Thracian city celebrates Halloween-like festival

EDİRNE

Scores of people have convened in the town of Çamlıca in the northwestern province of Edirne’s Keşan district, wearing costumes and celebrating the 17th edition of the quasi-Halloween horror festival of Bocuk.

A folkway and ritual dating back to medieval times, the night of Bocuk is a 1,000-year-old Balkan tradition, holding great significance in Thracian culture.

This year, hundreds of inhabitants from nearby provinces of Istanbul, Tekirdağ and Kırklareli traveled to the town to celebrate this special occasion, dressing up in costumes, painting their faces and donning masks.

Rumor has it that on this very night, a strange inhumane creature named "Bocuk," dressed in all white and disguised as a human, roams the streets of the villages to do its evil work.

This year, as in every year, scores of individuals dressed in white sheets and face paint rushed to the streets to scare residents by banging on their windows, telling them "Bocuk is coming to get them."

The villagers believe that cooking a zucchini meal would prevent Bocuk from doing mischief. Therefore, every household cooks zucchini on the night of Bocuk and dines with friends and neighbors.

The night of Bocuk also represents the toughest night of the winter season. Thus, if the wood thrown into the water on this night is discovered frozen in the morning, the thrower and their family are considered to remain healthy, durable and strong for the rest of the year.

This year’s festival featured colorful moments, as well as make-up and costume contests, with participants enjoying their time to the fullest on this night full of mysteries.