SILVA IBRAHIM

Tabqa- Women, who were forcibly displaced from Afrin by the attacks of the Turkish state and Turkish-backed factions, have preserved their culture in IDPs camps despite all the challenges. They keep their “hope of return Afrin” alive by playing the drums and zurna, the baglama and folk dances and singing songs.

Even though Afrin is well known for its olives and nature, it also has a rich musical culture. Being known as people having great voices, the people of Afrin keep singing songs despite the displacement.

‘We are determined to preserve our culture’

Leyla Rashid has been a member of the Hîlala Zêrîn Women's Cultural Movement in northeastern Syria and a member of the Martyr Mizgin Music Group based in Shahba. “Although we were displaced, we do not allow the challenges to prevent us from preserving our culture and heritage,” she told NuJINHA.

On November 27, 2024, the Turkish state and Turkish-backed factions carried out attacks on Shahba canton of North and East Syria, displacing thousands. The displaced people of Afrin, who took shelter in Shahba, were among them.

“The people of Afrin continue to practice their art although they have been displaced twice,” Leyla Rashid said, stating that they recently formed Zerya Zerin Folklore Group and Xwebûn Music Group in Tabqa Canton. “We are determined to preserve our culture.”

The Xwebûn Music Group have held many concerts and participated in festivals held in Tabqa and Raqqa. “All members of the group are women. We continue to work despite the lack of adequate equipment and shortcomings. The members of the group receive education in tents that cannot protect them from hot and cold weather. These challenges do not pose an obstacle for us. Afrin is a memory that lives in our hearts with its rivers, mountains and art and a motivation to resist these challenges until we return to our homeland.”

Nasreen Mohammed, a displaced woman of Afrin and member of the Zerya Zerin Folklore Group, expressed her longing for Afrin. “We never give up despite all the challenges. We keep performing our culture,” she said. “Afrin is famous for its drums and flutes. We formed our group in the Barış camp in Tabqa. The group consists of 12 women. We have performed in the Newroz celebrations, events at the International Women’s Day, the birthday of Abdullah Öcalan and many other celebrations until now.

Rubi Mohammed, a singer of the Xwebûn Music Group, was only seven years old when she was displaced from Afrin. She began to play musical instruments when she was just nine years old.

“I learned how to play the saz at an IDPs camp in Shahba. My mother encouraged me to play the saz by finding a teacher to teach me. I was not the only person who was interested in music in the camp, all the children in the camp were talented at playing musical instruments and singing. After being displaced for the second time, I did not give up singing. Now, I am a member of the Xwebûn Music Group, playing the saz and singing songs. We resist all the challenges to return to Afrin.”