A Story of Training, a Community, and a Clan

3 August 2025

Transformation Begins with a River in the Black Sea: A Story of Training, a Community, and a Clan

Sometimes, a river is not just a place where water flows – it becomes a space where people connect, are tested, and transform.

Our story takes place in the mysterious valley of the Black Sea, at Yeniköy Stream in Of, Trabzon.

As the lush green tea plantations mesmerize the eyes along the slopes, Yeniköy is home to a newly established rafting business that embodies a deep sense of belonging, extraordinary commitment, and a respectful collective spirit.

Each village along the valley has given its own name to different sections of the stream. Though it is a single river, it carries four different names: Hayrat, Taflancık, Baltacı, and Ballıca

But the most striking aspect was the closeness of the people surrounding the river. This community was a large family – a kind of clan – made up of cousins, brothers-in-law, uncles’ children, maternal uncles’ sons, and brothers-in-law from marriage. They were all known as Çakıroğulları, a lineage that had settled in the region 400 years ago and had bonded tightly in the harsh nature of the Black Sea.

When the training began, we faced a group of young people with hesitant, timid gazes—but also a strong eagerness. Some were encountering the river for the first time, while others carried the weight of past negative experiences. Lack of knowledge, anxiety, and uncertainty were high.

However, the training method was far from a conventional lecture. At its core were “understanding people” and “trust.” It was not a procedural approach but a relationship-centered one.

As the river guide training continued at full speed in Yeniköy Stream, we learned through conversations that no one had ever entered Baltacı Stream before. The next day, we made the first known descent of the Baltacı Stream.

After covering about 2 km inside the canyon, we suddenly noticed that the riverbed was blocked by a 10-meter-high concrete barrier. Upon closer inspection, we discovered that the passage where the water should flow was clogged with logs carried by floods, forming a siphon.

What started as a river exploration quickly turned into a boat rescue operation. Climbing the steep canyon walls of 20–30 meters, we fought a tough battle to lift the boat to safety.

This small discovery suddenly became an expedition-like challenge, but the process itself became the experience.

The community that hosted us was not just a group of relatives—they were a productive team working together. Everyone had a role along the riverbank. The elders organized, the youth executed. No one stood idle. If there was work to be done, everyone gave their full effort.

The respect, love, and dedication they showed to one another was unlike anything we had ever witnessed in a training before. Being a family here was not just about lineage—it was a way of life.

Those who feared the river on the first day, who hesitated at the water’s edge, transformed within days into a confident team that trusted each other and managed risks. By the end of the training, we heard:

They learned without losing their joy, without compromising discipline.

“I’m no longer afraid of the river.”
“I had so much fun!”
“We learned so much!”

Hundreds of smiles reflected their new found confidence.

Interestingly, this small, previously unknown rafting business began welcoming new groups one after another after the training. The newly trained guides successfully, safely, and competently led visitors down the river. The training had not only transformed individuals—it had unlocked the potential of the business and strengthened the guides’ confidence.

This training process was not just about technical development – it was a social, emotional, and communal transformation.