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Photographs detail the fading tradition of deq tattoos by Murat A.

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An Êzîdî woman with facial tattoos

hejarinmizzzika-deactivated2023

-çünkü bizim kanatlarımız gökyüzüne bağlanmıştır kevok.-

(arsız bir kalabalığın içindeki çamura batırılmış kanatlarımızın ziyanı çocuklarımızın kaderine değmiştir.kendisinden olmayanı sorgulamış tanrılar çoğalmış,bizi o en kötünün belleğiyle anmıştır kevok.halbuki bize bir kere sorulsa ağaçlarımız ölmeyecek.kökümüzle güzü kıskandıracak,dağlara kuraklık getiren kimsesizliği ,bekleyişin gözlerdeki bitap düşmüşlüğünü şurada taaa içinde muskalara sarmış ana sabrıyla diriltecektik kevok.)

kurdishrecognition

the practice of tattooing and tattoos, known as deq in kurdish, is a kurdish tradition that predates islam. once widely practiced, it is now rarely seen due to adherence to islam, which forbids permanent tattoos, and lack of interest from younger generations. despite this, some have revitalized the practice of deq as a form of nationalism, reconnecting with their kurdish roots, and bringing back kurdish culture.

the tattoos have several meanings, depending on their shapes and designs. many tattoos consist of geometric designs and shapes, such as diamonds, triangles and circles. a tattoo between the eyes is said to protect the wearer from harm and evil, as does an evil eye tattoo, whereas a circle may signify fertility, and V may symbolize tribal affiliation. the tattoos are also believed to offer healing and were used in the past to enhance a woman’s beauty. though it was more common for women to get tattoos, men also had tattoos, however, the practice was less common among men.

typically, the tattoos are found on the face, hands, forearms, and sometimes the feet and neck. the tattoos are done with a needle and ink. first, the tattooist draws the design on the body. then, a needle is used to create tiny holes in the skin and the ink is laid over top. the ink is composed of soot and breast milk, and sometimes liquid from an animal’s gallbladder. the ink begins to seep into the skin and thus creates the tattoo.

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Ezidi tattoo designs (drawn by Ethel S. Drower, ca. 1940)

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Photographs detail the fading tradition of deq tattoos by Murat A.

The tattoos not only dealt with earthly themes with their motifs, but also supernatural ones. For example, the connection of heaven and earth through the tree of life. It springs from the earth, seeks heaven, stretches its branches in all directions and symbolizes vitality and immortality. Also, the cross motif was considered as a connection between this world and the afterlife and was often used.

masumcetin

annelerinizin yüzündeki dövmelerin anlamı var mı?

Olmaz olur mu, hiç.. Aklımda olanları yazacaktım ama, annem yanımda oturuyordu, soruyu bizatihi anneme sordum, onun da sol elinin altında (saat bağlanan kordon yeri) vardı bir tane “deq”. Anemin ağzından dökülenler ile “deq” (dövme), “Kürt ve Arap coğrafyasında kadınların teninde güzelliği ve başka amaçlar için yaptırmış olduğu semboller, metinlerdir. “Deq”, berekettir. Kadın olma halinin ‘esrarlı güzelliği’dir. Sevincin, umudun, acının, insan bedenine bir yansımasıdır. Sessizliğe ram olmayıp, kadının çığlığıdır, haykırıştır. Her “deq” bir şiir, bir masal, bir türküdür aynı zamanda. “Deq”, yüzyıllar boyunca süregelen bir gelenektir, sadece kadını güzellik amaçlı değil kimi zaman hastalığa şifadır. Güzellik sırrıdır. Cesarettir (herkes cesaret edemezdi “deq”i yaptırmaya [acı çekerdi] ve taşımaya). “Deq” kültürdür. Kimi güneş ve ay (güneş ve ay’ın ışığı ve parlaklığı, kutsallığı kadına sirayet etsin, onda vuku bulsun, kutsal olsun), kimi çiçek (doğanın bütün hoş kokusu, güzelliği kadında hüküm sürsün), kimi insan (insanın, en değerli varlık olanın kadında sonsuz oluşu temsil etmesi, hem kimi zaman bir sevgilinin baş harfi, ya da yüzünü andıran bir sembol, ikon ile sevgiliyi bedeninde ölümsüzleştirmek için) yaparlar “deq”i. Deq, heyecandır. Özgürlüktür. Nasıl ki şimdi kızlar dışarı çıkmak için ruj, oje, pudra, allık, vesaire kullanıyorsa o zaman da “deq” bir süsleme sanatı idi. Gözleri nemlendi son olarak dedi ki, maalesef kaybolmaya yüz tutmuş bir gelenek haline geliyor yavaş yavaş, süsleme sanatının değişmesi güzellik inancının yitirilmesidir, deq.“

Nerelerinde yapar kadın dediğimde, “çenesine, şakağına, iki kaşın arasına, dudaklarına, kimi verimliliği temsilen gerdanına, göğüslerine, kimisi de ayaklarına yapar”, dedi.

Bunca sordum, tarifi de alayım anne dedim, “yeni doğum yapmış kadının (ilk doğum olacak ve kız çocuğu doğurmuş olması gerekir dedi) sütü ve eskiden evlerde aydınlanmak için “çira” (bir bardaktan büyük sürahiden de küçük bir kaba benzin, yahut mazot koyarlar ve ucunda bir ip gibi bir çeşit kumaş olurdu, o yanardı ve odalar onunla aydınlanırdır)’nın duman külünden, isi ile karıştırılıp kadın bedenine nakşedilir, taa ki kan akana kadar. Yara kabuk tutar, ve attığında artık kadın “deq"i hazır olurdu.

naxosh

dêq is the ancient practice of tattooing oneself which are either symbolic or intended to protect the wearer or enhance them through increased fertility, strength, etc. dêq was practiced by kurds and related religious groups such as the elewî zazas, êzîdîs, şabakîs, and so forth.

traditionally, tattoos were made from soot and ash and breast milk from a woman who recently had a baby girl. it is said that if milk from a woman who birthed a boy was used, the tattoo would swell and become infected. in order to achieve a darker color, bile from an animal’s gallbladder would be used. the design is drawn on the skin and two thorns tied together with string would be used to puncture the ink into the skin. nowadays, a sewing needle is used.

dêq is placed anywhere but it is more commonly found on the face, neck, tops of the hands, wrists, inner arms, and ankles. dêq meant to increase fertility are more commonly found placed on the breasts, stomach, and pelvic area.

it is no longer practiced as much as before as young women either are told tattooing is prohibited/haram by islamic standards or they do not want to get one. the older women and men who have them are proud and said that, in older times, a woman was more desirable if she did have them.

all photos by ilhan bakir. descriptions from victoria’s immigration museum.

a kurdish elder bears traditional tattoos on his hand. the two semicircles over the wrist symbolize testicles and men’s reproductive powers. the comb at the base of the circles represents the strong muscles required to work the land successfully. the cross protects against evil.

the tattoo on this elder’s forehead represents the sun to êzîdî followers, to which they pray every morning. the stars and crosses on the chin are remnants of the times they worshipped the skies. the circle symbolizes the womb.

this ‘tree of life’ tattoo features a row of circles bisected by a vertical line, symbolizing mating and reproduction.

the ‘tree of life’, which in ancient times is said to have reached the skies, is one of the most common symbols used in kurdish tattoos. it represents immortality. this tattoo starts between the breast and climbs upwards towards the chin like a vine.

kurdishrecognition

the practice of tattooing and tattoos, known as deq in kurdish, is a kurdish tradition that predates islam. once widely practiced, it is now rarely seen due to adherence to islam, which forbids permanent tattoos, and lack of interest from younger generations. despite this, some have revitalized the practice of deq as a form of nationalism, reconnecting with their kurdish roots, and bringing back kurdish culture.

the tattoos have several meanings, depending on their shapes and designs. many tattoos consist of geometric designs and shapes, such as diamonds, triangles and circles. a tattoo between the eyes is said to protect the wearer from harm and evil, as does an eye tattoo, whereas a circle may signify fertility, and V may symbolize tribal affiliation. the tattoos are also believed to offer healing and were used in the past to enhance a woman’s beauty. though it was more common for women to get tattoos, men also had tattoos, however, the practice was less common among men.

typically, the tattoos are found on the face, hands, forearms, and sometimes the feet and neck. the tattoos are done with a needle and ink. first, the tattooist draws the design on the body. then, a needle is used to create tiny holes in the skin and the ink is laid over top. the ink is composed of soot and breast milk, and sometimes liquid from an animal’s gallbladder. the ink begins to seep into the skin and thus creates the tattoo.

ezidxan

Ezidis by Yasemin Mirik

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Mixing the two ingredients, and wielding a simple needle, they applied traditional tattoos to their faces, legs and hands.

“I was in love with a man, who later became my husband. I wanted him to find me beautiful,” says the 84-year-old Yusufoglu. “Although the needle hurt badly, we young girls of 10 and 16 used to tattoo each other.”

They collected the soot from the bottom of cooking pots used on wood fires, and mixed it with breast milk from a mother feeding an infant girl.

“The milk of a mother nursing a girl is used because the tattoo made with this milk comes out a paler shade of green,” 87-year-old Hulu Aydoglu says. “The milk of a mother nursing a boy comes out darker.”

The tattoos are still visible on Yusufoglu’s lined face 70 years on, but the practice is dying out.

Some women blame growing Islamic opposition to the practice, saying preachers have told them the tattoos are a sin.

“At that time, the tattoos were our make-up,” she says. “Now there is make-up - and no need to make oneself beautiful with tattoos.”

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That’s little Yahya.

Yahya was only 9 years old because the Turkish army killed him yesterday (20.01.2018) in Afrin on the orders of Erdogan. The little boy was on of the thousand arab refugees who were internally displaced and found shelter in the Kurdish regions. The Kurds rescued him and his family from ISIS.

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A Zaza woman of the Shavak tribe in Dêrsim

Dêrsim is famous for its animal breeding and the wool used for the soumac front is high quality, finely spun shiny wool, a particular characteristic of the Shavak tribe, natural dyes including an intense cochineal red and indigo blue with finely spun cotton used in the white triangular bands. Late 19th to early 20th century.

Shavak tribe turik baby carriers are distinct from other east Anatolian baby carriers woven in triangular form, such as those found in Van and Hakkari known as a parzun.