Şêx Rikab

General Information

Also Known As

Sheikh Rakab shrine, Şêx Rikab shrine, Ziyareta Şêx Rikab, Şêx Riqab, Mar û Dêrûki, Şikefta Ziyaretê, الشيخ ركاب

Type

Ziyareta

Nahiya (Subdistrict)

Efrîn

Village or Nearby Villages

Şadêrê

Religious Affiliation

Yezidi

Şêx Rikab is a shrine of Şadêrê in the Efrîn sub-district.

Map and Location

Coordinates: 36.36723, 36.830671

Source: https://akmckeever.substack.com/

Physical & Landscape Features

The shrine, also called Mar û Dêrûki, stands in the foothills of Mount Lelun, south of the village. Şadêrê was formerly an entirely Yezidi village and is now mixed Muslim and Yezidi.1

Dedicated Figure & Historical Roots

The shrine contains the body of the well-known Yezidi community leader Sheikh Huseyn Brimo, who was buried there after his death in 2013.3

On June 21, 2018, militias vandalized the shrine while searching for gold and antiquities. The interior and its contents were damaged, part of the ceiling collapsed, and a large hole was left in the roof, with the grave covered in debris.4

Ritual Practices & Beliefs

The village women come to the shrine, especially on Fridays, for their wishes. They circle the shrine and tie strings and cloths, praying for the sick and for women who cannot conceive. They take the shrine's soil and apply it for ailments such as headaches, and straws and oil kept at the shrine were used to treat burns and earaches.2

Transcripts

Şadêrê (Ax û Welat – Episode 1329):

  • 36:58 – The host reaches the Şêx Riqab shrine, where the village women have gathered.
  • 37:13 – Women describe the Friday visits, the tying of strings, and the use of the shrine's soil for healing.
  • 43:54 – The narrator places the Mar û Dêrûki shrine in the foothills of Mount Lelun, south of the village.

Videography

Şadêrê (Ax û Welat – Episode 1329): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvjAKVDHJTE

Bibliography

References

  1. Ax û Welat, "Şadêrê," Episode 1329 (village Şadêrê), YouTube video, at 36:58–43:54, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvjAKVDHJTE. Kurdish quote: "Ev gund berê hemî Êzîdî bûn... Berekek Îslam bû, berekek Êzîdî ma." English translation: "This village formerly were all Yezidi... one side became Muslim, one side remained Yezidi." Quote (English transcript): "In the foothills of Mount Lelun, south of the village, there is a shrine called 'Mar û Dêrûki'." ↩

  2. Ax û Welat, "Şadêrê," Episode 1329. Quote (English transcript): "it is for wishes. The white-haired... comes on Friday." Quote: "Whoever is sick, when they tie strings and pray, you get over it." Quote: "you would come and we would circumambulate. For instance, they used to take its soil. They would apply it on themselves. For instance, if there is a headache... they would heal and feel better by God." ↩

  3. Alexander McKeever, "Afrin: Incidents Of Desecration And Destruction Of Cultural Sites," Bellingcat, July 11, 2019, https://www.bellingcat.com/news/mena/2019/07/11/afrin-incidents-of-desecration-and-destruction-of-cultural-sites/. Direct quote: "The shrine contains the body of “famous Yezidi community leader Sheikh Huseyn Brimo” (as per Sebastian Maisel’s book), who was buried there after his death in 2013." ↩

  4. Jamie O'Connell, "Incident Report Feature: Intentional Destruction of Religious Sites in Afrin," ASOR Cultural Heritage Initiatives, http://www.asor-syrianheritage.org/incident-report-feature-afrin-religious-sites/. Direct quote: "According to local monitors, militias associated with Operation Olive Branch vandalized the shrine while searching for “gold and antiquities,” as valuable are sometimes placed in such shrines by devotees. Along with damage to the interior and contents of the shrine, the video footage also shows a large hole in the shrine’s roof." McKeever, "Afrin: Incidents Of Desecration And Destruction Of Cultural Sites." Direct quote: "A portion of the ceiling collapsed and the rest of the room and the grave it hosts are covered in debris." ↩