KAL Gaxan was celebrated by Alevi institutions in London. In the celebration, while wishing for the new year to bring peace and freedom, a statement of support was made for the protests led by women in Iran.
Celebrated by Alevis, especially in the Dersim community, the Kal Gaxan celebration took place at St Mary’s Church, started with the shrine of the Relic.
Then, BAF Co-chair Dilek İncedal made a short speech and wanted the new year to be conducive to peace and freedom. While sayings were read by the students of Enfield Alevi Cultural Centre, where artist Dursun Can Çakın lectures, the Iranian woman who spoke at the event stated that they have been fighting for 40 years and that the protests that have been going on for the last few months are the footsteps of the revolution.
Co-Chair of Dersim Cultural Center Şengül Düzgün, also spoke about the Gaxan tradition in her speech in the Kirmancki dialect of Kurdish. Noting that Gaxan was forgotten after the villages were evacuated and he went to the cities, Şengül Duzgun said, “Our children and young people do not know this ritual. This is our shortcoming. The state wants us to forget everything. From now on, let’s do it so that we can teach our rituals to our children.”
Te London Bendir Group, composed of women taught by artist Murat Sığırcı, also took part in the Gaxan celebration. The Gaxan celebration ended with songs sung by Suna Alan and Reşo Zelal.