Traditional Pelivani Wrestling

Pelivansko borenje, or pelivan oil wrestling, is a centuries-old wrestling tradition in North Macedonia blending indigenous styles with Ottoman-Turkish practices that ultimately trace to Persia. Practiced across both Macedonian and Albanian communities regardless of religion, it is often featured at weddings and, among Muslim populations, circumcision feasts. The Traditional Wrestling Federation of North Macedonia, registered since 1995, oversees an estimated 300 to 400 active wrestlers nationwide.

Pelivansko borenje, or pelivan oil wrestling, is one of the older continuously practiced folk sports in North Macedonia, with roots that combine indigenous Balkan wrestling forms with technique introduced through Ottoman-Turkish contact, itself derived from older Persian wrestling traditions.