Founder of Mezopotamya Cultural Center says they worked with the spirit of Newroz

As the Newroz celebrations started with the slogan “Dem dema serkeftinê (Now is the time to win)”, all eyes were on the Newroz celebration in Amed yesterday.

One of the places where great efforts were made to make this year’s Newroz spectacular, was the Dicle Culture and Art Association in Amed. We talked to Celal Ekin, the president of the association, who led all the musical activities in Newroz, about Newroz and his contributions to the Newroz tradition with the establishment of the Mesopotamia Cultural Center (MKM).

Ekin talked about the need for a structure such as the MKM, which was established in 1991, and said that as the Kurdish freedom struggle developed, some needs emerged. Ekin noted that intellectuals and artists from Kurdistan, who saw this need, came together to discuss the establishment of a culture and art center.

Ekin said that the “MKM was an institution created by the coming together of intellectuals and it formed its foundation on the values ​​created by the Kurdish freedom struggle.”

Ekin added that the MKM is a culture and art institution that tries to improve itself by living, producing and delivering its art to people.

MKM was aware of history

In 1992-93, Newroz celebrations, where millions of people came together, could not be held in Amed like today. Reminding that there were non-authorised demonstrations in many regions at that time and that there was no such thing as Newroz, Ekin said that “the MKM was a culture and art center that was aware of this history. It was a culture and art center that knew this process, followed it closely, and tried to establish a connection with its own historical past. It was an institution that constantly prepared itself for Newroz and tried to share the enthusiasm of Newroz with its masses and people with the songs it sang.”

Saying that many music groups established within the MKM such as Koma Azad, Koma Çiya and Koma Amed, shaped themselves with the spirit of Newroz, Ekin continued: “The MKM was being prepared to respond to and share the enthusiasm of the people during Newroz. Of course, there was a historical past that gave the MKM to live in accordance with the meaning and spirit of Newroz. There is an epic of Blacksmith Kawa who resisted the tyranny of Dehaq. Again in 1982, Mazlum Doğan celebrated Newroz with three matchsticks in prison. Thus, it not only established its connection with history, but also became a form of action that applied to Newroz. This form of action has turned into a form of action that involves both the people of Amed and all territories where Kurds live in terms of morale and motivation. The Kurds have now transformed this bond into a Newroz that fits their spirit with their songs and enthusiasm.”

Newroz in Amed, from past to present

Ekin underlined that Mazlum Doğan’s action also gave the public a role and mission, and said: “For more than 20 years, the people of Amed have been witnessing Newroz celebrations in much wider areas. In fact, Amed crossed its borders and travels began to be organized to attend Newroz from abroad. We are talking about Newroz, which was attended by a maximum of 15 or 20 thousand people, and is now attended by hundreds of thousands. Our wish is that everyone enters into a working practice and production process in accordance with the spirit of Newroz and the spirit of the values that Newroz has created in the history of these people. With this Newroz Festival, I really hope that the path to freedom, peace and brotherhood will be opened.”