Treasured trees of Sulaimani's Mama Yara hill under threat

SULAIMANI, Kurdistan Region — Mama Yara hill, located north of the city of Sulaimani, is remembered fondly by locals for decades of Newroz celebrations. In recent times, many of the cultural site’s trees have burned or been cut down. 

For Sarwar Ahmed, a resident of the Mama Yara neighbourhood, these trees are a big part of his childhood memories.

“When I see this area, I feel very uncomfortable. I feel like my childhood memories are going to disappear,” Ahmed told Rudaw on Monday.

Abdullah Qadir, 60, is also worried about the fate of his beloved trees.

“I have been living in this area for years. I am full of sorrow because of these trees being cut down. It is actually a very unfortunate scene,” said Qadir, another long-time resident of the area, on Monday.

Once housing an abundance of trees, Mama Yara hill used to be run by Sulaimani’s forest directorate. It had rangers overseeing the property until two years ago.

Now under the supervision of the Sulaimani municipality, the hill has been left with no employees looking after it.

“We hope that the city’s folklore site will be preserved by all of us. Every single person in Sulaimani is responsible for preserving Mama Yara hill,” Sardasht Rafiq, head of Sulaimani municipality’s media office, told Rudaw, noting that they have confiscated the saws of people cutting down the hill’s trees. 

The tomb of many famous Kurdish figures is located on Mama Yara hill, among them is the great Kurdish poet Piramerd.

During his lifetime, he would set a fire on Mama Yara hill during Newroz celebrations.

Translation and video editing by Sarkawt Mohammed