Ezidis gathered in Shengal for the two-day Jimai Sharfadin celebration, taking part in religious ceremonies, traditional practices and gatherings centred on Sharfadin and Ezidi unity.
Ezidis gathered in Shengal in early September to celebrate Jimai Sharfadin, an important religious gathering within Sharfadin.
The two-day celebration began on 3 September, with the first day traditionally dedicated to preparations and the second to religious ceremonies. Ezidis from Shengal and surrounding areas travelled to sacred sites to take part in the gathering.
Many participants attended in traditional Ezidi clothing. Women were seen wearing white dresses and colourful shawls, while religious ceremonies and collective gatherings formed a central part of the celebration. Participants also used the occasion to call for unity among Ezidis.
Jimai gatherings are held at sacred sites and places connected to Sharfadin, although their dates can differ depending on the location. In Shengal, Jimai Sharfadin is traditionally associated with the late summer period. Following the genocide of August 2014, the timing of the celebration in Shengal was moved several weeks later and it is now observed in early September.
The gathering remains an occasion for Ezidis to come together around their religious traditions, renew their connection to sacred places and pass the practices of Sharfadin to younger generations. Twelve years after the genocide, the continued celebration of Jimai Sharfadin in Shengal also carries a wider significance. Religious gatherings that IS attempted to eradicate continue to bring thousands of Ezidis together in their homeland.
