Regional Melodic Modes (Maqamat) in Yazidi Qewl Performances

This entry offers an encyclopedic overview of the regional melodic modes—locally called kubrî—that structure Yazidi Qewl performances, drawing on recent musicological research and classical reference works.

Kubrî (pronounced /kuːbɾiː/) are the melodic modes, or maqamat, employed in the chanting of Yazidi religious hymns (qewls), each associated with a particular regional tradition.

Pronunciation & orthography

Kurmanji spelling: kûbrî. Arabic script: کوبری. Cyrillic (Kurdish in former USSR): кубрі. IPA: /kuːbɾiː/. Common English misspellings include “kubri” and “kebri”.

Main exposition

Definition and function

The term kubrî designates a set of intervallic relationships, melodic motifs, and ornamental conventions that give each Qewl its distinctive acoustic shape. According to the Oral Tradition Journal, the study of two Qewls revealed that “the specific melody (Kurd. kubrî) of each one” is central to the hymn’s identity (1).

Relation to the Qurʾanic maqam system

While the Arabic maqam system underlies many Near‑Eastern musical traditions, Yazidi kubrî are locally calibrated. The Encyclopaedia Iranica notes that these modes are transmitted orally by hereditary qawwāl families and are accompanied by the “sacred” tambourine (daf) and flute (šebāb) (3). This indicates a parallel yet distinct modal logic.

Instruments and performance practice

Qewl chanting is typically unaccompanied or supported by the daf and šebāb. The Cambridge study on Yazidi instruments confirms the central role of these two instruments in ritual contexts (4). The vocal line follows the prescribed kubrî, with subtle micro‑tonal inflections that differ from one region to another.

Transmission

Kubrî are learned through apprenticeship within qawwāl families. The oral transmission includes memorisation of the melodic contour, rhythmic phrasing, and the theological significance of the hymn (1,3).

In the oral tradition

Qewls such as “Qewla Şêx Hasan” are traditionally rendered in a regional kubrî that reflects the singer’s native village. As the Iranica entry observes:

“The qawls are transmitted orally, mainly in families of hereditary professional ‘reciters’ (qawwāl), … taught the specific melody (Kurd. kubrî) of each one.” (3)

This oral lineage ensures that the modal character of each hymn remains anchored to its community of origin.

Scholarly disagreement

Omarkhali argues that the term kubrî should be understood primarily as a textual‑musical category, emphasizing its role in preserving doctrinal content (2). In contrast, Kreyenbroek (cited in the Oral Tradition Journal) treats kubrî as a fixed modal system comparable to Arabic maqamat, highlighting its structural regularities (1). The debate centers on whether kubrî are mutable performance practices or stable modal entities.

Common misconceptions

Regional variation

Field observations reveal notable differences:

• Sinjar: A brighter, pentatonic‑leaning kubrî often accompanied by a rapid daf pattern.
• Sheikhan: A more modal‑dense kubrî with extended melismatic passages.
• Syria & Turkey: Hybrid modes incorporating Turkish makam influences while retaining core Kurdish intervals.
• Caucasus diaspora: Adaptations that integrate local folk scales, yet preserve the original melodic skeleton.
• Western diaspora: Recordings show simplified kubrî to accommodate new instrumental timbres, but the melodic contour remains recognisable.

Timeline

Data table