Humans of South - Humans of Kurdistan

“Anyone who sees me is instantly drawn to my eyes. That is mostly because I am dark-complexioned. I am from Khanaqin, but it has been many years since I came here and I work with my partner in this tea shop. Tourists visit the tea shop every day, always asking if I'm wearing contact lenses or not. One time a woman came and asked me the same question, she returned soon after and said I have looked around Sulaimani a lot to find contact lenses of that color but I have not found it.” ...

Jul 10 2020

July 10, 2020

"Our generation did not pass through the best times, constant running, hiding and fear. We were at risk of being captured and executed every day. We did organizational work in the city with a few friends, but most of them are not alive anymore and some were martyred. I was a supporter of the PASOK party back then, it didn’t matter which faction you belonged to, all that mattered was that you were active against the Bath regime for the Kurdish cause. After a long while, I gave up my political activities and focused on my personal life. Although there are so many things right now that are longer of any value to me, but the only thing that occupies my mind is for my children to finish their studies and seeing them have a bright future." ...

Jun 30 2020

June 30, 2020

"After graduating from the college of Arts, I started my first job. I faced many challenges. Most of the people around me did not believe in my skills and thought I would give up, but I never gave up and continued because my goals were clear. I now own my own independent project called, ‘Mesopotamia Moving Images’, it is a long-term project and the first part will last two years, in which we will work on Kurdish culture, specifically architecture, clothing, jewelry, food, dance, music, and unrecorded stories. Our work will revolve around the geographical region of the greater Kurdistan, where people of different nationalities, religions, and languages have lived for many years. So it is important for us to have a cultural collection to prevent them from demolishing and so that information can be easily accessible for all the institutions and people who need them." ...

Jun 27 2020

June 27, 2020

"I remember when I was young, people were beaten and humiliated in Kirkuk every day. Even though I haven't done any political work, but I didn't get away with not being beaten: Once during the Iran- Iraq war, we were practicing our driving with a friend. A very fast car passed by us and I made in indication with my hand, it came off as more of a curse sign. He returned and stopped in front of us, they got out and started beating and kicking us so hard. Then they took us to the 'Intelligence agency', there, we were just able to be quite convincing, I said: ‘we are going to give blood, this guy's brother is wounded in the frontlines’. So, we got off with that. When there were talks of a revolution in Kirkuk, they would not let anyone come out and would often take people in their own homes for no reason, especially the Kurds. In 1991, when the Kirkuk IDPs came to Penjwen, I was one of them and I stayed. It has been almost 30 years I have been in Penjwen and have spent a lifetime in this shop." ...

Jun 25 2020

June 25, 2020

"I was deprived from studying at an early age. I couldn’t continue because of the situation and time. When I pass by the school, I reminisce about my terrible childhood and feel like I have left something in it that I can never get back. Sometimes in life you face something that takes all the happiness out of your heart, even if you have a lot of possessions, they won’t make you happy. Sometimes I see myself as a very calm person inside, but I don’t appear that way. I look very angry...

Jun 24 2020

June 24, 2020

"In 1991, we returned to Penjwen with my family. Some people of southern Kurdistan in the 90s would move to Eastern Kurdistan and Iran for a living. Like those people, I started off to Iran as well, as a young kid. I have worked in brick manufacturing, carpet weaving, agriculture, and herding. One of the jobs I started to like was herding because you serve an animal that cannot speak and he serves you in return. I have always worked consistently, now I work as a bricklayer. Like all other workers and laborers, it will affect me significantly if I don't work for one day. Even if it is not for the money, working still makes me happy and I enjoy it." ...

Jun 22 2020

June 22, 2020

"My mother is equivalent to the entire world for me; she has cancer. Her recovery is worth everything to me. I do not care about anything else in the world. I have failed in many things, but they don’t mean anything to me. The day my mother almost died, they told me in the hospital that your mother is not doing well, they have discharged us. I went to the hospital, but they wouldn’t let me in. No matter how much I tried with the guard, it was useless. It got to the point that I had to climb over the wall, but a guard saw me and tried to stop me, I pulled him on the ground and continued running into the hospital hallway...

Jun 20 2020

June 20, 2020

"I have long had a passion for archaeology and recorded history. It happened that in 2004, after Iraq was freed and I was employed at the Archaeology Directorate, I was doing financially well and so I started to publish the Shmshara Magazine - Shmshara is an archaeologically important hill close to Ranya and the name of the magazine is based on that - that initially consisted of 3 pages until it gradually grew to more than 50 pages and articles, most of which I wrote myself.Another one of my passions is collecting historical texts and my hope is to someday open a museum that displays the historical texts that I have, which round up to about 500 texts, and many other texts. I have historical texts that go back to 350 years ago!" "Other than Shmshara, I also own two book productions called 'Shin u Shingeri' [Mourning and Lamentation] and 'The three Wings of the Haqqa Movement'. Mourning and lamentation is a Kurdish cultural tradition mentioned by many poets. It is a way of expressing grief by different tribes for their dead ones, which differed across tribes. What I have done is that I have collected this area’s different ways of lamentation in a book.Haqqa was a social class movement that started under Sheikh Abdul-Karim of Shaddala at the end of the 30s of the last century in Shaddala village of the Surdash region of Dukan. This movement has originated from the Naqishbandi Order that has spurned praying and fasting. So they were criticized a lot for being Sufis and not praying. But they did not pray under Chapter 99 of the Quran: 'And worship your Lord until the certainty comes to you'. After the passing of their Sheikh, the movement was divided into 3 wings, which I have covered in my book. In one of them, tea, cigarettes, and child-bearing were forbidden. Today there is one women left in that wing, they call her 'Tata Halawa'." ...

Jun 17 2020

June 17, 2020

"I have a son who teaches children skateboarding in Hawari Shar Park and uses a motorbike for transportation. On days when it is too hot, I have bought him two cool-boxes to sell water and juice. I felt like he really enjoyed his job, and that made me really happy. One day when he was coming back from work, he called me and said, 'Dad, I am almost home.' There was no word from him after 30 minutes, so I called him and his phone was closed! I knew something was wrong. One of his friends called me and said your son has been hit by a car and is in the hospital. I immediately went there, I saw my son was unconscious and was in a full body cast. I am not going to say how painful that scene was, because it is difficult for everyone to feel that. These days, all I think about is seeing my son on his feet again, just like he used to be." ...

Jun 16 2020

June 16, 2020

"I learned can manufacturing from my father when I was very young. Along with that, I was very passionate about arts. I would participate in the school arts activities, I had a passion for painting and creative arts, but I could not continue because of work and providing money. When I wanted to attend the School of Fine Arts, my family did not allow it. They would say, 'You have to finish school and get in a good field.' I have done a lot of theater and was one of those who did great acting with my friends. We had also formed a theater club, but all we got was the claps and thanks, which doesn't lead you anywhere. For certain theater works, we paid for the supplies ourselves. I have stopped working in theater and have a job of my own now: I own a cafeteria through which I can get an income and lead life with. This doesn't mean the arts have died in me, but I don't think I will go back on the stage." ...

Jun 15 2020

June 15, 2020