çoban

Çoban is a Turkish term for a person who tends sheep, goats and other livestock. In Turkey and Turkish-speaking regions, çoban can be a nomadic or semi-nomadic herder, or a worker in a settled pastoral setting. The main duties are guarding flocks from predators, guiding animals to pasture, monitoring health, tending newborn lambs, and maintaining fences and simple shelter. Herders move with the seasons, often between highland pastures in summer and valleys in winter, a practice known as transhumance or yayla göçü. Tools commonly used include a shepherd’s staff or crook (asa), a whistle, and often dogs trained to herd and protect the flock.

Etymology: çoban comes from Persian چوپان (chupān) meaning shepherd, via Ottoman Turkish, and is widely used in Turkish-speaking communities. The word also appears in surnames and place names.

Cultural note: the çoban figure appears in Turkish folklore and literature as a symbol of rural life, practical knowledge, and a close relationship with animals. In cuisine and culture the term has influenced phrases such as çoban köfte, a meatball dish associated with shepherding culture.