Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality organised a Kurdish stand-up show as part of the 21 February International Mother Language Day programme.

Events organised by the Department of Culture, Arts and Social Affairs to mark 21 February International Mother Language Day are continuing. In this context, the Language Development and Protection Branch Directorate brought audiences together with “Dawîya Dawî”, a Kurdish stand-up performance staged by Özcan Ateş at the Çand Amed Culture and Congress Centre.

A story of being caught between two cultures

The performance explores the theme of being caught between two cultures (village and city) among those who were forced to migrate from villages to urban centres. Having personally lived through this migration experience, Özcan Ateş brought to the stage, in an ironic style, both the tragic aspect of “being in-between” and the social attitudes that become politicised.

Other prominent themes in the performance included his early encounter with theatre, the difficulties he experienced during his theatre training, his relationships with fellow actors on stage, the bond between the street and the artist, the struggle of people close to him in urban life, and, as an artist, his communication with politicians.

Following the performance, which drew strong interest from the audience, Tahir Baykuşak, Head of the Language Development and Protection Unit Directorate, presented a plaque to Özcan Ateş and thanked him.