Sakê village, the legacy of King Sakon

2025-06-15 09:40:40


	ŞIRNEX - Sakê village of Elkê (Beytüşşebap) district of Şirnex (Şırnak), named after King Sakon, is not only a settlement but also a memory of resistance for centuries.

	 

	Although the village of Sakê is known as "Taşkıran" in the records, the people of the village have called it "Sakê" for thousands of years. The settlement was renamed as "Taşkıran" village after the proclamation of the republic in 1926. According to the people of the village, this ancient place takes its name from King Sakon, who is rumoured to have ruled in Mesopotamia. According to the legend, Sakon established a strategic centre between the Berwari and Goyan regions and turned this village into a military, administrative and cultural centre. 

	 

	A KINGDOM BUILT AMONG STONES

	 

	The valley where the village is located is surrounded by giant rock formations. For this reason, the name of the village was changed to "Taşkıran" in the Republican perison. However, the people have not forgotten the real name of the village and its past. On of the elders of the village tells: "We cal this place Sakê. Because this is the place where King Sakon lived. This is how we inherited it from our ancestors. Every stone has a story here."

	 

	MEMORY

	 

	Sakê village was subjected to village evacuation policies in the 1990s. Many houses were burnt down and people were forcibly displaced from their land. However, the villagers returned years later, repaired their houses with their own hands and settled again. 

	 

	Today, dozens of families still live in Sakê despite the difficult conditions. The tradition of dengbêj, klams and oral history are still alive in Sakê. Villagers say, "This is not just a village. This is our history, our identity. We live with the name of Sakon, the stones of Sakê and the language of these mountains. No matter what the state says, we will not forget the name of this land."

	 

	MA / Zeynep Durgut