Munzur

The Munzur River, located in Turkish Kurdistan, rises in the Munzur Mountains, is considered sacred but is subject to ecological threats. Hüseyin Umaysız explores the relationship between humans and water in the valley, and investigates the local communities living in harmony with nature and their almost forgotten knowledge from archaic times.

Hüseyin’s ancestors migrated from this region to Anatolia 450 years ago. His personal history is an integral part of this research process. This personal history includes a journey that re-examines the human relationship with nature. During his visit in 2024, he spoke to some elderly women and discovered that yogurt and bread yeast were obtained from the river water. In 2025, he aims to revive this tradition and make this process tangible together with the local community. In his performance, he transforms the fermentation process into an ecological and cultural means of resistance.

This artistic research opens up an experimental space in which the interaction between nature and humans, and memory mechanisms are questioned. It transcends traditional theatre concepts and evolves into a gesammt practice that develops in interaction with participants. The effort to protect the valley and the river is thus transformed into an aesthetic and political means of resistance.