ÇOMAKDAĞ: A Cultural Paradise
Posted on Friday, August 04 @ 13:20:59 CDT by editor
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 | If you spend your holiday in the Aegean region and leave without experiencing even a bit of history and culture, then these lands would be offended. Aegean is a paradise which nestles many a civilizations in her bosom. Çomakdağ is where the sun breathes down on the earth and the colour of her sea cannot be seen anywhere else. If you are an adventurer or a roving spirit then welcome to the vacation of your life!
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A totally separate world covered with greenery, Çomakdağ village lies 60 kilometres from Bodrum. It has successfully preserved its culture with its artistic houses vibrating with history and wedding feasts lasting for days. Fabulous silk weavings decorate the people and the stores all around.
Çomakdağ is a settlement of 304 houses on a mountain slope on the İzmir – Milas road. In order to reach the village, you need to pass through pathways, though the roads will not be as demanding as those of the Black Sea region. There are various means of getting to Çomakdağ.
For instance, you can go by your own vehicle, in which case you could take breaks to enjoy the scenery. Buses run to Çomakdağ from Milas, day trips or tours can be organised to the village, or, even better, take an experienced guide.
We set off from the landscape of Muğla on the winding road to Çomakdağ, passing olive groves on our way. Our first stop is the village coffee house, as usual. Villagers, sitting and sipping their tea at the café, show the typical Turkish hospitality and treat us with “rabbit blood tea” (a Turkish idiom used to describe the strength of the tea).
In wandering around the village, the houses are works of art. They each have a different handwork and a distinct architecture. These houses reflect a history, and astonishing beauty, of 400 years with the handwork on the doors, windows and cupboards.
According to the villagers, the stone houses were built generally as a single room. However, some villagers who wanted to increase the number of rooms in their houses built two or three rooms. The walls keep the interior of the houses warm during the winter and cool in summer.
Another interesting thing is that all the chimneys are different from each other. The villagers tell us that since almost all the people are craftsmen there is friendly competition going on – with each craftsman showing the extent of his skills.
Our next advice is - do not settle for looking at the exterior of the houses. Inside, the wood decorations, made from madder root in the past, are now created from delicate artifice.
Just as with the chimneys, the decorations in every house are different from each other – and you encounter a different feeling for each one.
Another feature of Çomakdağ is the wedding feasts. Although none were on in the village when we visited, they have become such a renowned festivity, that “Wedding Programmes” are now being organized for visitors.
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A team of four re-enacts a wedding of four days in four hours. Wedding feasts last for four days with women wearing a different outfit everyday. From their dresses, you can tell which day of the wedding it is.
The four-day tradition begins with Flag Hoisting and Mortar Pounding. On the second day, Turkish Bath and Henna Application take place and the groom is paraded around. On the third day Sugar Mauling takes place and the bride is received. On the last day there is the tradition called the Veil. If you come across a real wedding feast while you are there, you would really be lucky. Even if you do not come across a real one, you may experience a wedding of four days within four hours.
In Çomakdağ traditions regarding handicrafts are perpetuated, the best known handicraft being “silk weaving”. However, only a few families carry out this craft today, although the weaving looms are still preserved as relics of the family pasts.
Other handicrafts that are still kept alive in the village are an embroidery called “yaneş”, which is made to attach on the baggy trousers worn under the traditional outfits of Çomakdağ villagers and amulets of various colours and designs.
Before leaving, you must taste the authentic food of the village. The food is cooked using a mixture of vegetables and acid-free olive oil. There are a variety of plants that grow in the area and quite a variety of food can be prepared with them. Their best known dish is one with yoghurt called “çaymaka” and can be eaten cold or hot. In the wedding feasts a local dish called “Keşkek” is cooked, which is made from wheat. The food is so delightful that one cannot get enough of it, especially after such a trip.
Tours are organized to Çomakdağ from Bodrum, Kuşadası and İzmir. If you would like a pleasant village tour accompanied by experienced guides, Çomakdağ would be an ideal choice.
Visit the website www.comakdag.com for more information on Çomakdağ or contact the below numbers to get details on the travel agencies that hold tours to Çomakdağ.
HASAN YILDIRIM ÇOKDER (Chairman of Çomakdağ Promotional Agency)
Ad: Çomakdağ Kızılağaç Köyü Milas/Muğla
Tel: +90 535 513 5667
MİLAS-BODRUM AIRPORT TOURISM OFFICE
Milas/Muğla
Tel: +90 252 523 0101 ext 1377
Fax: +90 252 523 0288
Mehtap Yıldız: +90 542 311 0833
GOVERNOR OF MILAS
Tel: +90 252 512 0101
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