Preserving intangible heritage in Northern Iraq

In the Nineveh Governorate of northern Iraq, a multiplicity of cultural identities has coexisted for centuries, representing different linguistic systems, ethnic communities, shifting political structures, and religious traditions. The war and the invasion of Daesh forced several minority groups to flee their homes, which threatened the continuity of their culture and traditions.

To help preserve and remember this intangible heritage, the project filmed the Yezidi practice of xêr (shared blessings) during days of fasting and feasting. Five short films were produced on the unique embroidery practices of Bakhdeda’s (Qaraqosh) Syriac Catholic community, and how women embroider the stories of their city onto that cloth. The embroidery process was captured during special occasions like Palm Sunday, when women parade their hand-embroidered shawls through town.