Newroz Dijwar/JINHA

HEWLER - In the Federal Kurdistan Region of Iraq, a mother and daughter continue the tradition of natural medicine practiced by women for generations.

Xatûn Ahmed and her daughter Peyman Xidir live in the village of Ako, near the city of Rawandiz in Erbil Governorate. The two treat patients suffering from problems like herniated discs, burns, stomach problems and inability to conceive using natural medicine and the plants endemic to the region.

"The only thing I want is for this art not to be lost," said Xatûn. She has taught her practice to a number of students, among them her daughter. As she has gotten older and less able to practice, she says, it has become a priority for her to pass on her knowledge. Xatûn first learned the art of natural medicine from a female doctor in Iran 22 years ago.

"Some thought I was crazy, but I didn't pay it any mind, because I do this work out of love," she said. "I think it's necessary that this art, this heritage of goddesses that has been left to us women, continues." Xatûn started teaching her daughter about medicinal plants and herbs at a young age and increased her own knowledge by studying textbooks on the practice. Eventually, Xatûn began offering the services on a pay-as-you-can basis.

"It's not all about money, although most patients would bring a gift. I never said to anyone, 'you'll pay this much money.' The only thing I wanted was for those people to get better," she said.

Xatûn travels to the Kandil Mountains to gather herbs for her practice, which she later dries and crushes into a powder, as she has found that the herbs in that region are particularly potent. In addition to her daughter, Xatûn's students have included a member of the Kurdish guerrilla who are stationed in the Kandil area.

Peyman Xidir, Xatûn's daughter, started learning these skills from her mother at the age of seven. Many of the patients she has treated come from the Southern Kurdish cities of Sulaymaniyah, Duhok and Zakho, but many cross international borders to reach the two doctors--from the UK, Germany, Sweden, Turkey and Iran.

"People come here from places we've never heard of," said Peyman. Helping women who were not able to have children has been among her accomplishments. She has gotten phone calls from women thanking her for helping them to have a child. "People trust us," said Peyman.

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