too: in Germany Das lange Ross, in Italy II cavallo
lungo, both meaning "long horse," in Belgium it is Le plus
fort cheval, "the strongest horse.”