AMED – Kêko Urmiye, who continues the theatre journey he began in Urmiye, stating that theatre is for him a matter of identity and existence, said: "Theatre is always beautiful in Kurdish."

 

Rojhilat (East Kurdistan, Iran)) theatre artist Kêko Urmiye won wide acclaim with his play "Masî Ji Kûçikan Natirsin (Fish Are Not Afraid of Dogs)," through which he brought to the stage the tragedies experienced by the Ezidi people in particular. Beginning his theatre journey by working backstage, Urmiye first appeared before an audience with the play "Dewrêşê Evdî." Since that day he has continued his theatre work as an actor, director and theatre worker.

 

Kêko Urmiye shared his assessments with our agency on numerous topics, from how he began his theatre journey and the current state of Kurdish theatre to the production of art in the mother tongue, cultural work and the role of art in social transformation.

 

Stating that Kurdish-language theatre is not only an artistic activity but also a space that preserves cultural memory and identity, Urmiye said that Kurdish theatre continues to produce despite all the difficulties.

 

 

MASÎ JI KÛÇIKAN NATIRSIN

 

Stating that the common theme of the works he has brought to the stage is the suffering and social problems experienced by the Kurdish people, Kêko Urmiye said that among these works, "Masî Ji Kûçikan Natirsin" holds a special place for him. The play is about the Ezidi massacre that began with ISIS's attack on Şengal (Shengal) on 3 August 2014 and was recognized as genocide by the United Nations (UN). Urmiye stated that in the tragedy they used fish as a powerful metaphor.

 

Stating that the play has been performed in many cities, Urmiye recalled that they were awarded the "Best Director" prize for this work at the Kirkuk Theatre Festival. Stating that even audience members who do not know Kurdish can feel the emotion the play carries, Urmiye emphasized that theatre is a universal art capable of transcending language barriers and making shared suffering visible.

 

'KURDISH EPICS MUST BE PASSED ON TO NEW GENERATIONS'

 

Urmiye, saying that the suffering and social problems experienced by the Kurds give direction to his art, said: "The life of us Kurds is a tragedy. I feel closer to tragedy because it brings the suffering and problems of the people to the stage."

 

Emphasizing that Kurdish culture needs to have more presence on stage, Urmiye said it is important for epics such as Dewrêşê Evdî, Mem û Zîn and Heso û Nazê to be passed on to new generations through theatre. Noting that young people have become alienated from their own stories, Urmiye stated that Kurdish artists have a responsibility to protect and transmit cultural heritage.

 

'THEATRE IS AN IDENTITY-BASED CHOICE'

 

Stating that theatre is not merely an art form for him, Urmiye said: "Theatre is for me an identity-based choice. First of all, we ask ourselves 'Who are we?' Every theatre artist wants to tell the story of their own identity, their own people. Theatre for me is the existence of a people."

 

Stating that work in Kurdish has increased in recent years but that this is not sufficient, Urmiye said the cultural effects that social media in particular has created on younger generations are a cause for concern. Drawing attention to the importance of Kurdish being used not only on stage but also in daily life, Urmiye criticized families for not speaking Kurdish with their children and stated that this is a serious problem in terms of language transmission.

 

Stating that artists have an important responsibility in the struggle for language and culture, Urmiye said: "An artist is one who can stand against all adversities. Even if we are making comedy, we must draw from our own stories. Kurdish epics and stories must be made more visible."

 

'THEATRE IS MADE UNDER DIFFICULT CONDITIONS IN ROJHILAT'

 

Stating that making theatre in Rojhilat faces serious obstacles, Urmiye explained that many official permits are required for plays to be staged and that these processes can take months.

 

Urmiye said: "Now we are in a period of war and we can say that for 6-7 months theatre, concerts and art have come to a halt. Although some have become disconnected from art due to the growing economic crisis in Rojhilat and the crises created by existing repression, Kurdish theatre continues to develop despite constant surveillance and pressure."

 

Emphasizing that they will continue to produce Kurdish-language theatre despite all the difficulties, Urmiye concluded his words with the following: "I want no one to place obstacles before Kurdish theatre artists any longer. I dream of a future in which no one asks us why we make theatre in Kurdish. Because theatre is always beautiful in Kurdish."