Grandmother University
ÇEM JİYANÊ NEXŞ DİKİN
A cultural tool about water from and for the Kurdish communities sofar in Kurmanci and Sorani.
This book is a tool for actively experiencing water, listening to it and immersing yourself in its knowledge. Are you involved in educational work, would you like to listen to water with your family, or are you committed to the water bodies in your area?
Then this book is for you.
We are tracing the stories and people, whom the river encounters along the way–especially the narratives and the knowledge of Kurdish women. A dialogue has emerged between anthropologist Şermin Güven and Spore, which, drop by drop, conversation by conversation, has created a river out of the diaspora on the Spree that connects with the water network of Mesopotamia. The river facilitated an exchange of knowledge, care and imagination, as well as cultural and ecological practices—taking on the form of this publication.
It's not just a book to read, but a book to activate, take with you, and share.
It's about becoming more aware of water—and the water stress of the creatures that depend on it.
If you are interested in the book, please contact Lotta Schäfer: lotta.s@spore-initiative.org
To learn more about the WASSERSPIEGEL – WATER BODIES project that inspired this publication
follow the link and also get to know the ALONG THE RIVERS OF KURDISTAN event series.
It's not just a book to read, but a book to activate, take with you, and share. It's about becoming
more aware of water—and the water stress of the creatures that depend on it.
The main contributors to this publication are:
— Şermin Güven with her text, Nivîsa Çem – Av – Axaftina Çavkaniyan, which is full of contributions in particular from women sharing cultural and ecological knowledges from and for the Kurdish communities.
— Narges Mohammadi, an Illustrator based in Teheran with Kurdish ancestry, who contributed an incredibly rich visual story about the river and its connection to women and life.
— Dîlber Hêma with her poem Nivîsa Ez Ava Spî me, which was originally recorded to be listened to in the Wasserspiegel - Water Bodies exhibition here in Berlin. The poem can be read in Kurmanci and Sorani.
Coverillustration des kulturellen Werkzeuges über das Wasser von Narges Mohammadi
In Nivîsa Çem - Av - Axaftina Çavkaniyan teilt Şermin Güven mit ihr ausgetauschtes ökologisches Wissen und Wassergeschichten
Das Werkzeug besteht aus einem fantasieanregenden und einem fragenden Teil.
Auszug aus der Gewässernetzkarte von Şermin Güven
Übersetzung auf Sorani von Dîlber Hêmas Gedicht Nivîsa Ez Ava Spî me
Auszug aus dem Leporello der Illustratorin Narges MohammadiOther contributions to the process are manyfold:
From conversations with Şermin Güven that turned into quotes, to ideas for activations of the book, which accompany the tool online, to caring for words, meanings and translations in Kurmanci and Sorani, to adding ecological knowledges into texts and processes, to most importantly the acts of solidarity and staying with the water.
We would like to thank everyone involved for their contributions and diligence.
Contributors:
Şermîn Güven, Narges Mohammadi, Dîlber Hêma, Lotta Schäfer, Mariela Nagle, Rita Fürstenau, Mihraban Salih, Avşîn, Berfîn Emektar, Hesen Chalak, Bisar Icli, Berivan Omar, Delband Rawanduzi, Kanî Heji, Zarokên Xanke, Zarokên Urmiye, Rastyar Rawanduzi, Gülizar Ana, Semiha Yildiz, Şêrko Bêkes, Mona Ibrahim, Emel Aydin, Mîdya Stêrk, Cemîle Yasar, Sozdar Jafarzadeh, Flê Mereto, Hero
In the water stories and radio programs, not only information about the water crisis is exposed, but also personal experiences are shared, cultural symbols are explained, old stories are retold, and history is sung in songs.
New voices were added throughout the year in the WASSERSPIEGEL – WATER BODIES exhibition between April 2024 and February 2025.
First activation for World Water Day 2024 in Amed/Diyarbakir, Bakur
Workshop for children on rainwater harvesting with Bişar İçli.
„The workshop was about the importance of water, why wasting water is harmful to the children and how one can use rainwater and excess water for agriculture. How can they safe unnecessary water at home for instance for plant irrigation.“
“Our initiative RoJir Agroecology Life Farm, which I am working to on the outskirts of the city Diyarbakır, was imagined as a family commune engaged in subsistence farming with the aim of spreading the principles and ideas of agroecology to the neighboring peasants and farmers and to create solidarity. Our main aim is to revitalize and re-introduce traditional technics of agriculture and seed protection. For example, we started with building local seed archive of the region and then try to cultivate them in a traditional way and with the ethics of agroecology.”
Click on this Link to see a video about the farm.
For more info about the farm click here.
Platforma Jin a Ekolojiyê û Beşa Jineolojî
Women Platform for Ecology and Faculty of Jineology at Rojava University
“We formed a group of women from different faculties and walks of life to inquire about the status of our river JaqJaq together. We filmed and collected the perspectives of affected people on the contamination and potential solutions. As a river, JaqJaq has never been taken more seriously than through the Along the Rivers of Kurdistan project.“
“We organized “The steps of women along the rivers of Kurdistan”, a symposium on water awareness, to address the burden of the water crisis for women in particular. Contributors and participants ranged from university students to the water authority and the agricultural office, to members of Jineology committees and Jinwar, NGOs and housewives who all actively participated in the discussion.“
