This is a village story. A story that has existed for centuries and continues today. It is the story of those who make their living from animal husbandry. Perhaps it is not only about earning bread, but also about a way of life they have been unable to leave behind for centuries. Enduring both cold and heat at the same time, dust and mud, and beyond that, all kinds of hardships. My intention is to convey this visual story that I witnessed in Kıyıdüzü village, Tatvan, Bitlis, and which deeply impressed me. This is the story of the Şivans and Berivans.
Animal husbandry is one of the main sources of livelihood in Bitlis and its surroundings. Flocks consisting of hundreds of sheep and goats are the primary means of income for the villagers. The shepherds who herd these flocks are called Şivan, while the women who milk the sheep and process the milk are called Berivan.
Throughout the summer, every evening, the flocks are taken by two shepherds to the pastures on Mount Nemrut, a volcanic mountain, where they remain overnight. Shepherd dogs protect both the flocks and the shepherds from dangers such as wolves in the mountains. Each flock also has a donkey to carry the shepherds’ water, food, and belongings. Around midday, the journey back toward the village begins so that the sheep can be milked and given water. At that time, the flock belongs to the Berivans. After the milking is completed, the flock’s 20-kilometer journey begins again, raising clouds of dust under the scorching midday sun. And this journey has been repeated every day for centuries.