Nvar Kawan - Humans of Kurdistan

Nov 20 2024

20/11/2024

My name is Jum'a, and I am 62 years old. I have witnessed many events in this city over the years, including my time working at an ancient bathhouse where I cleaned for four years. In the past, people frequently visited the bathhouse, but due to its age—over 500 years old—much of the structure has collapsed. For the past eight years, I have been transforming it into a tea house. Thanks to its rich history, it now attracts many tourists daily. We offer guests traditional Kurdish music and tea, preserving and sharing our heritage. Truly, we are "eating the bread of our history." ...

Nov 06 2024

6/11/2024

by Nvar Kawan

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in Humans of East

Like many women in my community, I’ve never wanted to just work at home, help my family, and cook. I’ve always wanted to be financially independent, and I believe a woman can both create a warm, welcoming home and run her own business. But living in a small town like Marivan, this hasn’t been easy. ...

Oct 31 2024

30/10/2024

by Nvar Kawan

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in Humans of East

The prosthetic leg the hospital made for me was painful, so I eventually crafted my own from a willow tree, earning me the nickname Hussein Dartash (Carpenter). I have a deep love for the nature and mountains of Kurdistan. One day, while searching for spring plants along the border between Southern and Eastern Kurdistan, I stepped on a landmine left from the Iran-Iraq war, which led to the loss of my leg. Later, as I moved to Marivan and trained as a carpenter, I found hope in crafting a wooden leg for myself. In the past twenty years, I've created many prosthetic legs for others who needed help rising above life’s challenges. I’ve always expressed my heartache by playing the Shimshal I carved from tree branches in the mountains of Kurdistan. ...

Oct 23 2024

23/10/2024

by Nvar Kawan

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in Humans of South

If I know that someone wants to buy my handicrafts as gifts, I charge as little as possible because I aim to help revive this culture in my country. We Kurds are generous people, and that generosity makes our relationships even more beautiful. I want to play a small part in nurturing that beauty. My name is Chapuka. I've been doing this in Koya for many years, purely for the joy it brings me. I've been retired for a long time now, but I still come every day to create these small, handcrafted pieces. My customers are mostly students and women because they care deeply about the beauty of their homes. My workshop may be small, but it brings a lot of happiness to the hearts of those who visit. ...

Oct 15 2024

15/10/2024

by Nvar Kawan

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in Humans of East

This Newroz, I will turn sixty and retire from my craft forever. I am probably the last Kurd in Kurdistan who still practices the art of toolmaking, which involves creating items like keys, locks, baskets, knives, and chains. The past twenty years have been the most significant of my artistic life. It all began when I filled my room with my creations, especially those made from canvas and cardboard. Visitors would come to our home and say, "Let's go to Behzad's room." My first workshop was in Sanandaj, and I dedicated my life to this craft for many years. My work is such a deeply rooted art that I could continue it for the rest of my life. However, I feel sorrow, knowing that one day, I may have to abandon my room and art for life's demands. ...

Oct 02 2024

2/10/2024

by Nvar Kawan

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in Humans of South

I was born here in the village of Shene, though I don’t know exactly how old I am. I do know that I was born during the reign of King Faisal. My name is Awla, but people call me Mam (uncle) Awla. I grew up in this village and learned how to farm here, and it’s where my wife left me. My children want me to move to the city and live with them, but the air of this land is what keeps me alive, and my food comes from the earth and water here. If I don’t see these mountains for even a day, I feel depressed. This is my home, and it’s where I belong until the end. ...

Jul 26 2024

26/7/2024

by Nvar Kawan

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in Humans of South

In 1978, the villages of Hawraman were destroyed by the former Iraqi regime. The villages were abandoned, and the original culture and character of Hawraman were wiped out, leaving no houses or walls standing. Since the 1991 revolution and the subsequent reconstruction of the villages of Kurdistan and Hawraman, I have worked as a stone master in Hawraman. I have built most of the houses and walls in Hawraman and the surrounding villages. My name is Jihangir Mustafa, and I am a 58-year-old resident of Balkham Village. I work as a stone wall craftsman to earn a living. I have a passion for construction work, as it helps preserve the beautiful scenery of Hawraman and maintain the region's cultural heritage. I love my profession and want the new generation to learn about the ancient culture of Hawraman. I inherited this craft from my parents, and I have made efforts to teach others so that the original culture of Hawraman continues after I am gone. I love my profession and want the new generation to learn about the ancient culture of Hawraman. I inherited this craft from my parents, and I have made efforts to teach others so that the original culture of Hawraman continues after I am gone. ...