Kreidi Al-Sabie

Kreidi Al-Sabie is a 68-year-old leader of the Mandaean community in Al-Amarah, southern Iraq. He has a deep connection to the Tigris River, which he has relied on for drinking and bathing throughout his life. Al-Sabie emphasizes the vital importance of water for both physical life and spiritual practices in Mandaeanism, a religion that traces its roots back over a thousand years in the region. With the Tigris facing severe pollution and potential drought, he voices concerns for the future of his community, whose population has dwindled to fewer than ten thousand in Iraq.