Biography
I was born and raised in Jalawla in a Garmiani family. My father was a prominent figure in the Zangana tribe in the region. My mother was born in Khanaqin, the daughter of Mullah Saad Hakim of Khanaqin, who was one of the founders of the Hiwaq Party. My father, Ibrahim Fatah Qadir Zangana, was a communist and was imprisoned for five years for his political activiteis. National and leftist thought has always existed with our upbringing. For example, we were in the Arabization areas and were transferred to the Arab areas twice. We are 11 brothers and sisters. All of us have Kurdish names. We cried at the hands of the Arabs who made fun of us, but we were proud that our names were Kurdish. The roots of leftist thought and nationalism came from my parents.
In 1986-1987 I was accepted in Salahaddin University, College of Education, Department of Biology. Little did I know that year would be the beginning of a historic turning point in my life and to this day I woudl leave Garmian and settle in Erbil. In early 1986, my father died and I lost my biggest supporter and closest person. This incident had a profound impact on my future and personality. Because my father's support for me was gone and like any girl in this society, many opportunities and doors were closed to me. For example, twice I had the opportunity to study in Europe. But they didn't let me as they said it would bring shame to the family.
In 1993, I married Khalid Abdullah Ismail, a boy from Qushtapa, a village near Erbil. He had studied at the same university, and we met and fell in love at the university.
In early 1994, my Kurdish was very bad because of the Arabization, but when I came to Erbil, I gradually became involved in politics and social activities and my Kurdish improved. My husband was very encouraging and supportive of me more than my father.
Education and Career
In 1994, I was appointed as a biology teacher in Daratu and worked there for five years. But in 1998 I could no longer continue as a teacher and felt that I had no place in the system, so I quit and stayed at home for two years, serving my son, husband and myself and had 5-7 hours a day to read. During those years, my husband graduated from evening law college, and I had a good educational background, but during those two years, I studied the principles of sociology, Islamic history, thought, philosophy, and political Islam. That's when I started writing articles. Gradually I became successful in writing, and opened my place (as a name, not a rank) in the Kurdish media, especially in Erbil. After 2000, I stopped working in political and party activities and realized that I could not be confined to one party. I knew then that I was a liberal and libertarian and that I didn't care about any party, but life was getting harder and harder.
My life of Arabization and my ability and sharpness made me speak Arabic well. I started writing in Arabic and they translated it into Kurdish for me. Then I wrote a column in the newspaper Khabat (which was Arabic at the time) for several months.
In 2002, the College of Literature of Salahaddin University was opened.
In 2010, I received my master's degree in sociology from Kurdistan University-Erbil.
I am currently working as an assistant professor at Salahaddin University and write a weekly column in the newspaper Bas.
Media work
I have been working in the media as a second career since the mid-1990s. I have written columns for the newspapers Khabat (Kurdish and Arabic), Kurdistan Nwe, Hawal, Chawder, and Bas. I have also prepared and presented programs on TV and radio.
Expertise
- Gender and Feminism
- Social movements
- Sociology of Religion.
- Active member of Kurdipedia.
- Title of my research: Women's participation in Islamic movements in the Kurdistan Region. A critical study of women's organizations belonging to Islamic parties.
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