ŞÊRÎN ELÎ

Shahba – Creative women always leave a special and unique mark on everything they do. After the revolution in Rojava, women saw how they are strong and began to take part in all spheres of life. 55-year-old Wîdad Sîdo is from Xaziyan village of Afrin’s Mabata town. She has sewn local clothes since she was 15 years old.

She preserves her culture

Although she has been displaced from Afrin to Shahba, she never gives up sewing local clothes. “I have sewn local clothes for 40 years. Before the occupation of Afrin, I taught many young women how to sew local clothes. If you are not interested in sewing clothes, you cannot learn it. I love to sew clothes since my childhood. After being displaced from Afrin to Shahba, there were limited job opportunities in Shahba. So I decided to work as a tailor again. I try to preserve my culture from invaders by sewing local clothes. Local clothes are very popular in our society,” she told NuJINHA.

“I will sew local clothes until I die”

Underlining that local clothes are the identity of women of Afrin, she said, “Some think sewing local clothes is difficult. It is not difficult for me because I love to sew local clothes. When I was young, I used to take a needle, thread, and fabric and sit under an almond tree to learn how to sew. Most of the young people of Afrin do not prefer the clothes of capitalism, ready-made clothes, they like their own local clothes.” Wîdad Sîdo also told us that she will sew local clothes until she dies.

“Our culture is under threat”

Wîdad Sîdo called on women to follow their interests and said, “Our culture is under threat. They want to destroy our culture by carrying out a special war against us. I ask all women to preserve their culture from invaders.”