Two months ago, on 19 September, the well-known Norwegian film director Anja Breien published her first book. ´Kaniaw´ is a photographic essay about a young Norwegian-Kurdish woman. When the book was launched at the Nobel Peace Centre, the sociologist Rasool Awla said that it brings some of the worst aspects of Kurdish culture, but also an undisputable love for Kurdistan, to the reader. (20-NOV-06)
Based on Liv Kjølseth´s article on www.kurdistan.no, this article has been translated and prepared for publication here by HRH-F / Niels Jacob Harbitz. Photo of Breien: Tor Greiner Stenersen.
The book tells Kaniaw´s, the young female protagonist´s, story from when she travels back to Kurdistan, the country she was taken away from, to resettle as a reugee in Norway, as a child. Kaniaw has been promised by her father to become the bride of Naozad, the son of her father´s best friend and brother in arms from their time as peshmerga (Kurdish guerilla soldiers). Back in those years, they agree to arrange for their children to marry, to bear testimony to the very strong friendship between them. Kaniaw, however, objects to the arrangement, and decides to travel to Kurdistan to settle the whole issue with Naozad herself.
Essential insights
The young woman challenges not only her father´s and parents´ authority, but also the entire codex of honour so strongly observed by the Kurds. This codex, and its consequences, is what Rasool Awla describes as one of the worst parts of Kurdish culture. Kaniaw is young, however, and the last thing she wants, while making the most important choice of her life, is to hurt anyone. The story of her journey, through Kurdish history and culture, provides essential insights into serious, and complex problems. Breien´s, right, rendering of all the different aspects and considerations is nuanced, and reveals why it is so important for most Kurds, despite such problematic elements, to remain close to their own culture.
Doomed to create debate
The book introduces the reader not only to Kaniaw and Naozad, but also to their parents,and Kaniaw´s Norwegian boyfriend Dag, who are all faced with difficult decisions potensially sealing the fates of many more than themselves. This way, the book is well-suited to create debate on issues that affect not only Kurds, but ever more young people in contemporary, multi-cultural Norway.
