Koç Katımı — the ram-mating festival (Malatya)
16 October 2026 — Ding-a-ling! The ram runs to the flock – autumn is festival time!
Koç Katımı (“ram release”) is a folk shepherds’ festival of eastern Anatolia, tied to autumn. This is when rams are let in among the ewes and the flock’s breeding season begins, so that lambs are born in spring. The festival thus follows the yearly rhythm of herding life. The rams are decorated with colourful ribbons, ornaments and bells, and villagers accompany them with music and dance. Folk instruments such as the davul (a large drum) and the zurna (a traditional wind instrument) often play. Families prepare a shared meal, and the community gathers to wish fertility and abundance for the flocks. The festival has no fixed date: it is usually held in late October or in November, depending on local custom and weather. Its link to the sky is therefore mainly seasonal – autumn, when the days grow shorter and shepherds prepare their flocks for winter. Exact dates and local customs differ from region to region. The official ceremonies in Malatya are held in October.
Flying across the sky: An ethereal, bluish-silver ram made of luminous dots and fine connecting lines, like a constellation moving across the sky
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