Donkey Tales From Old Mardin

Friday is here. A former I would say - an another gloomy winter Friday. But I'm not that person (am I?). And I say - another day when I live, breathe and enjoy the simple things. Another day when the war in my country has not started. And I still have a job, food, warm bed and a roof over my head.

So please, let me add colors and oriental flavor to your day and share my warm memories. Let it be a light story told in photographs and few words (I will try to make it short, LOL). Okay, I will bring you to old town Mardin built on a cliff overlooking what was once Mesopotamia, and now is Kurdistan, southeastern Turkey, 60 km from Syria.

Imagine you live in a picturesque medieval city located on the top of a hill, with web of lovely narrow streets, alleys, passages and arches.

Walking these streets up and down many times a day, you will be good with spatial orientation and have a lean and strong body until old age. I'm sure of it.

All right, which begs "but". I spent one long day there, only one. I stopped many times for a cup of tea, or lunch, or dinner, or photographing, or posing for photography. 😇 😊 And actually I was in a good shape on those days, LOL. But I was so tired by the end of the day, my feet were aching so much that I couldn't enjoy this fascinating city anymore and could think only about bed.

And I wonder how do they manage it? Go to and from work, farmer's market, supermarket, bakery, bank and so on.

And if you want to deliver something big, or heavy, or big and heavy, you will certainly need a helper.

A cute, hardy, large-eared friend. Yes, this is it. A donkey. Actually, a mule, to be precise.

Mules are known to be human helpers here in Mesopotamia since 3rd century BC! They seems to have been used by the ancients in a great variety of ways. They early discovered mule's great usefulness in making long journeys, climbing mountains, and crossing deserts of buming sand, when food and water were scarce, and horses would have perished. They thus contributed to Turkey’s cultural, social and economic heritage for more than 4 000 years.

I was told that mules are now introduced “illegally” to the southeast and east of Turkey from Iraq and Iran.

The major role as a pack animal has been usurped since the mid-twentieth century by increasing use of motor transport. Their number have declined rapidly.

Street cleaning worker with his donkey.

In modern Mardin (and not only here, I believe) mules are used not only for "personal" use, they also work for municipal authorities and have the status of municipal employees. Guided by city workers, the animals carry waste bags, slowly winding through the narrow alleys. They have been using them to clean the city for centuries.

They work like people, eight hours a day, with a break in the middle of the day.

Is it me, or does he greeting me?? 😍 🤗 Aww, he is so sweet!

No, look at this! He is posing! He know what I am doing and posing to the camera.

Now I am absolutely sure. By the way, he is not making sounds, it is a "silent" pose. He's awesome!

As in any other city visited by tourists you can take a shot with animals. These horses are wearing festive horse harness. But from the terrace above, where I can't be noticed, I have seen that these men treat their animals badly. Poor horses...

Another horse is dropped of by once' house. Children play around ignoring the horse exactly like our children ignore parked cars.

This guy brought some kind of working tool, brought it inside and left right away.

But where I was. Yes, mules as municipal workers. At the start of the 20th century, when Mardin had just about 20 thousand people, donkeys would carry the ashes produced from wood and coal heaters.

In present days, the society is gradually trying to o phase out the reliance on donkeys. Sensitivity shown to animal welfare in Turkish society is growing in recent years.

Recruited at the age of 6, the donkeys are retired when they reach the age of 14 or 15. There is an official ceremony, with a plate of watermelon offered to the pension-age donkey instead of a cake, which is seen as too unhealthy. 😉

Mules can live up to 50 years, so they spend their golden years in a local animal shelter, enjoying a well-deserved rest.

And I think we also deserve a rest, you and me. 😀 Hopefully, it was interesting and short enough. Thank you for stopping by.

^{Please note, that all photos used in my posts are taken and owned by myself. Nobody can use them without my consent. If you wish to use any of my images please contact me @zirochka.}