Pertag [Pertek] (Source: Lamberto Vannutelli, Anatolia Meridionale E Mesopotamia, Roma, 1911)

Songs – Mikail Aslan | Dersim

In 2010, Mikail Aslan released an album entitled Petag. Armenian Songs from Dersim. In the album, the artist expounded on the origins of his musical and creative interests. First and foremost, he spoke of the many traces of the once-thriving Armenian community that could still be found in and around Dersim – ruins of churches, tombstones, and villages whose names were of Armenian origin. All of this was part of Mikail Aslan’s daily life from a young age and influenced the environment in which he grew up.

Aslan’s dream was to give voice to these relics of Armenian life in Dersim. As a musician, the best way he could achieve this was by seeking out the songs that Dersim’s Armenians sang and breathing new life and splendor into them.

This was the path that Aslan chose, and his journey spanned about four years. During this time, in 2005, he had the fortune to cross paths with one of his close friends, Hovsep Hayreni, in Brussels. Hovsep showed him the book Chmshgadzak yev ir Kughere [Chmshgadzak and its Villages] (Boston, 1969), compiled by Hampartsoum Kasbarian, and containing numerous songs, many accompanied with musical notations. The author of these musical notations was Avedis K. Mesouments, from Arapgir, who was presumably also a scholar of the songs of Dersim Armenians.

Later, Aslan discovered Mihran Toumajan’s Hayreni Yerk our Pan [Armenian Song and Verse] (volume 2, Yerevan, 1983), which also contained some songs from Dersim, alongside musical notations.

Other sources of Armenian songs from Dersim include an unpublished work by Hovhannes Adjemian, Yerkaran Chmshgadzaki Yerkerou [Songbook of Chmshgadzak Songs] (Boston, 1952); and Haigazn K. Ghazarian’s Badmakirk Chmshgadzaki [History Book of Chmshgadzak] (Beirut, Hamazkayin Press, published by the Chmshgadzak Compatriotic Union, 1971).

Once he had collected this musical raw material, Aslan set out to arrange it, with the collaboration of Levent Güneş and Cebrail Kalın. This was no easy task, as the songs’ arrangement had to preserve their original identity. We believe that Mikail Aslan and his friends were instrumental in recreating this music without distorting its true spirit. Aslan’s artistic, intellectual, and spiritual consciousness is tied to his native world of Dersim with countless threads. Aslan came from a family that belonged to the Alevi community of Dersim, which, as history attests, had co-existed with Armenians for long centuries. For this reason, Armenian music and song were not alien to him. He was well-suited to re-arrange the music he had collected. The best evidence of this is the result of his efforts – a total of 12 songs presented on this page. Each of these songs is also evidence of the great need for collaboration among Kurds, Zazas, Turks, and Armenians in the work of unearthing and discovering the legacy of Ottoman Armenians.

One of the principal stops on the four-year journey that resulted in this album was Yerevan. Mikail Aslan and Levent Güneş traveled to the Armenian capital with their arrangements of the classics they had collected. There, they worked with the Akunq Ensemble to record 12 Armenians songs from Dersim. The album was published by Kalan Müzik.

In Petag. Armenian Songs from Dersim, Mikail Aslan expresses his gratitude to the following people: Ilda Simonian, Hasan Saltık (Kalan Müzik), Tigran Hekobyan, Osman Kavala, Saime Gündü, Metin Yıldırım (Barrios), Merdan Ziryab, and Pakrat Estukyan.

1) Soorp Garabed em Kunatser [1] (I’m on a Visit to Saint Garabed)

Intro: Levent Güneş and Mikail Aslan
Arrangement: Levent Güneş and Mikail Aslan
Chorus: Sargis Baghdasaryan, Sargis Aleverdyan, Areg Mikayelyan, Ani Hayrapetyan, Anna Tovmasyan, Sona Shatikyan, Hasmik Grigoryan, Mikail Aslan, Levent Güneş.

Soorp Garabed em kunatser
Odan em barger munatser
Moorad duver chem imatser
Musho sooltan Soorp Garabed

I’m on a visit to Saint Garabed
I stayed in the oda [room] and slept there
I made a vow, but didn’t remember it
Sultan of Mush, Saint Garabed!

2) Gaf Gudurdel

Intro: Levent Güneş
Arrangement: Levent Güneş
Chorus: Sarkis Alevertian, Arek Mikayelian, Ani Hayrabedian, Anna Tovmasian, Sona Shatigian, Hasmig Krikorian, Levent Güneş.

Boy’s side:
Tser aghchigu choorn ea katser
Sitilu hondegh ea mortser
                                
Girl’s side:
Tser dughan ul peadn ea katser
Hodots gatsin hon ea mortser

Boy’s side:
Tser aghchigu Soorp Khach katser
Daradz momu jebn ea mortser

Girl’s side:
Tser dughan ul ardn ea katser
Tarnalu jampan ea mortser

Boy’s side:
Tser aghchigu tratsnin doonn ea
Mer dughan garna gu danea

Girl’s side:
Ep tser dughoon aghchig dane
Anonts jampan tor mer doonn ea

Boy’s side:
Your girl went to the water
And left the bucket there.

Girl’s side:
Your boy went to chop wood
And left the adze and axe there.

Boy’s side:
Your girl went to Soorp Khach [Holy Cross],
But came back with candles still in her pockets.

Girl’s side:
Your boy went to the fields,
And forget the way back.

Boy’s side:
Your girl is at the neighbor’s house,
Our boy will grab her and carry her away.

Girl’s side:
When your boy carries away our girl
Their path will take them right to our home.

3) Paghniku Tsoord Ea, Gu Musim (The Baths are Chilly, I’m Cold)

Interlude: Levent Güneş
Arrangement: Levent Güneş
Soloists: Sona Shatikyan, Levent Güneş

Paghniku, paghniku tsoord ea,
gu musim aman
Gav chiga, gav chiga
kulokhus kusim aman
Irigoonu, irigoonı aghayis dusim, aman

Turkish:
Aman ghuz,
yaman ghuz yandurdun beni
El ettin kandurdun beni aman
El ettin, fel ettin
kandurdun beni aman

Bardaghu, bardaghu
baghug choor letsoor, aman
Chabookh mi,
chabookh mi aghayis gusem aman
Yarus ka, yarus ka
khatiru hartsur aman

Ay aghchig, vay aghchig varetsir indzi aman
Al erir, fel erir khapetsir indzi aman

The baths, the baths are chilly,
I’m cold, aman!
There’s no clay to rub on my head, aman!
In the evening, in the evening,
I’ll tell my agha, aman!

Turkish:
O girl, my dear girl,
you’ve set my heart alight,
You came and went,
and you tricked me,
You came and went,
and you tricked me, aman!

You filled the pail,
the pail with cold water, aman!
I’ll rush and tell my agha, aman!
When my lover comes,
when my lover comes,
ask if (s)he’s well, aman!

O girl, o girl, you’ve set my heart alight, aman!
You came and went, and you tricked me, aman!

4) Paghnets Tooru (The Bathhouse Door)

Interlude: Cebrail Kalın and Mikail Aslan
Arrangement: Cebrail Kalın and Mikail Aslan
Soloist: Areg Mikayelyan
This song is followed by the Bantookhdi Yerk [Song of the Migrant] (Yerevan).

Paghnets Tooru zargin sazu
Dalvudekut hyusen mazut
Nervudekut kashin nazut
Mer dan edev goor goor mori                         
Khungakvunin hon gu tari
Megn el eghporus gunmani

They play the saz outside the bathhouse door,
Your sisters-in-law braid your hair,
Your sisters-in-law suffer your coyness,
There are lots of blackberries growing behind our house,
The khungakvuns* perch there,
One of them looks just like my brother.
* According to Toumajan, mythological partridges

Yerk Bantookhdi (Song of the Migrant)

Ari, bantookhd, taparagan, asdantagan,        
Akh, mi darin yotu tarav,                         
Yotu darva garod oonim, ari.                              
Sirdus elman ked e darel,                                  
Ape-ap e, toors gu horta,                        
Karnan dzaghgoonk yar gu ganche,                   
Artsakanku khelk gu dane, ari. 

Come back, you migrant, you wanderer, you vagrant,
O, one year has become seven
I’ve longed for you for seven years, come back!
My heart has become a turgid river
Overflowing its banks.
The spring flowers call to their lovers,
And the echoes drive me insane, come back!

5) Baghchaneru Khod G’ulli (Grass Grows in the Gardens)

Interlude: Levent Güneş
Arrangement: Levent Güneş
Vocalists: Sargis Aleverdyan, Areg Mikayelyan, Ani Hayrapetyan, Anna Tovmasyan, Sona Shatikyan, Hasmik Grigoryan

Baghchaneru khod gulli, na, na, na,
Tsoren, kari khut gulli na, na, na,
Dughan aghchuga siroon, na, na, na,
Choovakhneru khent gulli, na, na, na.

Toon parag es, boyut ergan, na, na, na,
Eleamu tsenit heyran, na, na, na,
Elir, ertank mer doonu, na, na, na,
Es ullim kizi khoorban, na, na, na.

Dzarin vura noosh gulli, na, na, na,
Bakig mi door, ish gulli, na, na, na,
Eageal didas, huma door, na, na, na,
Vaghvan muna oosh gulli, na, na, na.

Grass grows in the gardens, na, na, na
The wheat, the barley’s rare now, na, na, na
Boy and girl, beautiful, na, na, na
Going mad in the streets, na, na, na.

You are slim, your stature lofty, na, na, na
The whole world stops to listen to your voice, na, na, na
Come on, let’s go to our house, na, na, na
I am the one who loves you, na, na, na.

Almonds are hanging from the trees, na, na, na
Give me a kiss, what can go wrong, na, na, na
And if you wish, kiss me now, na, na, na
Tomorrow will be too late, na, na, na.

6) Hayde Mer Ekin (Come to Our Orchard)

Interlude: Cebrail Kalın
Arrangement: Cebrail Kalın
Vocals: Ani Hayrapetyan, Levent Güneş

Boy:
Hayde mer ekin,
ertank, mer ekin

Girl:
Inch ga tser ekin,
inch ga tser ekin

Group:
Hey took aghvor aghchigner
Hey took varti punchigner
Harsneru tsezi Khoorban
Yergri hureshdag aghchigner

Boy:
Nurnern en dzaghger,
nurnern en dzaghger

Girl:
Dzaghger togh dzaghgin,
dzaghger togh dzaghgin

Group:
Hey took aghvor aghchigner
Hey took varti punchigner
Harsneru tsezi Khoorban
Yergri hureshdag aghchigner

Boy:
Mernim ir hodin,
yaris garodin

Girl:
Hayde tser ekin,
ertank tser ekin

Group:
Hey took aghvor aghchigner
Hey took varti punchigner
Harsneru tsezi Khoorban
Yergri hureshdag aghchigner

Boy:
Come to our orchard,
let’s go to our orchard.

Girl:
What’s in your orchard?
What’s in your orchard?

Group:
Hey, you beautiful girls!
Hey, you posies of roses!
The brides love you,
You angels of the Earth.

Boy:
The pomegranates have bloomed,
the pomegranates have bloomed!

Girl:
If they have, let them bloom;
if they have, let them bloom!

Group:
Hey, you beautiful girls!
Hey, you posies of roses!
The brides love you,
You angels of the Earth.

Boy:
I’d die to smell her scent again!
I long for my lover!

Girl:
Let’s go to your orchard,
let’s go to your orchard!

Group:
Hey, you beautiful girls!
Hey, you posies of roses!
The brides love you,
You angels of the Earth.

7) Nazlooyin Sheru (The Ode of Nazlou)

Intro: Mikail Aslan, Cebrail Kalın
Arrangement: Cebrail Kalın
Soloist: Lousine Nazaryan

Khundurvetsı goo ka keran
Avedis Aghchigut ea jeyran
Goshd oo burosh, charookh peran

Nazloon ges kusheroon ashets
Iren Deghu parts mu taghets
Elav Piloyin kov vazets

Nazloon tooniru echootsin
Tsearkn oo vodku hinnayetsin
Osgi orenku pokhetsin

Khundurvetsu gou ka keran
Avedis, your girl is beautiful,
With a big, sassy mouth.

Nazloo waited until midnight,
Left a covered pillow behind,
And ran away to Pilo.

They lowered Nazlou into the tonir,
They tied her hands and her legs,
They changed the golden rule.

8) Kez Danel Enk Yegel (We’ve Come to Carry You Away)

Arrangement: Levent Güneş

Hovhannes Adjemian’s unpublished work Yerkaran Chmshgatsaki Yerkerou [Book of Chmshgatsak Songs], Boston, 1952. The book contains many songs sung by the Armenians of Dersim.

9) Katsek Perek (Go and Fetch It)

Interlude: Cebrail Kalın
Arrangement: Cebrail Kalın
Soloist: Anna Hovhannisyan

Katsek perek chift mu dadrag
Or ka kove mer Takvoru

Katsek perek chift mu bilbil
Or ka kove mer Takvoru

Katsek perek chift mu gakav
Or ka kove mer Takvoru

Oor e asor harn oo maru
Togh kan desnan boyn oo bosu

En nurvinoon dzarn or dzaghgi
Dzaghign e arevut i numan

Go and fetch a pair of doves,
To sing the praises of our Godfather.

Go and fetch a pair of nightingales,
To sing the praises of our Godfather.

Go and fetch a pair of partridges,
To sing the praises of our Godfather.

Where are his mother and the father?
Let them come and see his stature.

When that pomegranate tree blooms,
Its flowers will be like suns to you.

10) Bulbuln e Yeger (The Nightingale Has Come)

Intro: Levent Güneş
Arrangement: Levent Güneş
Chorus: Sargis Aleverdyan, Areg Mikayelyan, Ani Hayrapetyan, Anna Tovmasyan, Sona Shatikyan, Hasmik Grigoryan.

Byulbyuln eger ganchea karoon ea karoon,
Mi panar yaranis, khoroon ea khoroon.
Es ul yar oonim, jamper im heroon.
Kusher tsoreg goo lam, artsoonkus ea earoon.

Nusder em munagoog, kısher ea kısher.
Kharibes kir chiga, uzis ci hisher.
Chi khosvadz chi lusvadz tsaver im kasher.
Ink hondeghoog, es hos hokis im masher.

The nightingale has come and calls the spring is here,
the spring!
Don’t open our wounds, they’re deep, they’re deep!
I have a lover, too, far away from here,
I cry day and night, shedding blood for tears.

I sit alone, it’s the night, the night!
No word from my love, (s)he must have forgotten me.
I feel unspeakable, unheard-of pains!
(S)he’s away and I’m here with my soul withering.

11) Zeynon Choure Katser E (Zeyno has Gone Down to the Water)

Interlude: Cebrail Kalın
Arrangement: Cebrail Kalın
Vocalist: Lousine Nazaryan

Zeynon choori katser ea
Peshu chamooru takhder ea
Siradzn andegh deser ea
Iren mooradin haser ea
Erneg Zeynoyin vura.         

Choban mi eas deser ea
Luman keghin user ea
Zeynon siradzn arer ea
Charın easeang bardguver ea
Erneg Zeynoyin vura.

Zeyno has gone down to the water [wellspring]
She has dragged her skirt through the mud
She saw her lover down there
Her wish came true,
Blessed is Zeyno!

In the fields, she saw an eas,
She told the entire village
Zeyno married the one she loved,
The evil was cast away,
Blessed is Zeyno!

12) Dersim

Recorded in 1937, in New York, and performed by Vartan Margosian.

Dersim üç dağ içinde
Dersim üç dağ içinde
Gülü var dal içinde
Dersim’i Halk saklasın
Bir tanem var içinde.

Ağamın dengi yoktur
Yavrumun dengi yoktur
Dostun Birmani çoktur
Ağamın öldüğüne vah
Vur sineye gelen yoktur.

Ağama neler oldu
Sarardı benzi soldu
Harput’um ırak oldu
Dağı dağ eden felek
İntima Buğ’dan Felek
Yavrumu uçurmadan
Yuvam dağıttın felek.

Ağamın dengi yoktur
Beyimin dengi yoktur
Dostun Birman’i çoktur
Ağamın öldüğüne
Düşmanlar helak oldu.

Dersim sits between three mountains
Dersim sits between three mountains
The rose sits upon the twigs,
May God watch over Dersim,
My one-and-only is in Dersim.

My agha has no equal
My child has no equal
The friend has plenty of birmani [2]
Alas, my agha died,
Keep it in your heart, nobody’s coming.

What happened to my agha?
He withered away, he wilted,
Kharpert is now far away.
Fate, which can flip over a mountain,
Fate, whose origin is the mists,
Before taking away my child,
Destroyed my home.

My agha has no equal
My bey has no equal,
The friend has plenty of birmani.
When my agha passed away,
His enemies were destroyed.

[1] According to Mihran Toumajan, this song originated in Erzindjan/Yerzenga (Mihran Toumajan, Hayreni Yerk ou Pan [Armenian Song and Verse], Volume 2, 1983, page 428).

[2] The definition of the term birmani is unclear. We know that there was a pass and a village called Birmani on the road between Dersim and Erzincan.

Left: the members of the Akunq Ensemble while recording the album Petag.
Right: the compact disc of the album Petag.