This chapter examines the motivations and actions of Zaza women activists in revitalizing the endangered Zazakî language and preserving their cultural heritage in Türkiye. Drawing on interviews conducted with women involved in language revitalization efforts, the study explores how they navigate historical assimilation policies and contemporary challenges to reclaim their linguistic and cultural identity. The efforts of these women to keep the Zazakî language and culture alive contribute significantly to the continuity of their language and culture and to the transfer of their “’collective stories and histories”’ to future generations, despite the state’s oppressive policies. What drives the activists are personal experiences of shame and disconnection from their language; a desire to transmit cultural heritage; and the UNESCO classification of Zazakî as endangered. Their actions encompass a range of initiatives, from participating in Zazakî language courses and theater performances to collecting folklore and producing Zazakî content for television and the Internet. Through these endeavors, Zaza women challenge state-imposed linguistic norms, assert their linguistic human rights, and advocate for both language preservation and women’s rights. Their activism serves as a means of reclaiming agency, resisting assimilationist policies, and fostering a sense of belonging and pride in their linguistic and cultural heritage.

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Language and Resistance: The Struggle of Kird/Zaza Women to Preserve Zazakî in the Kirdane and Kirmancîye Regions of Türkiye

  • Hüseyin Rodi Keskin

摘要

This chapter examines the motivations and actions of Zaza women activists in revitalizing the endangered Zazakî language and preserving their cultural heritage in Türkiye. Drawing on interviews conducted with women involved in language revitalization efforts, the study explores how they navigate historical assimilation policies and contemporary challenges to reclaim their linguistic and cultural identity. The efforts of these women to keep the Zazakî language and culture alive contribute significantly to the continuity of their language and culture and to the transfer of their “’collective stories and histories”’ to future generations, despite the state’s oppressive policies. What drives the activists are personal experiences of shame and disconnection from their language; a desire to transmit cultural heritage; and the UNESCO classification of Zazakî as endangered. Their actions encompass a range of initiatives, from participating in Zazakî language courses and theater performances to collecting folklore and producing Zazakî content for television and the Internet. Through these endeavors, Zaza women challenge state-imposed linguistic norms, assert their linguistic human rights, and advocate for both language preservation and women’s rights. Their activism serves as a means of reclaiming agency, resisting assimilationist policies, and fostering a sense of belonging and pride in their linguistic and cultural heritage.