ABOUT AKYENIKOY

Akyeniköy made township in 1991 but the history of the area goes back to times of Nomadic tribes came here first and decided to locate here permanently.

Five families of those Nomadic tribes named Alipasa, Mumcu Osman, Haci Topal, Hacý Kerim, and Koroglu in 1927 have came here and loved here very much. So, they have decided to live here as permanently just because located by the river Meander carried alluvial deposits were fertile and suitable for agriculture as well as for their animal. They named the area as Yesilköy (Yesil: green + Köy: village). Soon, many other families who decided to live in regular have joined from other Nomadic Tribes after lived in their woven tents made out of goats hair for years along the skirts of mountains by Lake Bafa with their animal. The color "Green" is a motive that symbolizes "Life" in the Nomadic culture and Nomads are after the "green" for whole of their life time not just to feed their animal but also t significantly means life in their motives.

Just after it has changed into a small town with the rise of the population the name Yesilköy changed into Yeniköy (Yeni: new + Köy: village) remarking the "new life". This name was not just for the nomads but also for refugee Turks who have came  here from Bulgaria, Greece, etc after the war and stayed here.

It has been a place to start a new life for the families who came here recent times who escaped from the war. The name changed as "Akyeniköy" (Ak: clean, white + Yeni: new + Köy: village) to mention the closeness by the village Akköy the biggest village of the district in those times and also remarking the New and Clean start. With its culture goes back in the history as nomads were very hardworking and strong people in love with the nature and green took Akyeniköy into today as a grooving city with new job opportunities an lively social events held in April known as " Traditional Olive Oil Wrestling & Traditional Turkish Style Javelin Games".

The idea of "olive oil wrestling championship and the javelin games" are to promote Akyenikoys Nomadic culture as well as get together, have good time and keep in touch with the past. After the hard work of tobacco, cotton and olive harvest winter comes. During the winter up to spring theres not much to do. Those winter times are the good opportunities to get together for the wedding parties as well as other social events such as traditional olive oil wrestling were held by the municipality of Akyeniköy not only locals but also from whole Didim district even from abroad, (especially from Greece) the people are joining to the activities.