Chapter 10
PERKENIK'S FAMOUS WRESTLERS[1]
(Armenian
Manuscript Pages 50 To 52)
[This is a Complete Translation. [JT])
The
Perkeniktsi is legendary for his tall stature, handsome appearance, and
physical prowess. Not to be
outdone in this regard is the Perkeniktsi Armenian woman about whom Nathanian wrote in 1876
They are vivacious, ardent,
and very hardy.[2]
Hajian describes them as follows:
The Perkeniktsis are very
healthy, vigorous, and fervent especially the women who are unequaled in
hardiness and bravery, and possess a unique beauty ... they are ready to
explode in a fiery outburst and love a good fight.[3]
In
the Perkeniktsi's widespread
repute for valor, no small part has been played by the Perkeniktsi wrestlers
of the 18th and 19th centuries. The names of some of these have been
recorded last century by Gregory Peter VIII[4] who himself had witnessed some of their feats of
strength. Here we summarize his
comments about some of these men.
1.
Cop Copian. During the 18th century his name was
legendary in the annals of wrestling. His fame was spread far and wide. Once, a powerful wrestler like himself
comes from the city Karin to Perkenik to challenge Cop. As he was approaching the town, the
challenger encounters a man plowing the field by the roadside and asks him to
point him to the Perkenik settlement.
As fate would have it, it was Cop who was plowing the field. On further inquiry, Cop learns of the
man's intentions and without saying a word he braces one arm against the
plow handle and with the free arm lifts the man high off the ground, flips his
body in the direction of the village and lets him down saying in effect:
"It's thata way." To express the power of a man people
would say "He has the
strength of Cop."
2.
Ude Ispahian. He was a very
courageous and powerful man of the late 1700s. Fearlessly, he used to travel alone from Constantinople to
Bagdad. Highway robbers used to shrink in fear at the mention of his name. Once while transporting[5] the Chaldean Patriarch Mar Yussuf twenty mounted
bandits attack his wagon. Ispahian kills four of them and wounds eight more while the rest flee.
3.
Hovhannes Baghdadlian. In the
beginning of the 1800's he is one of Constantinople's top wrestlers. Prior to entering the arena, he used to
have his back whipped. Once after knocking the Turkish champion to ther ground
in defeat, the Sultan grows angry and orders him killed, but the Jannissaries
there in Bolis rescue him and sneak him back to Perkenik. In Perkenik, another wrestler engages
him in belt wrestling, but
Hovhannes grabbing by the belt lifts him so high that the man afterwards kneels
and kisses his hand.
On
another occasion, while traveling alone to Diarbekir, three robbers jump him
but he flattens all three to the ground.
4.
Daniel Baghdiglian. In the beginning of the 1800's he became famous for
his fearless might. He ran a
successful transportation business especially in transporting munitions.[6] On one trip on his way to Tavrezh, his wagon train. is
attacked by 400 Kurdish marauders.
He holds them off for three hours and, kills five Kurds before he
himself is gunned down. His body
was later laid to rest in the cemetery of the Catholics villagers of Molla
Suleyman.
5.
Nigo[7] Balian.
Gregory-Peter VIII saw him on
his 100th birthday. 'Even at this advanced age he demonstrated his strength by
bracing himself against the wall and stretching his arm straight out withstood
five or six strong men's attempt to bend it. In his youth I am told by reliable witnesses that once
raised a fallen pack-horse off the ground using his knee and one arm. He died in 1851 at age 105.'
6.
Stepan Baghdigian. He is
Daniel's (No. 4 above) paternal nephew and like him, a hearty and powerful
man. In 1862 he single-handedly
captures two rebel Kurdish leaders of Aghjadaghi binds their hands and daringly passing through their
territory brings them to Perkenik.
"We had to rescue these two gang leaders from Daniel." says Gregory-Peter VIII.
7.
Ghazar Balian. He was a terror to all, near and
far, because of his colossal seven foot height and mean
temperament. Once together with
two of his sister's sons he strikes, injures, and drives away some Turkish Alajakhan
villagers. In 1881 during the night the Kurd Yahyah Bey with 40
horsemen suddenly attack Perkenik. Ghazar and his two sons alone beat them all and expel
them. Ghazar dies at age 88.
As
can be seen from the 1881 date in the above incident, the source of the
information on Ghazar Balian is Rev. Hajian Vartabed, since Gregory-Peter VIII
died in 1866. Hajian's writings
too had excerpts on wrestlers which he culled from Gregory-Peter's
manuscript. In his concluding
remarks, he writes:
There are other stories of
numerous named individuals who enjoyed reputatations for their extraordinary
strength, valor, and size. These
were not all men, because some were of the weaker sex --and to this we ourselves have been eyewitness. Nevertheless, we are not so inclined to
praise our fellow villagers for their superior strength which brings little
honor to men, but we wish rather to sing the praises to our fellow villagers'
vigorous air and healthy water which can produce such robust, powerful, and
heathy specimens of creation.[8]
[1]The author has another Chapter on Perkenik's Famous Personalities (Chapter 18). I guess you become a "personality" by your spiritual, cultural, intellectual, or economic achievements but not by your physical prowess; hence this special chapter. In that place and time, wrestlers were as famous as today's football and other sport heroes. Olive-oil soaked, slippery belt wrestlers are still popular in Turkey. These are mostly eyewitness accounts, but I suspect they are a touch exaggerated like some matches we see on T.V. On second thought, however, when I see a 300-lb. wrestler lift his opponent over his head and throw him hard onto the canvas, I don't see how he can be faking that! [JT]
[2]Paul V. Nathanian, Deghegakir 1877, Page 123
[3]Hajian, H. Gochnag, No. 15, Page 346.
[4]His Beatitude Patriarch-Catholicos Gregory Peter VIII Der Asdvadzadurian, a native Perkeniktsi. [JT]
[5]One of the Perkeniktsee specialties was the transportation field of that day. They were reliable and sought-after muleteers who knew the country well. [JT]
[6]No doubt these were mules or mule wagons transporting munitions for the government. [JT]
[7]"Nick" to us. [JT]
[8]This seems like a strange comment, but I suppose Hajian, who was a Catholic Bishop, felt uncomfortable about praising pugilistics and bodily achievements ( as opposed to intellectual and spiritual ones). Yet because he was so enamored of his village, he felt he had to salvage something from these wrestler accounts so he praises the air and water of the village for producing such healthy people. Whatever his comment means, it still strikes me as a little strange. Or am I wrong about this and missed the point? Anyway, this bodily prowess enabled them to defend their village folks at home and their charges while in transport. The necessary violence of self-defense is a laudable virtue in my book. [JT]