Women keep culture alive

Cultural and artistic activities are the most important activities in Rojava. While many projects have been conducted with the participation of women, children and young people from ethical groups, Rûken Mihemed, executive of the Hîlala Zêrîn Culture and Art Movement, emphasized that the post-revolution culture is kept alive by women.

RONAHÎ NÛDA

Qamishlo – We can say that the culture has been renewed and modernized in the 21st century by women. After the revolution in Rojava, cultural and artistic activities have been carried out; many songs have been written, theater plays have been staged and films have been shot about the resistance. Women founded Hîlala Zêrin, women’s culture and art movement, in 2016 in Rojava. Many women, children and youth take part in the activities of the Hîlala Zêrin. We spoke to Rûken Mihemed, executive of the Hîlala Zêrîn Culture and Art Movement, about their activities.

“Hîlala Zêrîn was founded in 2016”

Stating that there were cultural and artistic activities in Rojava before the revolution, Rûken Mihemed said that women couldn’t participate in these activities due to social pressure. “After the revolution, women began to organize themselves in culture and art. The cultures of the peoples were destroyed; their languages were assimilated by the sovereign powers. We needed an organization to revive, create and weave our culture. In 2016, we officially founded Hîlala Zêrîn.”

“We have protected the legacy of women”

Underlining that they have protected and kept alive the legacy of the Rojava Kurdistan revolution, Rûken Mihemed stated,”We prepared a regulation according to the women's movement and its history. Since the foundation of the movement, important cultural and artistic activities have been carried out. Our aim is to protect and keep alive the legacy of the Revolution in Rojava, also known as women’s revolution. We held our first congress in 2017 with the participation of 200 delegates consisting of Arab, Kurdish, Syriac and Circassian women. At the first congress, we determined the name of the movement as Kevana Zêrin. We opened our first offices in Afrin and Aleppo after the congress. We opened a school for children. We have carried out works that reveal women's ability in art.”

“We have revealed the original culture of women”

Rûken Mihemed continued to talk as follows: “Sovereign states constantly attack the culture and history of the peoples. We can see this in Afrin, where the attacks aim to destroy the historical sites and change the demographic structure. The attacks on Til Xelef, a historical town of Serêkaniyê, also show this. For this reason, we first began to research and collect the archives and voices of women. We found many ancient records and archives of women. We have also revealed the culture of folklore, food, old instruments, songs, dengbêj and clothing of women. We have revealed the original culture of women. Our aim is to document, renew/modernize the culture of peoples. We have formed folklore and dengbêj groups consisting of mothers. At the beginning, women were shy or had difficulties due to the customs and traditions of the society, but they have overcome those difficulties and appeared on the stage.”

“We have passed down the fairy tale culture”

Pointing to the old tales, Rûken Mihemed said, “We have collected and documented old fairy tales. We developed a project about the old fairy tales with JIN TV to pass down the fairy tale culture. We have produced a television program. In the program, women, especially mothers, tell old fairy tales. The Culture and Art Committee (of Kongra Star) holds a festival once a year with the participation of many organizations. Women have written many songs about the revolution. Culture and art have played an important role in the revolution.”

“Arab women play an important role in the culture and art”

Speaking about the cultural and artistic activities in Arab regions, Rûken Mihemed said, “Arab children were confined to their homes at the age of 12-13 by their families, we broke this mentality. Arab women participate in activities with their children now. After we opened culture and art centers in Arab regions, Arab women began to participate in these activities. Arab women have struggled to keep their culture and arts alive. This shows that Arab women understand the democratic nation project of leader Apo (Abdullah Öcalan). Now, there are many theater, folklore and musical groups in the Arab regions. Arab women play an important role in the culture and art.”

Cultural and vocational training

Emphasizing that they have realized the Cultural Revolution within the revolution, Rûken Mihemed said, “Women carrying out cultural and artistic activities have played a great role in the activities for the International Women’s Day, March 8, Newroz celebrations and Hozan Mizgin commemoration events. We, as Hîlala Zêrin, composed a song about Hozan Mizgin. We see Eyşe Şan, Meryem Xan and Hozan Mizgin as our art teachers. We have realized the Cultural Revolution within the revolution (Revolution in Rojava). We have tried to form our own system against the capitalist system.”

Projects for children

Stating that they have developed projects for children, Rûken Mihemed said that they have organized many courses such as baglama, guitar, kaval and violin courses for children. “A children’s festival has been held for six years. The last four festivals were organized under the leadership of Hilala Zêrin,” she said.

They will open the Women's Culture and Art Academy

Speaking about their new projects, Rûken Mihemed said, “We opened Berçem Studio last year. We recorded two songs for Zeynep Kınacı (Zilan) in the studio. We will open the Culture and Art Academy. We will support the women, who lost their husbands in war, in culture and art. We have recently worked on opening the Women's Culture and Art Academy. We will keep organizing language courses.”

Tomorrow: Nature is protected by the spirit of goddesses