Hesen Zîrek
Zîrek Hesen حەسەن زیرەک | |
|---|---|
| Background information | |
| Born | Hesen Abdullah Rahman November 29, 1921 |
| Origin | Kurd |
| Died | June 26, 1972 (aged 50) Bukan, West Azerbaijan, Iran |
| Genres | Classical, folk |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Works | |
| Years active | 1953–1972 |
Spouse(s) | Mediya Zandi Rabia Serencam[2] |
Hesen Zîrek (Kurdish: حەسەن زیرەک, Kurdish pronunciation: [hæ.sæn ziːˈɾæk]; 29 November 1921 – 26 June 1972)[3][4] was a Kurdish singer-songwriter, known for his recordings of Kurdish folk and classical songs. He was famous for his classical and sensual lyrics, and it is believed that he composed over a thousand songs in his lifetime.[5]
Early life and family
Hesen Abdullah Rahman, known professionally as Hesen Zîrek, was born into a Kurdish family.[6] He had two brothers, Hussein and Kaka Mina, and one sister named Sarah. Following the early death of his father, Zîrek's mother, Amina, remarried, and as a result of the family's changing circumstances, he began working at a young age, around 8–9.[7] He didn't attend formal schooling and remained illiterate throughout his life.[8] He later married Mediya Zandi, with whom he had two daughters, Arezu and Sakar.[2]
The Shriek of Kurdistan
The Shriek of Kurdistan (Kurdish: چریکەی کوردستان, romanized: Çirîkey Kurdistan) is a Kurdish-language biography book written by Hesen Zîrek,[6] with assistance from his wife Mediya Zandi.[2][9] It was published in 1966 by Sāzmān-i Intishārāt-i Burekeyî, in Tehran, Iran. Shortly after its publication, Zîrek was banned from performing on Iranian state radio, as publishing books in Kurdish was prohibited under the government of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.[10][11] In the second edition of the book, Faraidoon Moradi provided the musical notation for 16 of Hesen Zîrek's songs.[12]
The book is considered one of the first Kurdish publications of its kind in Pahlavi Iran.[13][14] After the publication of the book, a warrant was issued for Hesen Zîrek's arrest by SAVAK on charges of 'spying against the state'.[15] Following this, Hesen Zîrek fled to Iraqi Kurdistan and joined the Kurdish revolution.[16][17][18][19][20][21]
Influence
Despite his death in 1972, Zîrek's music continues to be widely appreciated, and his legacy is recognized in various ways, including the annual commemorations in Silêmanî.[22] Zîrek's recordings are considered by some to be culturally significant in the preservation of Kurdish musical traditions.[23]
References
- ^ "Newroz". referenceworks.brill.com. Retrieved 2026-06-15.
- ^ a b c Zîrek 1966, p. 32.
- ^ "یادی از هنرمند کرد حسن زیرک".
- ^ "An Introduction to Kurdish Folk Music". FolkWorks. Archived from the original on 31 July 2024. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
- ^ Broughton, Ellingham, Trillo, Simon, Mark, Richard (1999). World music: the rough guide. Africa, Europe and the Middle East, Volum 1. Rough Guides. ISBN 9781858286358.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b Zîrek 1966, p. 8.
- ^ Zîrek 1966, p. 9.
- ^ Zîrek 1966, p. 10.
- ^ Sharbajeri, Osman (1972). Gawhare (in Kurdish) (1 ed.).
- ^ Zîrek 1966, pp. 5–7.
- ^ Ibrahim H. 2012, p. 24.
- ^ "Hasan Zirak kimider? – Bernamegeh". 2024-07-31. Archived from the original on 31 July 2024. Retrieved 2025-05-05.
- ^ Zîrek, Hesen; Zandi, Mediya (1997). Çirîkey Kurdistan: Honrawey Hesen Zîrek [The Shriek of Kurdistan] (in Kurdish) (2 ed.). Sāzmān-i Intishārāt-i Burekeyî. ISBN 978-964-91528-0-6.
- ^ Ibrahim H. 2012, p. 50.
- ^ Ibrahim H. 2012, p. 52.
- ^ Ibrahim H. 2012, p. 79.
- ^ Sanjari, Fariborz (1999). چپ در ايران به روايت اسناد ساواک [Left-wing in Iran, according to Savak documents] (in Persian). مرکز بررسى اسناد تاريخى وزارت اطلاعات.
- ^ Muhammed Karim, Adil (2017). Rehendekanî Hesen Zîrek (in Kurdish). Sulaymaniyah, Kurdistan Region: Serdem. pp. 26–30.
- ^ Farshi, Ibrahim (2007). Hesen Zîrek u Zimanî Dûla (in Kurdish and Persian). Iran: Nawendî Şanoy Koçer. p. 26.
- ^ "زندگی حسن زیرک؛ داستان موسیقی". kurdpress (in Persian). 2018-06-26. Retrieved 2025-05-06.
- ^ Soltani, Anwar. Hesen Zirek's 100th Anniversary. pp. 16–21.
- ^ "Kurdish tea shop celebrates the life of renowned singer Hesen Zirek". www.rudaw.net. Retrieved 2024-09-26.
- ^ "Sulaimani remembers iconic singer Hassan Zirak on 47th anniversary of his death". www.rudaw.net. Retrieved 2024-09-26.
Sources
- Zîrek, Hesen (1966). Çirîkey Kurdistan [The Shriek of Kurdistan] (in Kurdish). Tehran, Iran: Sāzmān-i Intishārāt-i Burekeyî. ISBN 978-964-91528-0-6.
- Ibrahim H., Mawlud (2012). Boçî Sawak Hesen Zîrekî Kûşt? [Why did the SAVAK kill Hesen Zîrek?] (PDF) (in Kurdish) (1 ed.). Erbil, Kurdistan Region: Bedirxan.