Fîdan Rêzan/ JINHA

EFRÎN - Cîhan Mihemmed makes the handcrafts with the inspiration from nature and she passes her art down. Cîhan brings the handcrafts and all the colors of the nature together. She exhibits dozens of her works, which she knitted stitch by stitch, in her home.

54-year-old Cîhan Mihemmed, who lives in the Sindiyanka village of Efrîn Canton's Cindirês district, carries the art of handcraft with colorful motifs from past to present. Cîhan stated that women learn the art of handcraft from their grandmothers and mothers. She said, "One of the main features that separate us from other cultures is that Kurdish women have maintained their culture for centuries. They have passed their culture down to the next generation. We, as Kurdish women, immortalize our culture and tradition by carring them from past to present."

Cîhan mentioned that women come together when they do the handcrafts. She said, "Women come together and talk about their problems and they solve these problems. Thus, a warm environment is created. I learned how to produce handcrafts with my sisters when I was 14 years old. Now, we teach this art to young women now. I use all the colors of the nature for handcrafts and I feel very happy when I do that."

Cîhan exhibits dozens of her works, which she knitted stitch by stitch, in her home. Cîhan indicated that she knits the handcrafts inspired by all shapes in the nature. Cîhan said, "I save the handcrafts with the great care. However, some remained under the ruin our home demolished during the war in Aleppo."

Cîhan said that she never sold her handcrafts before and she gave them to her friends, relatives as present. She said, "However, I had very serious economic difficulties after the embargo and my husband falls sick. Therefore, I began to sell my handcrafts. I create my own economy in this way."

(ke/mg/gd)