Near the village of Dibekçiler in the district of Tire, İzmir, at the foot of a hard-to-reach hill, a centuries-old tradition endures… Every year in early September, people from villages and towns on both sides of the İzmir and Aydın Mountains walk to Çal Dede to reunite with their ancestors, their faith, and with one another. Prayers are recited, sacrifices are made, stones are placed, keşkek (traditional dish) is pounded, and wrestling matches are held. The elderly and the young, men and women, those carrying babies in their arms—all climb this steep slope together. Çal Dede is not merely a place of visitation; it is a space for uniting with nature, for sharing, for becoming one, and for following the traces of an ancient culture. This centuries-old mahya ritual is both an individual and collective act of healing, and a powerful bond that carries the legacy of the past into the future.
Directed by
Elçin As