KOBANI, Syria (North Press) – Newroz had to postpone making her traditional Kurdish dress for the upcoming Newroz celebrations due to the February 6 earthquake.
In previous years, women, and Kurds in general, began preparing their traditional outfits in January and February to celebrate Newroz in March.
Newroz Apo Muhammad, 28, from the countryside of Kobani, northern Syria, said that the earthquake that struck the region disrupted these preparations.
Kurds, Persians and other Indo-Iranian people groups celebrate the Newroz festival to mark the beginning of Spring, which coincides with the 21st of March each year.
This year, Kobani residents have been preoccupied with the aftermath of the earthquake, which led to damage in residential buildings in the city and its countryside. The majority of the residents slept in tents or went back to their villages in the countryside in order to take shelter in single-story houses.
Shops closed
Muhammad noted that fabric shops closed for 15 days after the earthquake. The market and tailors stopped working, too.
After the first week of March, the residents and women of the region resumed making their costumes for the festivities. Fabric shops and tailors specialized in making traditional costumes in Kobani are crowded after the lull following the quake, says Muhammad.
Turkish Threats
Laila Bozan, 35, a resident from Kobani, said that, last year, around this time, there were Turkish threats of war against the region. This year, it has coincided with the earthquake, which itself was preceded by Turkish threats.
Last year, the people made their Kurdish outfits and celebrated Newroz despite the threats because the festival has a symbolic significance for Kurds and is celebrated against all odds.
The woman notes that Telal Street, a market in Kobani, has been busy for the past three days in preparation for the festival. Women have resumed making their Kurdish dresses for the celebration.
Mustafa Mokhtar, 34, owner of a fabric shop, said the people of the region, especially women, are making their traditional Kurdish outfits one or two months before the festival.
Early preparation is needed for tailors and designers to deliver all orders, since the city and the over 400 villages surrounding it are home to around 100.000 people.
Mokhtar noted that the Newroz festival, unlike other holidays, is known for its folklore and traditional Kurdish clothing.
After the earthquake, the people were shocked and preoccupied with their damaged houses, so they closed their shops for ten days, he added.
He believes purchasing and trade in the markets are in decline year after year. The main reason is the economic factor, the high exchange rate of the US dollar, and the deteriorating living conditions plaguing people.
However, Kobani’s residents will cut down on other expenses in order to be able to buy an outfit for Newroz, he muses.
The exchange rate of a single US dollar has risen from 4.500 Syrian pounds last Newroz to 7.500 SYP this year. Most employees and residents receive their salaries in Syrian pounds.
The cost of a Kurdish outfit
It costs between 300-900.000 SYP (or $40-120) to make a Kurdish costume for Newroz. The cost of the fabric ranges from 200-750.000 SYP ($27-100), and the tailor and designer’s wages range from 100-150.000 SYP ($14-20).
Bawer Daban, 35, a folklore clothing designer, noted that the quake suspended their business for 20 days. Each year, they begin making traditional costumes for Newroz from January up until the night before the festival, he added.
This year, since so many were preoccupied with the aftermath of the earthquake, they did not tailor any outfits. But now they are very busy making clothes.
Before the quake, they used to work for 12 hours per day. Now they are having to work 16 hours per day, until midnight, in order to complete the orders for Newroz.