Sûsika is a new music group formed by music teachers. The group was named after Sûsika Simo, the first female dengbej to take the stage. Female members of the group aim to support women’s struggle with their songs by singing ethnic songs in different languages.

ZEYNEP PEHLİVAN

Izmir- On March 8, we shouted our rebellion against precarious and flexible working conditions, the perception saying housework is women’s duty, burdens imposed on us, violence, harassment, and rape. Finding a space for ourselves to breathe has become much more difficult than ever due to increasingly difficult living conditions. While struggling for our basic needs, sparing time for art is a luxury for us.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, many musicians have become unemployed and some of them killed themselves because they weren’t supported and left alone. Despite all these unfavorable conditions, we still need more to get together and sing songs, folk songs. Fortunately, there are still music groups that can come together again on March 8, International Working Women's Day and continue to sing songs. The “Sûsika” music group is one of them. I met the members of the group on March 8.

The group was named after Sûsika Simo

Sûsika is a new music group formed by music teachers. The group was named after Sûsika Simo, the first female dengbej who lived in Yerevan during the Soviet Union. The group members play rhythm instruments, baglama, side-blown flute and guitar. Yasemin Belli plays rhythm instruments and she is a music teacher being dismissed by a decree. Before she was a member of a def (like a tambourine with jingles) group and then she formed a music group with her friends. Now, she is studying music at the conservatory.

“The group was a mixed (consist of men and women) group but most of its members were women. As women, we came together for March 8. The call made by the KESK (Confederation of Public Employees' Unions in Turkey) for March 8 led us to come together. In a short time, we came together as female musicians. We always show attention to be an all-women group. Maybe later, we can work with men; we don’t have any plan for now. We have a good energy with our friends.”

“Making music is not a luxury, it is necessary for us”

After talking with Yasemin, we began to talk to baglama player Gönül Demir Sönmez. Gönül has been a music teacher for many years. “Unfortunately, the music industry is also under the hegemony of a male-dominated system. Surely, there are female musicians but we cannot see them much. We started making music to say we also exist,” Gönül told us, “I take my son to school and then I take my daughter from the school so it is difficult for us to even meet at the hour we decided. Being a woman is really difficult; we work, do housework, take care of our children. For this reason, making music is like a luxury for us. But making music is not a luxury, it is necessary for us. We manage to make music. Women can achieve many things if they want.”

“We are sensitive to everything”

Although Sûsika is a very new music group, its members are experienced musicians. When women form a music group, many people start criticizing them. People always say, “Women can't get along with each other” or “They will fall apart in a short time”. Gönül told us how they stand against such criticism or other problems.

“The people coming here have a strong syndicate background. We don’t face egos and caprices. I have faced egos and caprices of men during my five-year conservatory education and 22-year teaching period. Before criticizing women, they should criticize themselves (laughs). We sign ethnic songs and play protest and political music in different languages. We produce music on many issues. We are sensitive to every issue. We reflect these issues to our music.”