Back to Shengal to rebuild his village

Shengal is hidden in the hearts of every Yazidi. The Shengal mountains have protected the Yazidi community throughout history. The Yazidi people built houses in every valley of these mountains. We can say that there were hundreds of villages in the mountains and valleys of Shengal in the past, but during the Saddam Hussein era, the people were cut off from these mountains. The people had to settle in the villages and towns of Shengal. One of these villages is Mamîsê, located in the north of the Kersê Valley.

Like many people, we were unaware of that village, but on our way to the slope of Shengal Mountain, a group of workers caught our attention. Workers were making roads to this village whose name we did not know.

Years ago, there were 20-30 houses in the village of Mamîsê located in a triangle of mountains. It used to be a land of fig, cherry, pomegranate, walnut and mulberry trees. Villagers made a living from these trees.

The people dug a well called ‘Guharê’, which is a little far from the village. Water is still flowing from this well.

Until a year ago, only ruined houses and stone walls remained in the village of Mamîsê, but the descendants of the villagers are rebuilding it. One of the villagers is Ednan Manî, who had to go abroad after the massacre, but could not bear the longing for his land any longer and returned to Shengal.

From Germany back to Shengal

Ednan Mani said: “I was aware that someone else’s lands would never be our homeland. We can only live freely in our own homeland.” Mani originally lives in the town of Sînunê in Shengal, but now wants to establish a life for himself in the village of Mamîsê. Surely it’s hard to live in an empty village, but Ednan Mani is working hard to get most of his villagers back.

Emphasizing the importance of returning to his land and rebuilding his village, Manî said: “I moved abroad 8 years ago. But I could not stay in those places. When I heard that we had land in the village of Mamîsê, I immediately returned to Shengal with my family. We have been here for 1 year. I am very happy to be back. Because I worked for my own country. Now I’m planting trees in my village. Some of our relatives in Germany said that they would return. I believe that we will rebuild Mamîsê in the next few years.”

Ednan Manî waters his vineyards and gardens with his youngest son Xeyrî every day. Xeyrî helps his father with pleasure. Most of Xeyrî’s friends, who spent his childhood away from his country, stayed in Germany. But little Xeyri is very happy with himself. He wants his friends to return to the village of Mamîsê. The happiness of living in the village can be seen in Xeyrî’s dark eyes.