Masara Zetun - The Making of Olive Oil at Lalish Temple

Masara zetun is the annual making of olive oil at the Yezidi holy temple of Lalish.  The oil, made exclusively from olives harvested at Lalish, is used for the soaking of cotton wicks which are lit at Lalish's nishanga, holy sites of which there are many; as well during special ceremonies. The laborious work of making the oil, pressed by bare feet, lasts for as many days as necessary to use all of the olives stored over the winter. The process is exact, preserving the holiness of the oil at every step. Hundreds of Yezidis participate at least for the first day.

Yesterday I was fortunate to be able to visit that first day of masara zetun, where as always the Yezidi joy and camaraderie was infectious. Below are photos that follow the process.

I thank the Yezidi community for welcoming me.

You are also invited to visit companion sites www.beyondbordersphotography.com and worldpeeks.blogspot.com

All photographs are protected by copyright law. Permission from the photographer is needed.  Requests for use should be sent to robleutheuser@gmail.com.

Taking the olives harvested last year out of storage

Washing

Cleaning washed olives

 Carrying cleaned olives to the bagging area

Sewing closed the burlap bags of cleaned olives

Pressing the bagged olives with heated water from 
Kania Spi (White Spring)

Skimming separated olive oil out of collection pool

Pouring oil into fire-heated cauldron to boil off last water

Ladling olive oil into cans to be carried to temple

Carrying finished olive oil to the temple of Sheikh Adi
(photo from another photographer)

Placing olive oil-soaked wicks in nishanga

Safara Qola (The Collection of Wood) at Lalish Temple

For 3 days this past week I once again visited Lalish, the Yezidian holy temple in Iraqi Kurdistan, this time to witness their annual ceremony of Safara Qola - the collection of wood.  Although the event is heavily steeped in ritual, the work is real.  A small army of bare-footed men, and a few women, scrambled up the nearby steep hillside to gather cut logs, load them on their backs with heavy woolen straps, and carry them to Lalish Temple for cooking during the upcoming year.

The cold and rain did not dampen the devotion of the faithful, nor did the recent and enduring ISIS-spawned tragedies.

More images will follow on my website, www.beyondbordersphotography.com

I extend my deep appreciation to Amer Seido, a longtime true friend, who continues to welcome me in his home, and who made this visit possible.

(All photographs are protected under copyright law and cannot be re-posted or used in any way without expressed permission of the photographer.  Please email me at robleutheuser@gmail.com to submit your request.  Thank you.)