Perhaps it was the first time, and a moment I may never experience again, that the days leading up to 8 March and 21 March felt this way for me. Is there any way to describe all the emotions I lived through together with freedom fighters in the free mountains? Whatever I write, will it truly convey those moments? Perhaps I should let this excitement, which I have only now found the chance to write, flow from my heart into these lines.
We were feeling the excitement of meeting the guerrillas. We were going to the area where the guerrillas, the women freedom fighters, were preparing, to work alongside them and stay with them until 8 March. Together with my colleague, we planned to capture every moment of these hearts devoted to freedom. No matter what happened, in whatever moment, we would not hold back our cameras.
When we arrived in the area in the evening, we went to where the guerrillas were staying and shared our work plan with them. In the morning, we would join them, go out for training before sunrise, and wait for them where they were preparing. In this way, we found time to share things with the guerrillas, to get to know them, and to witness their excitement and their exhaustion. Despite everything, they did not give up, even in the freezing cold of the morning, under the burning sun, and despite the physically demanding movements they had to perform in a very limited time. No matter what, they were striving to appear before their comrades in the best possible way on 8 March.
After their two-hour training, they would do warm-up exercises. At times we filmed, and at times we joined them in the warm-ups. During breaks, a guerrilla fire would be lit, and we would drink tea brewed in a soot-darkened black teapot, perhaps a taste one might never experience again, and immerse ourselves in conversation. In these conversations, the anticipation of the celebration day was palpable, and the enthusiasm and excitement of each woman guerrilla was reflected on their faces. These preparations were deeply warming, too meaningful to fit into a single frame, and just as beautiful. In truth, we too were eagerly awaiting and longing for this celebration to take place.
Before 21 March, I also witnessed the preparations of another group of guerrillas and experienced the joy of spending time with them. This time, the togetherness felt a little different. I both carried out my filming and helped with preparations for the celebration, for which very little time remained. At times, I stepped in to fill the place of a missing comrade and performed in her stead; at other times, during rehearsals where we could not even find time to eat, I tried to prepare whatever was possible with the limited means available so as not to lose strength and to fill that gap.
Being together at every moment had already made me feel like one of them. In fact, during the time I spent with the guerrillas, I saw that whoever you are, you are already one of them. With these guerrillas as well, we lit fires every night until the day of the celebration and shared together the excitement of the arrival of Newroz. Newroz brings with it new beginnings. That is why the renewal and rebirth of nature also gives that feeling to people. A person, too, is renewed together with nature.
In both of these preparation processes, which I witnessed closely and felt myself a part of, what affected me the most was this: during these preparations, many guerrillas experienced injuries, and some struggled to perform certain movements despite trying repeatedly; yet they never gave up trying, succeeding, or seeing this as part of a struggle. Some did not even take breaks to eat and continued rehearsing, showing remarkable persistence. It was a powerful feeling, because they knew why they were doing this and what their efforts served. The determination of the guerrillas affected me deeply.
Inevitably, as we shared these moments together, we had grown accustomed to one another. One day, when we told them that we would not be able to come and would be carrying out a different assignment, a guerrilla laughed and said, “If you don’t come and film, we cannot work.” We all laughed at this. But in fact, it was not only about us filming them; it was the result of the sincere and positive bond that had developed between us.
Yes, until the very last moment, until the day of the 8 March and 21 March celebrations, we carried out our work together with friends preparing karate and folklore performances, while also witnessing the beauty of the guerrillas. Together with them, we too prepared ourselves for the beauty of spring. In truth, this was about welcoming spring, about saying “welcome” to it.
At the same time, with the excitement of this being my first assignment, it was incredibly meaningful for me to live and share such special and beautiful moments with the guerrillas.
Writing about the guerrillas, who carried within them joy, excitement, enthusiasm, determination, struggle, will, persistence and all forms of beauty in every moment, and recording them for history, was unforgettable. On this occasion, I celebrate International Working Women’s Day and the 21 March Newroz holiday for all freedom fighters, all women, and all those who resist and believe.
Leave a Reply