PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Archaeologists studying ancient civilizations in northern Iraq during the 1930s formed bonds with the Yazidi community, documenting their daily lives through photographs that have been rediscovered after ISIS malignantly targeted this ancient religious minority.
The black-and-white images, part of a larger collection of approximately 2,000 photographs from historic excavations, are held at the University of Pennsylvania Museum. Recently, one photograph of a Yazidi shrine sparked the interest of graduate student Marc Marin Webb, leading him to unearth nearly 300 images that could chronicle and preserve Yazidi culture, devastated by recent atrocities.
The UN has declared the systematic attacks against Yazidis as acts of genocide, resulting in significant loss of life and a diaspora that scattered the community globally.
Ansam Basher, now a teacher living in England, expressed profound emotion upon seeing the photographs, especially those depicting her grandparents' wedding in the early 1930s. No one would imagine that a person my age would lose their history because of the ISIS attack, she lamented. The loss of her family's history due to the attack has been partially relieved by the rediscovery of these photographs.
A Cache of Cultural Memory
This archive serves as a testament to the Yazidi people's traditions, countering the extremism that sought to erase their legacy. Marin Webb, working with documentarian Nathaniel Brunt, aims to share these images with the Yazidi diaspora both through physical exhibitions and digital access.
Exhibits highlighting the rich heritage were first displayed in April, coinciding with Yazidi New Year celebrations, symbolizing a powerful reclamation of their threatened memory.
Basher's brother, who visited the region from Germany, was able to identify their grandparents in the exhibits, contributing to the archive's authenticity and depth. The images capture moments of joy and tradition, displaying the Yazidis not as victims, but as a community with a vibrant history.
Other photographs capture the Yazidis in various contexts, showcasing their lives before the harrowing violence they endured. Apart from providing a cultural snapshot of the Yazidi people, Marin Webb emphasized that the exhibition helped promote understanding of the Yazidis as part of the human narrative, not solely defined by their suffering.
In these challenging times, the rediscovery of these images has served as a powerful reminder of the enduring Yazidi spirit. Alessandro Pezzati, the museum's senior archivist, noted that collections often lie dormant until revived by passionate individuals like Marin Webb. The profound significance of these photographs extends beyond mere records; they restore a sense of identity and pride to a community profoundly affected by loss.
