Medine Mamedoğlu/ JINHA

AMED – One of the oldest traditions of the Kurdish culture dengbej has continued from generation to generation. 12 year-old Yusuf is one of members of this generation.

One of the oldest traditions of the Kurdish culture is dengbej(s) (Kurdish storytellers or singers). Dengbej (s) has attracted great interest from the people. The songs form an important memory by passing down from generation to generation while dengbej (s) sing songs. One of the most important features of dengbej (s) is to compose a song about everything they see. 12-year-old Yusuf wants to keep this culture going.

Yusuf visits Dengbej House in the Sur district of Diyarbakır. He said he began to like the songs of dengbej thanks to his father and grandfather. Yusuf noted that his grandfather was a dengbej, “I was a shepherd in the village, and I imitated dengbej (s) despite my small age. I tried to sing songs like them when I was a shepherd. Now, I live in Diyarabakır and I visit the house several days in a week with my family. I want to become a dengbej. All families and children should be interested in this culture.”

(zt/gc/gd)