I always wondered if other countries celebrated Halloween. I now have come to learn of Türkiye’s winter tradition of Bocuk. While not strictly the autumnal event that we celebrate in the West, Bocuk has similar roots involving eating pumpkin, dressing up in costume, and parading through the village knocking on people’s doors in search of dark, evil spirits that roam the land. Coming again from Turkish filmmaker Buğra Mert Alkayalar is Bocuk: An Ancient Ritual.
“Bocuk” traces the remnants of a Balkan-Turkic belief said to date back to the Middle Ages, still alive in a remote village of Thrace. This docudrama explores the contemporary meaning of an ancient winter ritual and documents the local narratives surrounding it. Blending fear with tradition, the film invites viewers to discover the extraordinary Night of Bocuk, a practice still observed across generations in Turkey.
Bocuk: An Ancient Ritual, IMDB
I had never heard of Bocuk before seeing this film. But hearing locals of Turkey’s Thracian region speak about it, Bocuk Night sounded awfully familiar. Filmed in a stylized documentary format, the filmmakers interviewed locals about the concept of Bocuk and where the traditions stemmed from. In essence, people in Medieval times were wary of the darkness, fearing evil lie in wait should they venture out or eat the wrong meals (that last part being relevant to Christian passage through the Muslim region and eating of pork products). Entities such as the Black Grandma, fairies, and the Bocuk itself — a white-cloaked figure — threatened to “get on your back” and take you away if you didn’t disguise yourself or eat a special pumpkin dessert. Elders try to explain how these figures could just be representations of disease ravaging your body from staying out on cold nights, or from differing religious practices mixing among foreigners. The point remains the same — villagers in Balkan regions partake in this ritual to ward off the bad vibes.
While some dress in white robes and others paint their faces, communities get together to celebrate. They eat pumpkin and travel down the streets beckoning to the Bocuk to drive it away from the village. It is noted that Bocuk Night is different from Halloween, mainly in that this takes place as a winter ritual.
Alkayalar’s depiction of the event in Bocuk: An Ancient Ritual is much appreciated. While this film captures real thoughts and history from the villagers, the scenes show a whole new side to Türkiye that I never would have imagined was there. Pumpkins and squashes everywhere, scarecrows, children and adults in costume, bonfires — I could smell the cold air and feel the warmth of a community fighting against an ancient threat. It is extremely interesting to hear about these types of festivals and how similar we all really are.
Bocuk: An Ancient Ritual is beautifully shot and handled with care. I don’t know if I will ever visit Thrace, but it does open my mind up to the idea of studying Halloween-esque traditions from around the world. Bocuk, the entity, sounds like a frightening figure, and knowing that ancient civilizations took care not to anger it makes it very appealing to learn more about. For now, I will stay in Istanbul for my trip to Kork — but I will be sure to ask around about the Bocuk.
For more about Bocuk: An Ancient Ritual, follow director Buğra Mert Alkayalar on Instagram. Check out my deep dive on his other short films here.
