Songs to Heal: Yazidi Refugees Celebrate 7,000-Year-Old Musical Culture
2020-02-21
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1When the Islamic State (IS) group moved across northern Iraq in 2014, its forces tried to destroy the Yazidi people.
2Yazidis are an ethnic minority in Iraq.
3They had lived in the mountains of Kurdistan for a thousand years.
4IS fighters killed thousands of Yazidis and enslaved many women and girls.
5The Yazidi culture was threatened with genocide.
6Now, the British-based AMAR foundation is leading a project that aims to teach young Yazidis the ancient music of their ancestors.
7The aid group also hopes to create a permanent record of their culture.
8The British government is providing financial support to the project.
9Yazidi music is thought to be between 5,000 and 7,000 years old.
10However, it has never been written down or recorded.
11Traditional Yazidi musicians hand down the music from one generation to the next.
12Musicians memorize up to 500 individual pieces of music.
13There are three kinds of music: traditional folk music, which is linked to agriculture, ceremonial music, and religious music.
14Now, these sounds are being heard far beyond the homeland in northern Iraq.
15British violinist Michael Bochmann is leading the AMAR program.
16This month he invited the musicians to perform at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London.
17"The music of the Yazidi people is...essential to their culture," he told VOA.
18Only a small group of people, the Qawals caste, are permitted to sing the music.
19"There are only 16 of them left," Bochmann added.
20He said he knew it was important to record the music for future generations.
21AMAR has made over 100 recordings in northern Iraq.
22Some were produced at Lalish, the 4,000-year-old spiritual home of the Yazidi.
23Sound engineers and musicians are also visiting refugee camps,
24where tens of thousands of Yazidi people still live after the IS campaign.
25Hundreds of young Yazidis are learning to play the instruments of their culture.
26They include a stringed instrument known as a tabor, and a kind of drum known as the daf.
27Among the Yazidis visiting London were several women who had been held captive by Islamic State.
28Among them was Renas, who was only 14 when IS forces captured her village.
29She says she faced abuse every day.
30Renas was later released after her family paid money.
31She was forced to leave behind the daughter she gave birth to while held captive.
32Renas says the music project helps her forget the past.
33"I want this support to continue. Thanks to this project, our people did not lose hope. And if they will continue to help us, we will not give up," she told VOA.
34IS targeted musicians and destroyed instruments in an effort to destroy Yazidi culture.
35Now, the recordings will be stored at the Bodleian Library in Oxford, and the Mosul and Dohuk libraries in Iraq.
36During their trip to London, the Yazidis performed for Britain's Prince Charles.
37Ancient Yazidi music, once nearly destroyed, is now sung in a celebration of survival.
38I'm Susan Shand.
1When the Islamic State (IS) group moved across northern Iraq in 2014, its forces tried to destroy the Yazidi people. 2Yazidis are an ethnic minority in Iraq. They had lived in the mountains of Kurdistan for a thousand years. 3IS fighters killed thousands of Yazidis and enslaved many women and girls. The Yazidi culture was threatened with genocide. 4Now, the British-based AMAR foundation is leading a project that aims to teach young Yazidis the ancient music of their ancestors. The aid group also hopes to create a permanent record of their culture. 5The British government is providing financial support to the project. 6Yazidi music is thought to be between 5,000 and 7,000 years old. However, it has never been written down or recorded. Traditional Yazidi musicians hand down the music from one generation to the next. Musicians memorize up to 500 individual pieces of music. 7There are three kinds of music: traditional folk music, which is linked to agriculture, ceremonial music, and religious music. 8Now, these sounds are being heard far beyond the homeland in northern Iraq. British violinist Michael Bochmann is leading the AMAR program. This month he invited the musicians to perform at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London. 9"The music of the Yazidi people is...essential to their culture," he told VOA. Only a small group of people, the Qawals caste, are permitted to sing the music. "There are only 16 of them left," Bochmann added. He said he knew it was important to record the music for future generations. 10AMAR has made over 100 recordings in northern Iraq. Some were produced at Lalish, the 4,000-year-old spiritual home of the Yazidi. Sound engineers and musicians are also visiting refugee camps, where tens of thousands of Yazidi people still live after the IS campaign. 11Hundreds of young Yazidis are learning to play the instruments of their culture. They include a stringed instrument known as a tabor, and a kind of drum known as the daf. 12Among the Yazidis visiting London were several women who had been held captive by Islamic State. Among them was Renas, who was only 14 when IS forces captured her village. She says she faced abuse every day. Renas was later released after her family paid money. She was forced to leave behind the daughter she gave birth to while held captive. 13Renas says the music project helps her forget the past. 14"I want this support to continue. Thanks to this project, our people did not lose hope. And if they will continue to help us, we will not give up," she told VOA. 15IS targeted musicians and destroyed instruments in an effort to destroy Yazidi culture. Now, the recordings will be stored at the Bodleian Library in Oxford, and the Mosul and Dohuk libraries in Iraq. 16During their trip to London, the Yazidis performed for Britain's Prince Charles. Ancient Yazidi music, once nearly destroyed, is now sung in a celebration of survival. 17I'm Susan Shand. 18VOA's Henry Ridgwell reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. 19Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. 20______________________________________________________________ 21Words in This Story 22folk - adj. a of or relating to the common people of a country or region 23beyond - adj. on or to the farther part or side 24violinist - n. one who plays the violin, which is a small stringed instrument 25essential - adj. important 26caste - n. a division of society based upon differences of wealth, rank, or occupation 27drum - n. a musical instrument that is made with a thin layer of skin or plastic stretched over the end of a round frame and that is played by hitting the skin or plastic with sticks or with your hands