Humans of South - Humans of Kurdistan

“The art of body ink (Deq) has a long history in Kurdish culture. Thankfully, this tradition has faded a bit and, in some places, has disappeared entirely. Nowadays, people get it done as tattoos, it doesn’t cause as much pain, and it’s done more exquisitely than before. They ink themselves with devices today, not by hand like in the past. In the early 70s, they inked this Deq for me. For a woman like me, this was beautiful back then and would attract the sights of those gazing at me. I did not have the same mindset back then as I do now. Honestly, I regret it a lot, but I still have kept it because of how painful it is to remove it. Besides, it leaves ugly marks, so I don’t know what to do with it.” ...

Jan 15 2023

January 11, 2023

“I don’t remember being jealous of anyone, but since I have gotten old and unable to walk, I’ve started being jealous. When I see people standing on their feet and praying to God, I become jealous of them. Sometimes, I feel embarrassed when I pray while sitting. I’m in front of a being that only he is omnipotent and all-powerful. And from the beginning to the end of times, this is all his domain. The pleasure of faith is felt by only those who are honest in their love for God. There are many ways to get closer to the Lord, but prayer is the most gratifying one for me.” ...

Jan 15 2023

December 18, 2022

“In the 80s, when the school in our village closed down, we couldn’t travel for hours on foot to attend the school in the city. Consequently, I dropped out of school in fifth grade. I started helping my father in Chia Sumac, we picked apples, and our livelihood depended on these products. I got older and became a stonecutter in the early 2000s, and we were building houses. From then, my life blended with hammers and stones. Now, if I only look at the stone, I know if it will be useful for building or not. My work is tough, and I work eight hours daily; I suffer during the night because of the pain in my hands and shoulders. However, I’m still happy because the food I bring to the table for my children is the fruit of my labor.” ...

Jan 15 2023

December 6, 2022

“Even though obesity is genetic, I can’t have that as an excuse to ignore my body. The difficult conditions force me to spend most of my time in my restaurant. I wish I have the chance to work out daily. Right now, instead of workouts, I have organized an intake plan for myself, and I’m currently on a great diet plan. Friends often tell me, “How can you quit rich-in-fat foods and carbohydrates while you are a kebab chief and prepare many delicious dishes every day for the customers?” We have to realize that life is not all about eating. Health and a fit body are more important. What good is delicious food when you can’t wear something fitting to you and suffer from tens of illnesses? It is true that I mostly eat fruits and vegetables, but I’m glad that I’m healthy and looking after my body.” ...

Jan 15 2023

November 27, 2022

“There were days when no one in this city could compete with me in lifting weights, but now, I tear up for how weak I have become. If I tell people that I used to one-hand lift a gunnysack of flour, they might not believe me, but you can ask all of the old-time porters or people my age; they were all witnesses to my challenges. I lifted a 50-kilo gunnysack of flour, and that’s why I tattooed the number 50 on my arm. Now, I can’t even lift a kerosene heater or a gas bottle, but I’m thankful to the Lord for being healthy and not ill. Old age doesn’t shy from anyone.” ...

Jan 15 2023

November 16, 2022

“I opened a tailor shop in the 60s, and I’m considered the oldest tailor in Akre who is still in the profession. I learned this work from my ancestors, and they learned from the Jews. In return, I taught my children, and now they have shops too. Besides them, I have taught this profession to 70 women, and now their livelihood is on it. I remember many old artists, such as Tahsin Taha, Ardawan Zakhoiy, and Fuad Ahmad, who used to come to me to tailor their attire. During Newroz and holidays, people visit me for traditional Kurdish clothes from everywhere. This gives me a great feeling of accomplishment because it means I’ve been doing my job flawlessly and that it has reached this state.” ...

Nov 07 2022

November 7, 2022

“I don’t recall how long I have been a hawker, but I know there isn’t a street in this city that I haven’t passed through hundreds of times. I have gone into every neighborhood while daydreaming. They have called me different names since I remember; the children call me the “old man” and the women call me “the hawker man.” And sometimes, they even call me the Cheerful Hajji. The names don’t matter to me; selling my products does. I’m happy when I see an old man and sell him nail clippers; he prays well for me, or when I sell a pencil to a child, and they run to the end of the street in happiness. Differentiating and recognizing people is not hard for me; I have been going through these neighborhoods for a long time, and I can separate the good from the bad ones.” ...

Oct 31 2022

October 16, 2022

“Every day, from my village on the Iraq-Iran border, I walk for an hour to Pshdar’s Shene village to work on construction and farming; it takes me another hour to go back. I spent half of my life toiling; this face is not a face of a 30 years old man; I have seen the hardship of life. My brothers attended school, but I didn’t. However, I have four children, and I always tell them to study so they won’t end up like me. I show them my tired and wounded hands, so they focus on their future and study.” ...

Oct 31 2022

October 31, 2022

“In 1977 I was doing my military service in Said Sadiq, and my profession was cobbling. I was cobbling the shoes and boots of the army men. Later, I returned to Akre and opened a shop. I have been in this profession for 42 years now, I’m really satisfied with it, and it has served my family and me pretty well. I open my shop for eight hours daily and fix shoes, school bags, and home equipment. In the 80s and 90s, people were fixing their shoes from four sides and were okay with it, so I had so many customers to the point that I had no time to answer anyone. But now people find it shameful to wear a shoe that has been cobbled, hence the profession is not as it used to be.” ...

Sep 16 2022

September 26, 2022

“I spent half of my life in war and on the front lines. During my time, military service was mandatory. I have memories from all of the provinces in Iraq. People my age remember how we had to prepare ourselves for each war after one another. We are used to war; thus, unfortunately, we could never have an ordinary life. So many times, I have cried about being away from Kirkuk; sadly, nothing is how it used to be now. Maybe it is because how life has exhausted us has left a deep wound in our hearts. When I was younger, I didn’t have time to enjoy this city and its times, and now there is much time, but I’ve gotten old”. ...

Sep 16 2022

September 7, 2022