Real Talk with Mehmet & Selin from BABAKAMP in Turkey

Interview by Astropsyhe

Main question is what was behind this place, this project, like inspiration ? why did you created this place, you know
Mehmet:
Actually i like i didn’t plan anything or you know imagined anything, but you know since my childhood when i was like 15 and between 15-20 I liked taking my friends to you know forest for the camping or barbecue or just hiking and then i started to come to this area- Fethiye area, and Lycian Way
Uh, after 20s with my friends again for more outdoors and more camping, you know ( laughing) And that’s how i liked this area. I used to come here when i was small with my family for the vacations in summer season. I am from Istanbul, and Selin from Fethiye. So I came to this area, Fethiye area in winter for the first time. And i saw that winter, spring and fall are really beautiful here. And I started to discover mountains. Then I was studying in University during the next years. But it was always on my mind how can I move here, live here and so on. And after the University I worked in Istanbul for two years with my father.
Then I was searching for jobs in Fethiye and I found one in a Beach Resort and I applied and I started to work there for one season. It was a huge luxury beach club and beach resort hotel. I worked there as a Guest Relations and Guide. I was guiding around the hotel in Fethiye area. And during this time I had a Defender Truck – and I could sleep in it and I had a fridge in it, so I was always discovering around and other mountains and lands and everything.
Uh, that’s how I got here for the first time. That time I saw this place from the peak of the mountain and I started going down to here and directly to the viewpoint.

So you were like explorer – you were exploring the distant lands, and then you found the place – you started to build here your settlement. I think, you know, it’s it’s really cool.
Mehmet:
The first time I came here and I really liked it.I walked all around here and I met with our neighbors shepherd neighbors. Uh, it was like – we were eating there and you know drinking chai and food.
So for one year – I was coming here with my friends or alone, like once a month maybe just for camping again in this area and then I asked two shepherds who own this lands and they tell me
maybe one guy can sell his part.
It was the beginning area – it’s Octagon area 4 000 square meters area. ( Octagon – is the name of cafe and recreation space in the center of Babakamp – it’s wooden, and made in form of octagon ) I got it and I started to build with some ,you know, few handyman and their children – very amateur and we started these three buildings and each year I bought next land, and then next and next and they’re all brothers. So, uh, somehow six lands next to each other came 24 000 square meters and each year it started to grow all the buildings and slowly staff and guests and so on. And it’s seven season here and this is still building and growing ,yeah…

So what uh projects now you have in your mind to build ?
Mehmet:
Building not really so much we built our reception recently -yeah, it’s last building i think.
We need just small things now, and more preparation or more you know team and more marketing maybe interns

But okay if it’s not building maybe projects like what you want to create like festivals or events and so on?
Selin:
Um actually we are right in
Because two years ago we were thinking about to make this Movement Festival – I remember I was
thinking about it a lot of years before. And when we started it – it was the first festival here and today now this year – we made the third one!
And also we have in general six festivals. One is not in Babakamp – it’s apart but um we think that maybe these five are for now okay. But let’s see what time brings.

Can you maybe a little bit describe this festivals?
So it’s your creation of Babakamp?
Yeah, these are five different festivals with five different themes
one is about music and arts, one is about the movement ,one is about yoga and wellness…
Maybe also you can tell the names?
Yeah yeah !
«Beyond» Festival – is the music and arts festival.
And then we have «One» Festival. One is about Yoga and Wellness.
And then we have «Interception» Festival – it’s a healing festival.
So, we have Babadag «Movement» Festival, it includes all kind of movements… and um let me see.
Mehmet:
We have two more! ( laughing)
Selin:
Yeah Yeah! We have «Exploring Licya» It is just made for exploring the surrounding areas because the Licyan Way is passing through here. And yeah, so there’s one more- it’s called «Riyomar Festival» that was the first festival what we organized not at Babakamp, we organized it in Akyaka
And one more festival is the «Heroes» Festival – for children and families
Yeah it’s a lot! And actually it’s nice you know like you were telling that you came here hiking in the first place – and funny thing is that I also came here now from Rhodes (Greece) because I was also doing hi ing in Lycian Way few years ago.
Because I didn’t have any plan to go somewhere and i just came here, because I like the nature here and the places. And I knew that I can meet some interesting people here in this area.

Okay, so what is your favorite festival? You have one ?
Selin:
I do! Yeah my favorite is the «Movement» Festival.
I think because it’s the first one, maybe that’s why the first feelings of any kind of festival, of any kind of big gathering, you know, we were in the first year 230 people and it was always like that like the last week and during previous years that all people are in one atmosphere. I don’t know I like the the energy of the festival.
Yeah, I also have noticed that all people are really connected here, I don’t know if the people who came here know each other before the festival.
Mehmet:
Yeah most of them probably know each other.
For me – I like all of them you know. But movement is my favorite also because maybe it’s also the first one also it’s very balanced, you know
You have sports, you have music and dance. Also families and children can join to it.
So everything is involved into the festival
Also I like «Heroes» Festival. It’s very nice, because it’s very good to see like 30 children running around and playing and learning around here

So from where you take inspiration and motivation to do something like that?
I do get inspiration from inside like all of us. But also inspiration comes from all people here and from this location – so everything comes together here.
It’s like a spring ,yeah! it’s just flowing. It’s gathering point of many things.

Yeah, maybe that’s why people are so attracted to this place
Do you have your favorite artists?
Maybe you have some artist or athlete in your mind who you want to bring here ?
Mehmet:
Yeah, actually so many special and important people: musicians and athletes came here and I was always following all the trends and new names and old names, so yeah, that’s one of the starting points of making these festivals to invite people who we admire and you know we like and maybe we fan of them or maybe we want to learn from them; so instead of going to every their concerts it’s good to invite them here ( laughing ). So that’s good, you know, to reach anyone you want through Babacamp.
Also for the names – like Mose and Ben ( Yamanjo ) – they are very special in their area – good to have them here. Also athletes like Alex Perez (Yoga Teacher) was here also Sondre Berg.
Also amazing and also very special turkish athletes and friends visited us here.
And maybe some people they are just unknown but they have very special talents and characters.
So it’s good to have everyone here.
Selin:
I do have one favorite and i like more acoustic music. Okay, not more but in a balance
And I would also like to say something about Onanya (Hernan Suarez) for example.
And he was a long time here and he joined most of our festivals this year and he is a multi-instrumentalist and live-looping artist and singer. And he is playing with his hands.
And for me is it is a lovely part of being an artist, you know.
So I was listening for years now two guitarists – they are brothers the name of the band is Hermanos Gutierrez. And I really would like to invite them here and have a beautiful night at the the bonfire you know – to sit there and just to listen to their music – that would be great.

Nice! Thanks for sharing
Do you have your values that you want to bring into the world through Babakamp?
Or maybe you can share your vision and mission?
Mehmet:
Yeah, you know I can say that it is very suitable area for people to discover themselves.
We ourselves are 100% learned from people.
Or maybe some people don’t even think about new people and new teachings like this what we have here. So our mission is introduce this teachings to the people.
So we see this place like gathering and sharing and connecting. And also connection with nature and that’s it.
Nikita:
Yeah but it’s really cool
For me as i told you I came because of nature but another thing that’s really so amazing here that I met so many people and it was so interesting and I also learned many things about myself.
And I think some connections which I made here – maybe for a life-time long.
Selin:
I also think that this this mountain has a magical spirit – because the mountain is named after «Baba» «Baba» means Father in Turkish, so I think here’s a very masculine energy dominating.
And the people who are coming to this place are saying like: «Oh I wanted to come all the time to this place but now is the time, you know.» Like everyone has a right time to come here
It’s my fourth season right now here
And when I came to this place, I just realized how many reflections and transformations people
have when they just arrive here.
Because everyone, then they arrive, needs to be two days long in their space, you know, just to come up with the mind and soul and body and everything. And then you see the Masculine energy who is always showing what you need to work on maybe.

So my vision and mission here I think is to bring the Feminine energy and to keep it in a
Balance.

Well, very good and interesting answer, really thank you!
Maybe the last question I have – what do you think about the global situation in the world?
Where are we going as the humanity ?
And maybe what we can bring into the world together?
Mehmet:
Yeah, I think, you know, people here – they had so many stories behind.
You know – some points that we don’t even imagine – what they lived through – like good things
and bad things. People you know kind of remembering everything what happened before and what’s going on now.
And people now are finding their own truth and this kind of Connections and Communities and
Families. This is raising – this Connection. And this is what people and humans are going through right now.
Nikita:
Yeah, it’s also what I felt in this place – The Connection. This is really the right word.
Thank you for everything and for having us here. It was amazing experience which I gonna remember for life.
Mehmet & Selin:
Thank you also for all of your support! And being in the Team and Family.
We are looking forward to see you again!

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