Kurds of Europe

Three Kurdish musicians in Europe

2007-11-29T12:24:00.000-08:00

Kurds of Europe live in different countries, but they all have a common destiny: all of them emigrated because of poverty, war and the dream of a better life. Most of them find in Europe the freedom of living their own culture, and so especially Kurdish intellectuals and musicians start growing careers in Diaspora. This is a reason to learn more about them, and so this article will be about three Kurdish musicians that are well known in their new European homes.

Azad (born 1974 in Kurdistan of Iran) is one of the most popular rappers of Germany. His name is Kurdish and means “Being Free”. He knows Hip Hop from the area where immigrants live together and in which he grew up. 2001 he became one of the first German rappers to be successful in German Single Charts. His single “Ich glaub an Dich” (I believe in You) got in August 2007 number one in Germans Single Charts.

Azad`s clip "Ich glaub an Dich"

Dilba is a pop singer of Sweden with Kurdish roots. She was born in the Kurdish region of Turkey. Her family immigrated to Sweden when she was four. In 1996, Dilba released her debut album Dilba together with the single I'm Sorry. All the lyrics of the songs on this album were composed and written by herself. The album was a success, and she was awarded with a Grammy. After a successful summer tour in 1997 she released her second album You & I in 1999. Dilba's third album Revolution was released in 2003, alongside with the single Every Little Thing, which was a success on the radio.

Dilba`s clip "Every Little Thing"

Darin Zanyar (born in 1987) is a pop singer from Sweden. He participated in the Swedish Idol 2004,. However, Darin released his first album in February 2005, with songs by Swedish hit maker Max Martin and Swedish artist Robyn. Darin is of Kurdish heritage, and he speaks Central Kurdish (Soranî), which is near to the Iranian border. He won the Kurd of the year award in 2005 presented by Swedish Minister for Public Health and Social Services Morgan Johansson

Darin`s new single: Insanity

First Kurdish politician of Denmark

2007-11-17T15:27:00.000-08:00

The first time in history a Kurdish woman has been elected

into Denmark`s parliament.

First Kurdish politician of Denmark: Ozlem Sara Cekic

Özlem Cekic is now a politician of

Denmark`s Social Populist Party.

“I was born in 1976 in Ankara. When I was 4 my family emigrated to Finland (…) but at the age of 10 we moved to Denmark where I still live. I finished Ryensteen Gymnasium in 1996 and began an apprenticeship as a nurse that I finished in 2000.
From 2000 to 2006 I worked (…) as nurse and was for 4 years the proxy of nearly 70 nurses. Later I worked in a hospital where I attended to clients who were sick of drugs.”

Ozlem was also politically active. In 2003 she was voted for first emigrant leader of Nurses` Union. Later she formed different associations in which she tought nursery to immigrants, aided children who have difficulties in their families or collected things for homeless persons. Today she is the actual leader of some associations that help immigrants who have difficulties.

Immigrant family in Copenhagen

“I worked a lot for better integration and less discrimination between the Danish people” Ozlem says. She was guest of different TV programsand was the moderator on channel TV2 where she made a talkshow in which seven Muslim women could regularly talk about social problems

"Since 2007 I am the moderator of a programme called “Mission Integration” in which 6 young emigrants can do projects against joblessness”
Since 2001 Ozlem is a member of the Danish SF party: from then on she intensified her political works by visiting different seminars. She even opened an internet portal called http://www.24timer.dk/ where she publishes her new projects as columns.

Today Ozlem Cekic is mother of an 8 years old child - and the first Kurdish woman in Denmark`s parliament.

Source: http://www.ozlem.dk/kurdisk.sf

Christian Kurds in Europe

2007-11-10T10:47:00.000-08:00

The Kurdish people have a lot of minorities in itself, for example the religious ones. One of them are Christian Kurds. Even at the time of the Ottoman Empire there were Christian Kurds, and today more and more Kurds find to Christianity. Some of them live in Europe.

Dilgohdar, a Kurdish Christian, agreed to tell me about himself and how he found Christianity.
“First of all, thank you for showing interest in the Christian minority among the Kurds. I was born in Europe into an atheist family, only my mother is baptized as a Christian.
I was an atheist for 22 years before I discovered Christianity. For the moment I am trying my best to finish reading the bible (…) My favourite character of the bible is Ibrahîm (Abraham): he left his relatives in Urfa (Northern Kurdistan) for a travel to the Canaan. Then of course Îsa Mesî (Jesus) and his life as god`s only son.”

European states prefered by Kurds

Althought Dilgohdar grew up in Europe, he speaks Kurmanji fluently. And he is very interested in his Kurdish roots.
“I am proud to belong to such a great people as the Kurds” he says. “They have patience for other religious minorities such as the Ezidî, Zardusht and the Christian Kurds.”

He tries to explain his choice for Christianity like that:
“It is in my interest, not only to live by the 10 commandments and to be an honest Christian, but also to combine my religion with my Kurdish heritage”.

He tells that the basics of Christian Kurds belong to the Nestorian Church. In fact, Nestorians and Kurds lived together for decades of years in common villages of Northern Kurdistan. But later they immigrated to countries of Europe and the USA. Their churches stay empty today, but the Kurds have promised them to look after their churches because a lot of Nestorians come back to visit their villages.

A Nestorian wedding in a village of Kurds and Nestorians.

“I actually don`t care if a Christian is Nestorian, Protestant or Catholic, as long as we believe in the same thing.”
Dilgohdar expresses how serious he takes his choice of being a Christian Kurd.

The Painting shows Jesus`s baptism, one of the most important element of Christianity

“I am not baptized yet but this summer I will be baptized in the Caucasian regions of the Middle East.” He knows a couple of Christian Kurds. “We often speak about the bible, Christianity and Kurdistan”, he says. But Dilgohdar regrets that most of the Kurds who convert to Christianity can not tell their choice to their families.

“Their families are Muslims, and it would create problems if they`d tell them. But I have found myself a bride and we will get married soon. So I will reveal to my family and friends then.”

When he was an atheist, he didn`t know what to do in his life, Dilgohdar says. But today he is sure about what he wants. Let`s remember that he said he wants to combine his religion with his Kurdish heritage:
“My marriage and funeral will be in a church in Kurdistan... hopefully the Church of Akhdamar in the Van Province, N.Kurdistan.”

Armenian church Akhdamar in Van

It should fill us with happiness to know such a Kurd like Dilgohdar, because today, a lot of Kurds don`t know what to do for their life…

More infos about Christian Kurds: http://www.kurdistanica.com/english/religion/christianity/christianity.html

Berivan: a young Kurdish musician in Switzerland

2007-11-10T06:42:00.000-08:00

Small portrait of a young Kurdish musician living in Switzerland. Her name is Berivan.

Berivan was born in 1981 as first of four children of a family living in Urfa (Kurdish East of Turkey). When she was 13 her family emigrated to Switzerland where Berivan got her graduation in 1999 and later absolved an apprenticeship as female hairdresser.

Berivan in Halfeti (Urfa)

Her biggest passion is the music, why she is musically active since more than eight years.

For four years Berivan was the soloist of the Kurdish band called "Koma Arîn" (Kurdish for "Fire Spark"), whith whom she released her first album in 2003. Thereon some songs written by Berivan herself - like "Berfin" - take place, too. Since 2004 Berivan performs with her own first name.

Koma Arin`s album

Berivan mainly sings Kurdish and Turkish songs (classic and modern ones) – her two mother languages.

In 2006 the Turkish singer Mehmet Ali Demren offered her to record a common duet. The song they recorded is called "Kürdüm" (Turkish for: "My Kurdish Lady") and tells about a love between a Turkish boy and a Kurdish girl: their love got forbidden on the part of both parents why their love was condemned to breakup.

The song will take place on Mehmet Ali Demrem`s new album.

Berivan mainly performs on weddings and other ceremonies.
Her biggest dream is to record an own CD.

Visit Berivan`s Myspace: www.myspace.com/berivanarin