Dancing Bears, a photo from Malatya, East Anatolia

Photographer's Note

Another "Oldie"

Bear dancers or dancing bears.
Untill the end of seventies you could meet similar groups of mainly gypsy families almost everywhere in Turkey. Those one are from Malatya.
They were travelling from one spot to the other one and performed their show with their bears. The music was the rhytms of a tamburine.
From early eighties onwards it was no more alloved and they had to give their bears to the Zoo's in İstanbul, Ankara or İzmir.

This entry is also been scanned from a b&w print.

Bir nostaljik kare daha ! Artık unutulan bir görüntü: Ayıcılar.
Yetmişli yılların sonlarına kadar bu tip, genellikle Roman ailelerden oluşan grupları Türkiyenın heryerinde görebilirdiniz. Bu grup Malatyadan.
Bu gruplar bir yerden bir yere dolaşırlar ve ayıları ile marifetlerini sergilerlerdi. Müzik, ellerindeki def'in ritminden ibaretti.
Seksenli yılların başlarından itibaren yasaklandılar ve ayılarını İstanbul, Ankara veya İzmirdeki hayvanat bahçelerine teslim ettiler.

CLODO, dta, daddo, Kofman, timecapturer, jlbrthnn, Cricri, BennyV, ourania, agulberk, Sonata11, adores, baddori, adramad, Schnappilic, Vasa, yedirenk has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

ChrisJ (86818) 2012-02-28 0:53

Merhaba Mesut & TE neighbor today

Life was tough back then. A superb b&w daily life scene with good sharpness & tonal range. Excellent contrasted light & textural details. Good pp work to salvage the damaged print. Well composed using the rule of thirds. The bears look underfed. Tfs!

CLODO (24716) 2012-02-28 1:00

Hi Mesut

You make us discover your old argentic B&W pictures with interesting and amazing themes.
I like this mood!
regards
CLODO

dta (51334) 2012-02-28 1:04

Hello Mesut ,
I don't know if this is the effect of the charm of the ancient , but I like a lot all your oldies . So beautiful (superb B&W) and interesting . Even if there is some defaults (?), I can't see them .
Regards

lousat (57594) 2012-02-28 2:18

Hi Mesut,this is really a fantastic historical pic,how was different the life 47 years ago! I like the composition and the very good work of digitalisation of this old pic!Have a nice day and thanks,Luciano.

daddo (18517) 2012-02-28 2:26

Merhaba dear Mesut. This photo brings back memories of my childhood for my town used to get visits from the wandering Roma and they always had dancing bears. Thank god these animals are no longer used to entertain people.They are a sad thing to behold, although for us children they did look menacing.A special record of a time long gone.

timecapturer (30256) 2012-02-28 4:13

Hi Mesut
this is wonderful! The transfer over to digital is great considering the age - and the impact, history and character are fascinating and absorbing. Excellent!

Regards - Brian.

jlbrthnn (79773) 2012-02-28 5:21

Hello Mesut,
I appreciate this interesting document, of great quality. I think it is a wise decision to prohibit the exploitation of these poor bears and their abuse. The light and contrast are excellent. Bravo.
Have a day NCIE
Cordially
Joël

sacimar (25957) 2012-02-28 7:43

Hello Mesut,

this is another interesting image of your series of old pictures, the scene is really impressive with the bears, well done,

Best regards,

Sergio

Cricri (86347) 2012-02-28 9:03

Merhaba Mesut
J'aime cette image ancienne en N/B, le groupe de personnes avec les deux ours, accompagner d'une note intéressante
Belle soirée
cricri

Derya (915) 2012-02-28 10:29

Merhaba Mesut bey ,
bu fotoğraf bana çocukluğumu hatırlattı, ilk okuldayken mahalle arasında dolanırdı bu ayı oynatanlar...
sokakta oynadığım güzel günlerdi..
Paylaşım için teşekkürler
Sevgi ve Saygılarımla
Derya

Yaraligoz (16) 2012-02-28 10:36

Selam Mesut abi

Bu yazacaklarimi sakin yanlis anlama bu sitedeki tüm çalismalarina hayranlikla izliyorum fakat o çagda bu allahin yaratigi bu harika ve de belki insandan sonra bu alemdeki zorluklari en iyi bilen ayilardir.
Ve de biz onlari kûrkleri veya gösterdigin sekildeki gibi oynatmak için acimasizca avladik kovaladik
allahin onlara verdigi cani aldik

benim içimde nostaji yaratan tek olay o insanlarin gözlerindeki ifade : masumluk ifadesi .
çaresiz baska gelir kaynagi olmadigi için bunlari yaptilar.
Yanlarinda gezdirdikleri o ayilar artik onlarin "seffillik" yoldaslari olmus , insanogluna yoldas oldum diye kaderlerine boyun egmis gibiler

onlara karsi hiç kinim yok , o zamanlar baska türlü olamazdi çünkü.

BennyV (12747) 2012-02-28 10:53

OK, after this shot I promise never again to label any of my back catalogue posts as 'an oldie'! This is just superb, Mesut. Not only the subject is terrific, also the general scan quality is just terrific.

What strikes me is how skinny the bear on the right seems. So what if the boy on the left is cropped into, this is a shot that deserves to be taken up in a history book or a museum. At least.

Thanks a lot for sharing this type of shots.

A big cheers from me!

Benny

ourania (12331) 2012-02-28 11:08

Hello Mesut,
I always feel awkward and sad to hear about this old practice and entertainment. This picture is a fascinating document with great textures, depth and contrasts. What fascinates me the most is the postures and expressions of the people, they have a very powerful impact!
All the best,
Ourania

agulberk (3790) 2012-02-28 12:14

Merhaba Mesut Hocam
Yine görür görmez beni çocukluk yıllarıma götüren bir fotoğraf. Ankara da bir çok mahallede ayıları oynatan,göbek attıran,takla attıran ve ayılarla güreşen ayıcılar oldukca rağbet görüyordu 1970'li yıllarda.
Zengin arşivinizden bu değerli seriniz gerçekten unutulan geçmişi yeniden canlandıran yakın tarihimizden bir belgesel işlevi görebilecek nitelik ve kalitede.
Elinize Sağlık
Tebrikler
Selam ve sevgiler
Adnan

Sonata11 (28273) 2012-02-28 13:15

Hello Mesut,
What a fabulous archive photo. It is amazing to see scene of daily life like this one. Wonderful captured of them. The bears are so calm like a little pets. Beautiful memories. Awesome photo. Like it a lot.
All the best and thanks for sharing.
Barbara

Fis2 (73056) 2012-02-28 13:17

Witaj Mesut!
A very curious scene.
Excellent reportorial photo from your archive.
Best regards
Krzysztof

lakshmip1949 (19110) 2012-02-28 14:21

Hello Mesut,

You are lucky to have taken so many photos back in 60s where camera was a rare commodity to us in India. Anothe good thing is, you have preserved them very well.Things change so fast, you may not find beauties like this. Well captured with good lighting, textures and sharpness.

Lakshmi

ifege (9422) 2012-02-28 15:07

Another good one from your archives (from your youth!)Mesut. A good scan as well - much better condition than many of mine from the same era - your negatives, although a little scratched have stayed in good condition.
cheers
Ian

adores (28182) 2012-02-28 17:19

Hi Mesut!
This one is really old! And a good daily scene! I'm happy they ended up that - the poor bears suffered a lot for sure and they don't seem well fed also.I like its quality! - good work with the scanner!
I'm really enjoying your series, I must say:)!

yquem46 (32229) 2012-02-29 10:23

Merhaba Mesut
The good series of oldies continues
I saw the people with their bears in the old Istambul, quite some time ago but not as far as the 60's
Have a nice evening
all the best
Patrick

baddori (18988) 2012-02-29 14:01

Merhaba, Mesut bey
Più spettacolare la prossima , l'orso che suona il tamburo.
Questa più "giovanile" ma fresca ...una bella gioventù.
GF

Royaldevon (17787) 2012-03-01 0:36

Merhaba Mesut,

Another amazing archive record of changing times, and times have changed. Gypsies and performing animals were relatively commonplace. Thank goodness we have a more humane and respectful attitude towards animals nowadays.
Your well scanned photograph reveals some extrordinary details of these people and their way of life.

Have a good day, my friend,
Bev :-)

adramad (27548) 2012-03-01 11:41

Hello Mesut.
A fantastic picture of the past, that reminds me of when I was a little boy and in the town where I lived, from time to time also came with some gypsy music and some animal, but were never bears.
A great mastery of composition and optimum quality in a picture with the old.
Best wishes.
Luis.

Schnappilic (7925) 2012-03-03 9:33

Hello Mesut,

TFS such a good and old B/W series. Such images become more valuable in time. Congratulation!

Have a nice week-end!

Ovidiu

Vasa (15970) 2012-03-04 16:22

You merit all compliments for this generosity, Mesut. Many thanks!

Branko

yedirenk (11242) 2012-03-09 15:46

Merhaba Mesut hocam,
muhteşem arşivinizi bizimle paylaşmanız ne güzel..çok şanslıyız doğrusu.ifadeleri ve detaylarıyla enfes bir siyah beyaz kare bendende iki yaş büyük.çocukluğumuzda sık gördüğümüz ilginç bir an.merakla toplanır izlerdik.o zamanlar farkında değildik iyi ki şimdi yasaklandı.ellerinize sağlık hocam.selamlar,sevgiler.

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