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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Dilstan Mohammed, an 18-year-old from the Garmiyan administration, has found her passion in karate, a martial art she initially picked up to learn how to defend herself.
Mohammed told Rudaw’s Hunar Hamid on Thursday that she started learning karate to “defend myself like any man.” She added that “women are more likely to face violence now, so this is a secret weapon for us.”
Hema Karim is another female karate player from Garmiyan who now owns a green belt. Her passion made her work hard and reach this stage.
Kareem told Rudaw that “karate is not a game only made for men, it is also for women. I have been a karate player for a year. I started with a white belt and now I own a green belt. I can defend myself and fight against men.”
Garmiyan’s karate hall opened for women about two years ago but the team has only participated in the Iraqi championship once due to a lack of funding and support.
Hayda Majid is the only female karate coach in Garmiyan that is a recipient of the black belt. She teaches karate in two different halls and she has around 50 students in total. She decided to open the hall because there was no suitable karate hall for women.
“There was a men’s Karate hall, but it was not a suitable place for me,” she said. “I had a black belt, so I decided to open my own place for other women passionate about karate.”
Mohammed told Rudaw’s Hunar Hamid on Thursday that she started learning karate to “defend myself like any man.” She added that “women are more likely to face violence now, so this is a secret weapon for us.”
Hema Karim is another female karate player from Garmiyan who now owns a green belt. Her passion made her work hard and reach this stage.
Kareem told Rudaw that “karate is not a game only made for men, it is also for women. I have been a karate player for a year. I started with a white belt and now I own a green belt. I can defend myself and fight against men.”
Garmiyan’s karate hall opened for women about two years ago but the team has only participated in the Iraqi championship once due to a lack of funding and support.
Hayda Majid is the only female karate coach in Garmiyan that is a recipient of the black belt. She teaches karate in two different halls and she has around 50 students in total. She decided to open the hall because there was no suitable karate hall for women.
“There was a men’s Karate hall, but it was not a suitable place for me,” she said. “I had a black belt, so I decided to open my own place for other women passionate about karate.”
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