One of the work women in Kurdistan are participating at collectively, is the harvest of sumac, that happens at the end of August each year. Its a special gathering amongst the women in the villages of Binare Qendil.

In sumac harvesting all the labour is loaded on the shoulders of the women. From the planting of seeds to the picking of the crop. They plant the seeds in the fields and protect and caress them like their own children. After three years the trees finally reach a state to produce fruits and the sumac that grows on them enrich our dinner tables deliciously.

The harvest of the sumac and its cutting are in fact a very grueling labour. Let alone under the heat of the summer. But despite all these difficulties, the women are taking on their work nevertheless cheerfully and laughingly.

The residents of the Binare Qendil do not use the sumac crop to make financial business. As a matter of fact, they never sell the sumac to anyone. What they need they keep for themselves, and the rest they distribute to their relatives and neighbours. Everyone gets a share of it and no one is left empty handed.

One of those women who is harvesting the sumac is Amine Mihemed. About the benefits of sumac she says: "Sumac contains many healthy features. It is also used as a medicine for many health issues. It is effective against high blood pressure, it strengthens the gum and is very beneficial for children as well. But it should be only enjoyed in healthy moderation, and not in abundance. It is also deemed a medicinal herb. It grows in almost the entire region. And it is also effective against diabetes."

Sumac and pickles are favoured dishes to sour certain meals. Sumac is also used to dye cloth and silk.

The sumac tree is widely spread in the Middle East and is therefore broadly used in all countries of the Middle East. Sumac has a firm place in the traditional Kurdish cuisine and is served with kebab , dolma (stuffed cabbage leaf) and many other dishes. It pleases with its unique taste and flavour.