Munzur

The Munzur River, located in Turkish Kurdistan, originates in the Munzur Mountains. It is considered sacred, but it is facing ecological threats. Hüseyin Umaysız explores the relationship between humans and water in the valley, examining the local communities that live in harmony with nature and their nearly forgotten knowledge from archaic times.

Hüseyin’s ancestors migrated from this region to Anatolia 450 years ago. His personal history is an integral part of this research process. This personal history encompasses a journey that reexamines the human relationship with nature.

During his visit in 2024, he spoke with several elderly women and discovered that yogurt and bread yeast were obtained from the river water. In 2025, he aims to revive this tradition and make it tangible together with the local community. In his performance, he transforms the fermentation process into an ecological and cultural tool of resistance.

This artistic research opens up an experimental space in which the interaction between nature and humans, as well as memory mechanisms, are questioned. It transcends traditional theatrical concepts and evolves into a gesammt practice that develops in interaction with participants. The effort to protect the valley and river is thus transformed into an aesthetic and political tool of resistance.