A video showing two black women mastering a Kurdish dance went viral on Turkey’s social media on Friday, despite the country’s highly charged political agenda.
“I am here to refute the claims of those who say that Kurdish halay cannot be learned in later years. I am providing evidence,” a user who shared the video said on Twitter, without clarifying where the video was recorded.
Other users on Twitter praised the skills of the two women, who are reportedly immigrants from Africa living in Turkey, some even claiming that the two women were more successful in the dance than the Kurds who were in the group.
Halay, a regional folkloric dance mainly performed by Arabs, Kurds and Turks, in a group that is accompanied by music, which starts slowly and gradually picks up rhythm.
For Kurdish people, the dance has become the symbol of their identity. Halay is performed by Kurds in almost any event, including engagement and wedding parties, other types of celebrations and major events, and political demonstrations.
Videos of Kurdish halay frequently goes viral on social media platforms, with some posts reaching more than 20 million views on YouTube.
