ROJDA SEYÎDXAN

Qamishlo – Women make a living for their families by working in agriculture. Agriculture, as it is known, is one of the most important sources of income in NE Syria. 50-year-old Edle Yusif, living in the Girêdêra village of Qamishlo’s Girkêlege district, has made a living from agriculture since she was a child. Edle is a professional farmer and these days, she has collected the grains of Firik growing on the borderline.

“Firik is a type of wheat and its grains are collected when they are green”

We asked Edle, “What is Firik?” She told us what Firik is while collecting its grains. “In April, its grains grow to be collected. It is a type of wheat and its grains are collected when they are green. Firik is not like wheat. It grows in the Euphrates basin. We collect them after categorizing them and harvest them in bunches. We leave them under fresh air but without allowing their grains to be dried. We leave them on a clean floor and then grind the grains.”

“They are served to special guests”

Edle told us that Firik is one of the basic foods such as bulgur and rice. “They are more expensive,” Edle said, “They are more expensive because they don’t grow everywhere, and harvesting them is very hard. For this reason, they are kept in a place to serve to special guests.”

“As women, we have a communal life”

Edle feels happy to have a communal life with women. “Now, it is called communal life but women have had this life for years. All women farmers have helped each other in solidarity. They have exchanged their products. This is how we enrich our lives and this is how we live,” said Edle.