The Role of Small and Medium Industries in the Heritage Identity in Iraq: A Case Study of Bashiqa Town

Abstract

This paper aims to identify the most famous Yazidi heritage industries in the town of Bashiqa, in Nineveh governorate. It explores the economic, social and cultural reality of three non-material industries (the manufacture of al-rashi, olive oil and soap) in the town of Bashiqa by comparing how they were manufactured in the past with how they are manufactured in the present, and assessing the impact of ISIS gangs on these industries. Finally, the paper puts forward proposals for how these industries can be developed to maintain their heritage and sustainability. The research also aims to invoke the cultural and scientific heritage of the local community to draw inspiration from their sources of strength to plan how local production of the traditional heritage industries can be revitalised after the destruction caused by ISIS.

The paper also explores the attachment of the Yazidi community in Bashiqa to the traditional industrial crafts and the extent of their influence on social and economic life, especially given that the city of Mosul is famous for its craft activity, in addition to the cultural and religious differences among the local population of Bashiqa, which comprises several components of Iraqi society (Yazidi, Catholic and Orthodox Christians, and the Muslim Shabak – Sunni, Shiite, and Kurdish) and thus affect the community’s view of the traditional crafts.