Turkey, Istanbul and Anatolia. These are the lands where Deniz, the protagonist of the story I want to tell you, moves. A young tour guide in Turkey, based in magical Istanbul, a great expert on nomadic culture, Deniz discovered the fascinating world of oriental carpets at the age of 12. As the years went by, he decided to further his studies, and while preparing for a degree in chemical engineering, he specialized inhand weaving and natural dyeing, particularly of nomadic cottages and semi-nomadic villages by working alongside scholars and expert traders. The weaving style of the Anatolian Turkmen nomads fascinates him so much that he decides to travel to central Anatolia where he stays for a while to live among the local tribes.
This experience gives him the opportunity to closely examine the tribal structure, culture and ethnicity of this people who, now for a thousand years, continue to migrate seasonally with huge herds of goats, camels and black tents. Today Deniz lectures at international textile events and teaches courses in natural dyeing and weaving. His deep knowledge of the Anatolian land and culture prompted him to search for an idea that would unite the two themes: nomadic life and textiles. Thus, he founded The Black Tent Project, a project aimed at preserving and enhancing local traditions whose name reflects the most important element of the experience. The Black Tent is a tent made of goat hair and woven by hand respecting the original methods of craftsmanship, all fabrics are dyed with natural materials and made by the hands of expert carpet weavers. During the hiking adventures and trekking walks along the Lycian Way that Deniz himself organizes and designs, oriented around culture and textiles, the tent becomes home and accompanies the group on daily migrations, in camp, while cooking and experiencing nature.
To make the experience even more authentic, in his tours Deniz alternates between migratory routes through scrub forests and pastures, wool processing, cheese making, and baking. Even the cuisine is nomadic, in keeping with ancient Ottoman and Turkmen traditions . Taking part in one of its cultural adventures not only gives you the chance to connect with rural Anatolian people, but also to enjoy fantastic landscapes and test the ancient traditional Anatolian cuisine. Getting to know Deniz and The Black Tent Project was a thunderbolt for Eventi Nomadi, it is a sharing of thought and intent, it is a quest that comes to fruition in discovering that, someone else in the world, does not just let people visit the world but wants to make it come alive through engaging experiences teaching them to leave a positive mark at every step. ***************************
Soon you can have the nomadic experience in Black Tent by joining one of the Ancient-Nomadic Adventure tour departures. For info: info@eventinomadi.it
