MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

Şırnak – Andaç is a village of Şırnak’s Uludere district surrounding by mountains. Its nature and plateaus are worth seeing. The village’s women work as Berivan (milkmaid) while men work as beekeepers. Tens of women wake up in the early morning hours to milk their goats. The villagers graze the goats in Iraqi territory and the women have to cross the border to milk their animals.  

“We wake up in the early morning hours”

Berivan Ölmez is one of these women; she has crossed the border to milk her goats for 15 years. Her only means of livelihood are her goats. “I have milked goats for 15 years. We wake up in the early morning hours to milk our goats. After milking them, we pour milk into a can. We have tea after finishing our job. The shepherds stay with our goats and we return to our village,” Berivan Ölmez said how she spent her days.

“We get used to the sound of bombs”

Berivan stated that they get used to the sound of bombs and military operations because they live in a border region. Here is the other side of the border, but we don’t have any problem. The grazing area is not far from here. We always hear the sound of bombs but we don’t fear.”

“Being Berivan has become our job”

Neslihan Acar has gone to the grazing area for a year and she told us that she has enjoyed being a Berivan. “I have come to the grazing area for a year, I try to learn it. Here is the other side of the border but we don’t fear because we get used to our job. Being Berivan has become our job. We make yogurt and cheese. We sell after meeting our needs.  I never get tired. I spend my time here. Working as Berivan is better than staying at home.”

“We milk animals in Iraqi territory”

Sultan Ölmez is another Berivan. “We milk our goats to make yogurt and cheese. In summer, we take our animals to plateaus. Our village is a border village; we cross the border to milk our animals. We milk animals in Iraqi territory. We have gone to the grazing area for 15 years.”