Kakava

What it is

Kakava belongs to the Romanlar, the Roma communities of Turkey, and its heartland is East Thrace in the west of the country. The name is also given in English as the Cauldron Festival. It is a spring observance with fixed dates, running through the night of 5 May into 6 May. The old form of Kakava came before Islam, and the sources say it has survived among people who are today officially Muslim. Two towns are named as its centres, Edirne and Kırklareli. In Edirne it now takes the shape of an international festival, and visitors travel there from other countries.

A promised saviour

The festival carries a story that Roma in Turkey hold dear: a saviour called Baba Fingo is expected to come and free them. In that belief he led the Roma out of Egypt alongside Moses and the Hebrews, a parallel drawn with the Exodus. He is remembered as a commander of the Pharaoh's troops in the army of ancient Egypt. A Turkish saying sums up the hope: Baba Fingo Gelecek, Bütün Dertler Bitecek, which means that Father Fingo will come and all troubles will be over. That promise is the deepest source of joy for those who keep the night.

At the river

The Romanlar treat the night of 5 to 6 May as the anniversary of a rescue. They go down to the edge of the Tundzha river and set candles in the water. There they also wash their hands, faces and feet, remembering what the sources call the miraculous day. A bonfire is lit, and people jump over the flames. Music is played and dancers perform. In Edirne the formal part of the evening is held at Sarayiçi, the ground used each year for the Kırkpınar oil-wrestling tournament.

Today in Edirne

In Edirne the governor and the mayor both back the event, and it has become an international festival. Crowds of about 5,000 people are served pilaf, a rice dish, once the fire has been jumped and the music and dancing are over. That distribution closes the organised part of the evening. The celebration does not stop there: it carries on at first light on the bank of the Tunca. Kırklareli, the other western town the sources name, marks Kakava as well. Visitors from abroad come to watch and to join in.

How Kakava is kept

The Romanlar gather on the night of 5 May and stay through to the dawn of 6 May. They begin at the riverside, where candles are set in the water and hands, faces and feet are washed. A bonfire is lit, and people jump over it. Music plays and there is dancing. In Edirne the formal part of the night happens at Sarayiçi, with pilaf served to a crowd of around 5,000, and that ends the organised programme. Many then move to the river bank to greet the morning.

When and where

Kakava falls on the night of 5 May and the morning of 6 May, the day the Romanlar mark as the rescue. The date is fixed rather than worked out each year, so it comes at the same point. In the west of Turkey that is late spring.

It is kept in East Thrace, in the west of Turkey, and the sources name Edirne and Kırklareli as its places. Edirne is the stronger centre: the formal part of the evening is held at Sarayiçi, and the celebration draws visitors from other countries.

What Kakava means

For the Romanlar the night recalls a rescue. Baba Fingo stands for the hope that a saviour will arrive and lift every trouble, and the saying about him is repeated with joy. The candles on the water and the washing in the river carry that memory of a miraculous day. The bonfire marks the gathering itself, a point where the community meets. Because the festival is older than Islam in the region, keeping it also holds on to a heritage the Romanlar treat as their own.

Days Kakava is marked

Questions people ask about Kakava

See also

MawlidAn annual festival marking the birth of the Prophet Muhammad, marked by poetry, processions and feasts.Chaharshanbe SuriAn Iranian festival of fire and renewal celebrated on the eve of the final Wednesday before spring.HıdırellezA spring festival marking the meeting of two prophets, celebrated across Turkey and the Balkans.Sizdah BedarAn open-air picnic holiday concluding the Iranian New Year celebrations

Good reading and sources

• Kakava on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
• Wikidata recordOpen data

It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-05.