RAPERÎN BEKIR

Shehba- Every Kurdish woman knows how to sing in “Lorîn” and “Landik” (musical styles in Kurdish) and every woman teach their children how to sing in these styles. Aryen Xelîl is one of these children and she wants to be a dengbej like Derweşê Evdî, Edûlê, Siyabend and Xecê (Famous dengbej(s)).

Aryen Xelîl is now 16 years old and she was born in Afrin city of NE Syria. She began to sing songs when she was just eight years old. In 2013, she joined “Şêrawa” musical group of Afrin Culture and Art Center and she showed her skill in singing like dengbej (s). Now she is a young dengbej and improves her skills day by day.

“We had to move to Shehba when attacks carried out on Afrin. I still live in Shehba. I began to sing songs of dengbej (s) when I was eight years old. Now I am a member of “Şêrawa” musical group. I want to improve myself to be a good dengbej. When I sing songs, I feel different. I can feel the pain of my people better and I can share their pain. And when I sing songs, I tell the beauties of my homeland and the fertility of my land. Being a dengbej means telling all feelings of people and reflecting these feelings,” says the young dengbej.

“I sing proudly”

Aryen told us that being a dengbej is not only her dream but also the dream of her mother, who never had the opportunity to sing. She says she is proud of herself whenever she sings a song. “I will do my best to be a good dengbej. I have taken the stage at the events organized after the colonization of Afrin. I feel very excited to take the stage at the protests and events attended by our people and to be able to sing for them. I cannot tell how I feel happy when I am with my people.”

“Women should struggle for their future”

“Before, if a woman wanted to be a dengbej, it was a shame. But now, women break taboos,” Aryen says, “Now, families encourage their children to participate in arts and cultural works. Each woman should live however she wants. I believe that women can overcome all obstacles. Women should struggle for their future.”