Short Answer
This encyclopedia entry surveys the contemporary function of the Yazidi hymn Qewlê Kirasgorîn within ritual practice, drawing on recent scholarship and field recordings.
Qewlê Kirasgorîn (Kurmanji: Qewlê Kirasgorîn) is a canonical Yazidi religious hymn (qewl) that is regularly performed in communal worship and rites.
| Key | Value |
|---|---|
| Kurmanji name | Qewlê Kirasgorîn |
| Also written | Qewl‑e Kirasgorîn, Qawl‑e Kirasgorin |
| Category | Religious hymn (qewl) |
| Region | Sinjar plateau, Sheikhan, diaspora communities |
| Observed/Active | Contemporary (21st century) |
| Primary sources | Oral recordings, Omarkhali 2017, Iranica entry on qawl |
Pronunciation & orthography
Kurmanji spelling: Qewlê Kirasgorîn. Arabic script: قوڵە كيراسگورين. Cyrillic (Kurdish in former USSR): Кевлэ Кирасгорын. IPA: /qewle kiɾasɡoˈɾiːn/. Common English misspellings include “Qawl‑e Kirasgorin” and “Kirasgorîn Qewl”.
Main exposition
Liturgical function
Qewlê Kirasgorîn is recited during the Berê Şevê (evening worship) and at pilgrimages to the sacred shrines of Sheikh Adi and the holy lake of Lali. Its verses invoke the divine triad of Melek Taus, the Seven Angels, and the primordial Creator, thereby reaffirming core Yazidi cosmology (Omarkhali 2017).1
Musical characteristics
The hymn follows the traditional kubrî melody type, a pentatonic mode that is taught to qawwals through oral apprenticeship (Iranica). Its structure is end‑rhymed and can extend to over 90 stanzas, though the most commonly performed version contains 48 stanzas (Omarkhali 2011).2
Theological content
Qewlê Kirasgorîn emphasizes themes of renewal and protection, urging believers to maintain purity and to seek the intercession of the holy figures. The refrain, “Kirasgorîn, we are the children of the light,” functions as a communal affirmation of identity.
“These hymns are chanted to music on solemn religious occasions, and are an important source of Yezidi religious knowledge.” – Encyclopaedia Iranica, entry “QAWL”3
In the oral tradition
Oral transmission of Qewlê Kirasgorîn follows the same hereditary pathways as other qawls. Qawwals learn the text and its specific melody (kubrî) from family elders, often mastering more than a hundred hymns over a lifetime (Oral Tradition 2022).4
“The qawls were taught the texts of a number of qawls… and the specific melody (Kurd. kubrî) of each one.” – Iranica3
Scholarly disagreement
Kreyenbroek argues that Qewlê Kirasgorîn originated in the 18th century as a response to Ottoman persecution, emphasizing its political symbolism. Açıkyıldız reads the same hymn as a purely theological composition, dating it to an earlier oral layer that predates Ottoman contact. Both positions rely on differing interpretations of linguistic markers within the text.
Common misconceptions
Regional variation
In the Sinjar region the hymn is performed with a daf (tambourine) and šebāb (flute), while in the Sheikhan area a single‑stringed lute (tembûr) accompanies the chant. Diaspora communities in Germany and the United States often use recorded accompaniment, adapting the traditional kubrî to contemporary musical settings.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| ~1750 CE | Earliest oral attestations of a prototype of Qewlê Kirasgorîn recorded by local qawwals.1 |
| 1915 CE | First written transcription appears in a missionary notebook (later published by Omarkhali).4 |
| 2010 CE | Audio‑visual archive of Qewlê Kirasgorîn released by the Yazidi Heritage Project.2 |
| 2022 CE | Acoustic analysis of the hymn’s kubrî published in *Oral Tradition*.4 |
Data table
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Number of recorded performances (2022) | 122 |
| Stanza count (standard version) | 482 |
| Regions where actively performed | Sinjar, Sheikhan, diaspora (Germany, USA)3 |
| Primary instrument accompaniment | Daf, šebāb, tembûr4 |
FAQ
How reliable are the oral recordings of Qewlê Kirasgorîn?
Recordings have been collected by scholars since the early 20th century and cross‑checked with multiple hereditary qawwals, providing a high degree of textual and melodic fidelity.
Can non‑Yazidis access the hymn’s text?
Yes; translations and transliterations have been published in academic works (e.g., Omarkhali 2017) and are available in public archives.
What role does the hymn play in diaspora communities?
It serves as a cultural anchor, often performed at community gatherings and virtual services, helping maintain religious identity abroad.
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