Tarzan from Manisa

The Tarzan of Manisa ( 1899 - 1963 ) was the nickname of Ahmet bin Carlak, an eccentric who lived on the Spil Dağı near Manisa for 40 years . The "Tarzan Manisas" (tr. Manisa Tarzanı ) is considered to be the first environmentalist in Turkey. Carlak got the nickname because of his sparse clothing. Carlak called himself Ahmet Bedevi ("Ahmet the Bedouin").

Life

Carlak was born in 1899. According to reports, either Baghdad or Samarra was his birthplace. Carlak took part in the Turkish Liberation War in Antep and was also one of the troops that conquered Izmir. He was wounded in the war and received the İstiklâl Madalyası on the red ribbon for his bravery . Immediately after the war, Carlak settled in Manisa. There he was impressed by the consequences of a major fire. From then on, the reforestation of the region was his purpose in life. Bedevi planted and tended countless trees. From 1924 onwards he stopped removing his beard. For this reason, people first called him Hacı ("pilgrim"). Carlak soon dressed only in shorts. He left his upper body uncovered. He lived alone for 40 years in a hut he called "Topkale" (roughly: cannon castle) and took the name Ahmet Bedevi. It may also have been the people of Manisa who nicknamed him Ahmet Bedevi. Bedevi learned the Turkish Latin script at the Halk Mektepleri (about: elementary schools) and took part in public life. He came to town regularly, where he was dined at the Dede Niyazis pub. In return, Bedevi brought water from the mountain to the restaurant. Bedevi temporarily did auxiliary work for the city administration. In 1933 he is said to have been hired as an assistant gardener for a monthly wage of TL 30. When the film Tarzan's retaliation was released in Manisa's cinemas in 1934 , Bedevi was nicknamed “Manisa Tarzanı”, in German “The Tarzan of Manisa”.

Bedevi took part in official victory parades commemorating the War of Independence with a long beard and a bare chest. Bedevi wore the medal on the leaf of an ornamental palm that he had tied around his neck.

Bedevi was a mountaineer. Together with members of the local mountaineering club, he climbed the Ararat , the Cilo Dağı (1957), the Aladağlar and the Demirkazık Dağı (1959).

In 1959 Bedevi and the Manisas Mountaineering Club were guests in Konya and Niğde. Its appearance attracted tens of thousands of onlookers there. At first, they wanted to deny Bedevi entry to the Mevlana Museum because of his naked torso. Bedevi, on the other hand, pointed to the inscription Mevlanas above the door, which read: “Come to me, whatever you are!” And entered.

death

Bedevi died of heart failure in the state hospital on May 31, 1963. The Hürriyet reported on June 1, 1963 under the heading “The Tarzan Manisas is dead” about his demise. Carlak was buried on the Asrî Mezarlık of Manisa, although it was his last wish to be buried in "Topkale".

Trivia

• The environmental action week in Manisa is called “Manisa Tarzanı Çevre Günleri Haftası”. The city administration awards “Tarzan Prizes”.
• The fans of Manisaspor call themselves "Tarzanlar" (Tarzans) in reference to Bedevi.
• A primary school in Manisa is called “Manisa Tarzanı Ahmet Bedevi İlkokulu”.
• Bedevi's life was filmed in 1994 by Orhan Oğuz with the title “Manisa Tarzanı”. The film is considered the first environmental protection film in Turkey.
• A boulevard in Manisa is called “Tarzan Bulvarı”.
• In Fatih Parkı in Manisa there is a monument that shows Bedevi in ​​life size, the "Tarzan Heykeli".
• A cross-country event in Manisa in 2015 was called “Manisa Tarzanı”.
• Allegedly Bedevi showed the time every day at 12 noon by cannon shot.
• Bedevi is said to have received a great many love letters that were lost after his death.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Tarzan ve 'Haşlaklar' ( Memento of the original from January 24, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. www.manisahayatgazetesi.com from June 2, 2014 
2. ↑ Torunları tarzan dedelerini unuttular Manisahaberleri from May 31, 2015
3. ↑ Türkiye'nin İlk Dağcılık kulübü Manisa'da Kuruldu ( Memento of the original from January 24, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. www.manisahaberleri.com from July 14, 2014 
4. ↑ Hürriyet, June 1, 1963 Online
5. ↑ O bir halk kahramanı! manisainternethaber.com from May 30, 2014

literature

• Bedriye Aksakal: Yeşilin Atası Manisa Tarzanı. 1993