RONÎDA HACÎ

Hasakah-Women of North and East Syria have been making various preparations for International Women’s Day, annually observed on March 8. The women of Hasakah, a city in the Jazira Canton of North and East Syria, have already begun sewing traditional clothes for IWD after buying colorful fabrics. They wear their traditional clothes on special days to preserve their culture against assimilation policies.

‘March 8 is a holy day for women’

“March 8 is a holy and meaningful day for us, women,” said Ezîza Abdulah, a woman of Hasakah, wishing a happy Women’s Day to all women. “We are getting ready for March 8, as we do every year. Women have already begun sewing their traditional clothes. What makes March 8 beautiful is that women come together by wearing colorful traditional clothes and celebrate it with enthusiasm. Women respond to male-dominated governments by preserving their culture and history on March 8. Syriac, Armenian, Kurdish and Arab women come together on March 8 and dance halay for freedom.”

‘We will celebrate it with great enthusiasm’

Ezîza Abdulah told NuJINHA that they, as women of Hasakah, would celebrate International Women’s Day with great enthusiasm upon the call of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan. “The Rojava Revolution is the continuation of women's struggle against oppression and persecution. Women led the revolution thanks to the thoughts and ideology of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan. Every year, I buy colorful fabric, go to a tailor, and have my traditional dress sewn for IWD. I call on all women to rise against oppression and persecution.”

 “March 8 is an important day for all women,” said Ezîza Omer, a tailor in Hasakah who wished all women a happy Women’s Day. “For about a month, women have brought their colorful fabrics and asked me to sew traditional clothes for them. I do my best to help women, who cannot afford it because I want all women to celebrate their day with great enthusiasm. Now, I am sewing traditional clothes for my daughters. We will celebrate our day together.”

Traditional clothes sold at Lavîn store

Meanwhile, the Lavîn Textile Factory run by Kongra Star Economy Committee in Hasakah, has been manufacturing traditional clothes for about a month. The committee sells the traditional clothes at the Lavîn store, located in the Mufti neighborhood of Hasakah. “All women look forward to celebrating International Women’s Day,” said Lînda Hesen, a member of the committee. “The Lavîn Textile Factory has been manufacturing traditional clothes for women and we sell them at the Lavîn store.”