“Whenever I sing, I feel like I am flying like a butterfly”

“Whenever I sing, I feel like I am flying like a butterfly,” said young singer Hemrîn Selah, calling on people to learn their culture and music.

 

SORGUL ŞÊXO

Hasakah- The Kurdish people are known for their artists, singers, historians and revolutionaries. Despite all obstacles, Kurdish singers give moral support to people. Undoubtedly, Kurdish songs have an ancient tradition. Each Kurdish song reflects history and massacres carried out against the Kurdish people.

Art and Culture Center

Oppressed and exiled people preserve their culture and arts the most. For this reason, the Kurdish people preserve their culture and arts despite all the pressures. Since the start of the 19 July Revolution (Revolution in Rojava) and the establishment of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, many cultural institutions have been opened in Rojava. For Instance, the Democratic Culture and Art Center was opened in the Tell Tamer of Hasakah. Since the center was opened, many young people have become its members. Now, the center has four bands named “Koma Kulîlkên Kurdistanê”, “Ş. Şiyar”, “Xabûr” and “Koma Çûkên Pêşerojê”. These bands produce Kurdish and Arabic songs. Now, 45 children take music courses at the center

Hemrîn is known for her smiling face

Hemrîn Selah and Hena Hemîd are two of these children. 15-year-old Hemrîn Selah, who is known for her smiling face, is the youngest student of the center.

“Whenever I sing, I feel like I am flying like a butterfly”

Stating that she started to like songs after her elder sister became a member of the center, Hemrîn Selah said, “I wanted to go to the center with my sister. I began to sing when I was seven years old. I could not attend the music courses of the center for a while to be a good student at school. I felt as if I lost one of my parts when I did not go to the center. After a while, I decided to take the courses again. The most important thing for me is to sing. Whenever I sing, I feel like I am flying like a butterfly.”

To follow the path of the masters…

Stating that she began to know more about society after being a member of the center, Hemrîn Selah said, “I have learned not only society but also many Kurdish singers and poets.  Ayşe Şan is one of them. I have learned many things about the poets Cegerxwîn and Feqiyê Teyran. I want to follow the path of the masters. Without culture, society has no value. Culture is not about just music, song and theatre but many more things.”

“Young people should listen to old songs”

Mentioning that people should know their culture and history, Hemrîn Selah said, “Some people just listen to foreign music and they do not know anything about their traditional songs. Our society and young people should preserve their culture and music. They should listen to the songs of our old singers because each old song contains a history. Each song contains a history and story. Kurdish people should know more about their songs. Music has no limits. The more I listen to old songs, the more I learn about our history.”