As the spring approaches, women begin to collect herbs in the Hevsel Gardens located between the Diyarbakır Fortress and the Tigris River. They make a living by collecting herbs. The women told us what difficulties they have faced.

MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

Amed – Diyarbakır’s Hevsel Gardens may possibly be the oldest granary of Mesopotamia. There are more than 180 bird species and several mammals like otter, fox, marten, squirrel, and hedgehog in the gardens, like a paradise. The Hevsel Gardens are the attraction center for local people and tourists. On the top of historical walls, people look at the green gardens, and the gardens take people on a journey. We went to Hevsel Gardens and saw several women picking up herbs.

“We also collect beets in the mountains”

The women told us that they come to gardens early in the morning to collect herbs. They said they have been doing this job for years. They also collect the nettles by cutting off only the upper leaves, “Normally no one can touch them, but we collect them with bare hands.” Şaybe Kurdoğan is one of these women and she talked about how their job is difficult, “We get up early in the morning to work. But now it is cold so we get up a little bit late. We come here or go to mountains in the districts to collect herbs. Sometimes we come to Hevsel, sometimes we go to Silvan or Lice.”

Stating that they don’t work in winter because there are no herbs, Kurdoğan said, “We go everywhere by taking a knife and bag with us. I have been doing this job for years. I am now 40 years old and still doing this job. After washing the herbs we collected, we go to the city center to sell them. We collect many types of herbs; all eatable and healthy herbs. We do this job to cover the needs of our children. Everyone is already unemployed in the country so we do this job. We have to do this job to make a living. It is a difficult job but we keep doing this job.”

“We make a living by selling the herbs”

Melek Özdemir also collects herbs and she told us that they go everywhere in Diyarbakır to collect herbs. “Everyone has a different job, and we do this job. We walk all day and get tired but we like doing this job. We collect herbs and make a living by selling the herbs.”