The supreme Ezidi spiritual body have decided to ban filming art works in the Ezdi holy temple and visitors to stick to moderate dress following the filming of a video clip in Mid-June which sparked wide protests.
Last week, the Ezidi activists, intellectuals and religious figures via KirkukNow called on the Kurdistan Regional Government KRG to stop the release of a video clip by Rozhin, a Kurdish singer from Turkey, for ““disparagement of Lalish holy temple.”
In Mid-June, the singer has finished filming the video clip in Lalish temple located in Shekhan district of Ninewa plains. Photos of and short scenes of the video clip and behind the camera circulated on social media platforms have sparked wide protests.
The circulated short video shows a group of young Ezidi boys and girls dancing in religious attire. Some members of the crew are wearing shorts while the singer Rozhin is clapping and dancing.
Lalish is the most sacred place for the Ezidis all over the world where mass religious rituals are held.
Ahmed Mishko, media manager of Baba Sheikh office, told KirkukNow the Spiritual Council have discussed the violations in the video clip and have taken two decisions.
“First, any women visitor should wear a white head scarf. Secondly, video shooting in the campus of Lalish is prohibited,” he added.
Mishko said they already told pilgrims to put off shoes when visiting Lalish and this to be strictly followed now on.
The Ezidi administration institution is made up of the Ezidi Spiritual Council, prince of Ezidis (Mir) who is the head of the spiritual council (leader of the community), Baba-Shékh(the key religious figure), Minister Sheikh, and head of the seniors. They unanimously form the council and take the decisions.
Ezidis are an ethno-religious minority over half a million population, mostly residing in Shingal, in northern Iraqi province of Nineveh. The militants of Daesh extremist group in 2014 attacked their communities accusing them of being heretics, killing thousands of men and taking thousands of women and children as sex slaves, in an atrocity the U.N. described as genocide.
Video: Backstage of the video clip by Rozhin from Facebook social platfor
KirkukNow has found no photos or videos showing dance in Lalish. Besides, the singer has got permission of the Ezidi leader Mir Thasin.
Despite attempts, KirkukNow could not contact the singer or the clip crew.
However, Rozhin said in a post on Facebook on June 19 that she respects the Eizidi religion and all its sanctities. "We produced a cool and successful hit to support our girls so thanks to all those cooperated including Mir Hazim Tahsin Beg and the servants in Lalish and Baba Chawish."
Ezidism is an old Middle Eastern monotheistic ethnic religion and is based on belief in one God who created the world and entrusted it into the care of seven Holy Beings, known as Angels. The ouststanding among these angels is Melek Taus who is the leader and has authority over the world.
Most Ezidis speak Kurmanji, one of the two main Kurdish dialects. Most Ezidis consider Ezidism both a distinct ethnic and cultural identity and do not identify as Kurdish.
