Syrians in Turkey interpret homesick through tattoos inspired by revolution


Homesickness is a growing social challenge for thousands of displaced Syrians who had no choice but to flee their homes and find ways to express their feelings of loneliness and isolation.

Farah who’s so proud of her new tattoo, wrote the word “Damascus” in Arabic on her hand to remind her of a near return to the city , and although the idea of drawing something on her body never occurred to her , yet she wanted to convey her feelings this way .

“I expressed my longing on my hands” says Farah, who is not the only young Syrian who demonstrates his/her feelings with tattoos.

In addition to Tattoos, earrings in the nose and eyebrows and cutting the hair in weird ways are widespread phenomenon among young Syrians in Istanbul , as if their appearances don’t belong to their homeland any more but rather similar to the new country of emigration .

Tariq Mohammed, A psychology Consultant explains why young Syrians as well as Palestinians resort to tattoo, explaining that it is rarely to find a Palestinian who did not draw a Palestine map on his body or anything that relates to it.

The phenomenon has transferred to Syrians whose situation has become so similar to Palestinians amid mixed feelings of longing to return home and guilt due to their inability to fulfill these desires ,which eventually made them draw their countries’ names as tattoos on their bodies , to enhance their belonging and thereby lessen their feelings of guilt,  he said.

Mohammed confirms that using tattoos and earrings in strange places, is a form of rebellion against the society and reality, and ways that young people use to express their dissatisfaction with what is going on around them...

Salah, a Syrian refugee in turkey, never thought of raising a dog at home, yet loneliness forced to register his name in (who wish to adopt a pet list) at a veterinarian, says Salah “although my monthly salary doesn’t exceed 1000 Turkish Lira equals to $ (500), however, I adopted a dog after learning that the cost of its raising is low.

“Having a dog in my house brought back some emotional balance, which was an advice that a syrian friend gave to me,” he added.

As for his part, Dr. Mohammed confirms, that Turks’ exaggerated sympathy with animals, impacted Syrians’ behaviors, who have become more kind with animals, especially due to the fact that dealing harshly with pets is a shame in Turkey that deserves a punishment.

Therefore it is not surprising that some Syrians want to raise a pet, especially if they are alone , and do not living within a family , the person then finds in a pet an amiable and a companion. He added.

The habits of adopting pets which is acquired from Turks, often affect positively the psyche of troubled Syrians, because a large number of them need to discharge their feelings, and because they are lonely , their emotional balance dysfunctions and they get depressed , therefor having a pet is a suitable situation to release the negative feelings .

According to Dr. Mohammed’s observation as well as his fellow specialists in turkey, most Syrians have depression ranging between moderate to severe, and that they have registered in one year period, more than 10 failed suicidal attempts among Syrians, and therefore advised them of trying to cope and adapt to realty, each according to the way he deems appropriate and can be extravagant in that too.

Syrians are in great need for psychiatric consultation due to their exceptional circumstances , and there is no doubt that what is happening in Syria affects completely Syrians’ psyches , but I believe that the impact on each one is different according to his personal circumstances and what he encountered, he concluded. Reporting by Lama Shammas; Translation by Dani Murad

 

Zaman Alwasl
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