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shakomako(dot)NET is an independent digital magazine about everything Iraqi. shakomakoNET is an independent online magazine about everything Iraqi.

By creating a space for critical, relevant, and engaging content, shakomakoNET looks at Iraq through the lenses of:

ART: celebrating the creativity and brilliance inspired by the magic of Iraq;
CULTURE: looking at how Iraq lives in the everyday lives of Iraqis;
POLITICS: providing analysis of Iraq through a critical and progressive lens. FOOTBALL: capturing the spirit of resilience in Iraqis in t

he face of tremendous obstacles;
DIARIES: empowering memories of Iraq to triumph over attempts to destroy them;

Named after Iraqi slang meaning “what’s up?” shakomakoNET is a non-profit project that sustains itself through the energies of Iraqi youth from around the world.

27/09/2024

The distance between Baghdad and Beirut might be considerable. Nine hundred thirty three kilometers to be exact. But the two metropolises, known for their love of life, literature, music and all that makes life beautiful, are so intertwined, they could very well be neighboring homes on one street.

On any given day, a breeze born on Beirut’s shore can shake a palm tree in Baghdad; a tune hummed by a dreamer on Bliss Street can move the hips of a dancer in Karrada; and a poem scripted on the banks of the Tigris can fill the mind of a wandering soul in Hamra. Every bomb dropped on Beirut shakes homes in Baghdad, and every mother’s wail can be heard in every corner of both cities.

Baghdad and Beirut, a bond unbreakable by war, forever united in resistance and peace.

10/08/2024

In July, Iraq’s patriarchal political parties reignited their bid to amend the Personal Status Law. As it currently stands, Iraq has one of the best Personal Status Laws in the Middle East, which puts the minimum age of marriage at 18 and provides women with substantial protections in marriage, divorce and inheritance.

While the current law ensures civic rights for all Iraqis, the amendments would allow individuals, usually the men in the family, to choose between following civic, Sunni or Shia legal codes. This would not only work to further entrench sectarianism in Iraq but could also lead to the legal age of marriage being reduced to just nine years old. In addition, it could also legalise marriage outside of the court system and deny divorced women the right to custody of their children.

It is not the first time that these proposed amendments have circulated in parliament. In fact, Iraq’s patriarchal political parties pushed for similar amendments in both 2014 and 2017. On both occasions they were defeated through the vocal organising of Iraqi feminists. The reemergence of the amendments is a cheap trick to garner votes ahead of upcoming elections through the promotion of social conservatism at the expense of Iraqi women and girls.

The amendments have surfaced in the context of a severe crackdown on women’s rights, as demonstrated by the recent ban on the use of the word “gender”, the systematic targeting and demonisation of women’s movements in the media, as well as a broader campaign against dissenting voices.

Despite the increasingly repressive environment in Iraq and the real risk that activists face, hundreds of activists took to the streets all over Iraq, from Basra, Babylon Baghdad, Dhi Qar, Kirkuk, Najaf, where they faced physical violence, and Diwaniya, to protest against the proposed amendments and the likelihood of asecond reading in parliament in the coming weeks.

We stand in solidarity with Iraqi feminists as they continue to fight to safeguard their rights and those of future generations.

📸: Photos by Baghdad based photographer

24/12/2023

From Iraq, to Gaza, Merry Christmas, may we celebrate next year in a free Palestine 🇵🇸 🍉

Images taken by Haider Hamdani, Najaf.
Last image by Mike Goldwater, Jericho

15/10/2023

I come from there and I have memories
Born as mortals are, I have a mother
And a house with many windows,
I have brothers, friends,
And a prison cell with a cold window.
Mine is the wave, snatched by sea-gulls,
I have my own view,
And an extra blade of grass.
Mine is the moon at the far edge of the words,
And the bounty of birds,
And the immortal olive tree.
I walked this land before the swords
Turned its living body into a laden table.
I come from there. I render the sky unto her mother
When the sky weeps for her mother.
And I weep to make myself known
To a returning cloud.
I learnt all the words worthy of the court of blood
So that I could break the rule.
I learnt all the words and broke them up
To make a single word: Homeland…

Photos by

02/10/2023

Four years ago, everyday Iraqis took to streets and squares across the country demanding a better life. Hundreds were killed with impunity, but their sacrifices and demands will never be forgotten. We stand in solidarity with everyone working towards a different lraq wherever they may be, and we will continue using our platform to amplify voices fighting for justice and equity.

Photos by talented .najem

19/08/2023

Here's a look at some of our favorite Iraqi photographers, who we'd like to acknowledge for

1. Mortada Emad
2. Tamara Abdul Hadi
3. Tiba Sadeeq
4. Chemoha
5. Haneen hadiy
6. Karrar Nasser
7. Ishtar Azawi
8. Abdullah
9. Mustafa
10. Murtada Almusawi

Drop a comment below of more talented photographers you think we should get to know!

04/08/2023

Known for , a body of work mostly made of large scale murals that have brought building facades to life, listen to what Marwan has to say about why he does what he does in our New Beginnings Issue over on our website.

Visit shakomako.net!

11/07/2023

Meet , a London based Iraqi photographer, writer and director. We asked Reem about her work and this is what she had to say:

"I was born in Saudi and moved around a lot within the Middle East, including Syria, Jordan and Lebanon, but London’s been my home. I’m a self proclaimed horror geek. I have a cinema screen in my mind that plays a loop of my writing, with the characters capturing and embodying vulnerability, power, sexuality and sometimes comedy. All I want to do in this life is all that I’m passionate about and that’s creating art, whether it’s painting, writing or photographing. I’m always brimming with declarations and monologues.

What initially drew me into working on this photo-story was the deeply rooted history of Mesopotamia. The more I uncovered, the more I dived into extensive research of the richness and gold of Queen Puabi. I became infatuated with the ancient civilizations of that region. As someone who feels comfortable experimenting with thematic photography, I really wanted to work on a photo-story that articulated my research through my heritage."

Credits:

Model/Styling/Make Up:
Photography/Creative Direction:

23/06/2023

Summer is here. The heat has set in, pushing nature to revel in all of its splendor. The sound of children playing in the streets will compete with the cheerful chattering of birds, and ice cream stained cheeks will set the scene for the intoxicating smell of blooming flowers. Shorter nights and longer days will invite us to slow down, and gaze into the rays of our imagination, whether you are enjoying the shade from underneath a palm tree in Basra, or you are submerged into the saltiness of the sea, this summer is yours. 🌞✨🌸

21/06/2023

We believe that the liberation of all peoples is central to the vision for the future of Iraq.

We would like to come back to the core of what pride month represents and reflect on Iraq’s q***r history, listen and uplift the voices of those in our communities as our collective liberations are intertwined.

Happy pride month to our beautifully diverse q***r, trans, non-binary Iraqis! Love you all from the L all the way to the + !

Artwork by

20/06/2023

🌍💫 On this World Refugee Day, we shed light on the unwavering resilience of Iraqi refugees. Millions of Iraqis have sought refuge, escaping conflict and displacement. Their strength fuels our collective determination to create a world where no one is deemed illegal, and solidarity surpasses borders. Together, we rewrite their narratives, celebrating their courage as a beacon of hope.

Artwork by Berlin based Iraqi designer

18/06/2023

To all the Babas who pushed us to celebrate who we are, to those that carried us on their shoulders to build new homes far away from war, to those that taught us how to feel beautiful and strong, to all those fathers that took long, lonely journeys to work, to all those Babas that are no longer with us, and to all those fathers that are on the verge of being babas anew, we love you and we see you. Happy Father’s Day!
Photography by

08/06/2023

The Iraqi National Folk Dance Troupe was set up in 1971. It aimed to show off Iraq’s many dances to audiences around the world. Once established, members of the Troupe travelled across the country to document the country’s many dances. Since then, the Troupe has blessed the stage in over 60 countries, performing all across Europe and Asia, earning many awards along the way. Today the Troupe still exists despite many of its members fleeing the country from sanctions and war. Despite that, dancers still do what they love for sometimes meagre wages. In addition to its revival of the country’s rich dance culture, the group creates many original choreographed pieces exploring topics like solidarity and peace. The resilience of this group is a testament to the beauty of Iraq and its unbreakable spirit.

04/06/2023

Brought to you by London based Iraqi journalist Dalia Al Dujaili, The Road to Nowhere is a magazine that explores the beauty of diasporic identities. Through sharing stories of second-generation immigrants, the publication looks at the fluidity of what it means to build homes away from homes. When asked about what inspired her to create the publication, Dalia says. “I wanted to collect all of our stories in one place. I wanted a way for creatives to connect and work together. I wanted to meet more writers, artists, and creatives that work in the diaspora and explore notions of our identity and home together. I’ve been able to do all of that through this magazine.” The third issue of the print magazine is in development; check out some of their digital content by visiting their website.

27/05/2023

Summer is here, and it’s time to fall in love. We chose ten Iraqi love songs that would perfectly fit into your oversized heart. Visit shakomako.net to check out our carefully curated list.

Playlist by
Artwork by

04/10/2022

From our latest issue, “Al Nakhla,” a poem by UK based student Yousrah Uraiby.

My father cried the night his palm stood no more.

The most ancient of her kind,
tall she basks in a land of green and brown.
In the driest of heat, giver of life and shade,
and when our time surely comes, beneath hers our bodies shall lay.

We feel her before our eyes can see,
the strength within our homes,
the soft beneath our feet,
steadfast ever in war or peace.

Her enduring roots connect us all, her
hands close to our earth, her
hair dancing in the sun and rain, her
heart heavy from devotion and pain.

As the years have passed, countless we have lost,
a fate too heavy for her children to understand.
We speak of her often, share the fruit she bore,
and remember a time of salaam before.

My father cried the night his palm stood no more,
anchorless, lost between two rivers, his life he endures,
Kismet will find him, one day on the shore.

Read the full issue by visiting shakomako.net

Artwork by Berlin based Iraqi designer .

20/09/2022

The yummiest post from our latest issue comes from Hind Karim.

In, “My Mother’s Kleicha, she writes, “Not only is this biscuit deliciously crumbly and uniquely sweet, it also evokes a well of memories and a whole lot of profound, often hard to express emotions. […] The generational effects of having little choice but to lead a life of rootlessness and little to no time to process the residual grief are commonly brushed to the side in order to make room for the energy required to adapt to perpetual change. Despite all of this, one of the few constants it seemed, was a tray of cardamom spiked Kleicha on our coffee tables, no matter where our worn-out roots landed.”

Check out her piece and her mom’s amazing recipe on our website.

Artwork by Iraqi designer .

15/09/2022

From our latest issue, writes: “I remember casually slipping into a conversation with my hairdresser one day; I told him that I was badly in need of a haircut because I would be "travelling back home soon." His reply was; “Oh. Did you not grow up here?” By “here,” he meant London.”

In, “The I in Identity,” London based Iraqi-Kurdish photographer and writer Khandan Rashid writes candidly about an experience that is all too familiar for people living in a home away from home.

Read the full piece by visiting shakomako.net.

Artwork by Berlin based Iraqi graphic designer .

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