Bedros Alahaidoyan Coll. 2 | Diyarbekir

This page presents songs and dance music collected and recorded by musicologist Bedros Alahaidoyan. Beginning in the 1980s, Mr. Alahaidoyan traveled to cities and towns populated by Armenians throughout the Diaspora, in search for Genocide survivors from whom he collected rare songs and anecdotes of their native cities and villages.

Editing of this page, as well as music engraving and digitization, provided by Dzovig Markarian, DMA. Translation: Simon Beugekian. 

Armenians picnicking in Diyarbekir, 1910 (Source: PROJECT SAVE, Armenian Photograph Archives, Watertown, MA, courtesy of John Kazanjian).

Vocalist: Papken Simonian | Qamishli (Syria) | 1984

Papken Simonian – Vocalist
Vazken Arabeklian – Djyumbyush/Cümbüş
Garo Hovsepian – Kamancheh
Samo Garabedian – Drums
Yacoub Garabedian – Daf (hand drum); as well as the vocalist of wails and laments
 
Date: December 8, 1984
Location: Qamishli (Syria), HMEM center

This group performed at an event celebrating Diyarbekir’s heritage, and performed songs they had learned from Mrs. Ovsanna Chalemian (a native of Diyarbekir). Event attendees were also served traditional ghavurma while enjoying the music.
 
The songs performed during the event were –
 
1- Yavri, yavri/Hele hele hele ninnaye
2- Inch eretsir toun eretsir [Whatever you did, you did it yourself]
3- Yar ella… Inch aghchig/akhkig e mashalla [May there be lovers… What a girl/what a maiden she is, glory to God!]
4- Esor epetsink porig nanaye nanaye [Today we cooked dolma nanaye nanaye]
5- Tsun e eger meghasni hay le le [Snow has fallen meghasni hay le le]
6- Akhkig aghchig toun ego endzi modig [Girl, gir, come close to me]
7- Gadar khanan gokhadz mashin
8- Amoune daran endzi chdaran ke amo [They took everyone but left me behind ke amo]
9- Dounerou mech bzdi mzdi [Inside little homes]

Re-enacting a traditional Diyarbekir Armenian marriage
This video was shot in Qamishli (Syria) in 1984 at an event celebrating the Armenian heritage of Diyarbekir/Dikranagerd. The people in the video stage a wedding feast with songs, dances and other traditions in order to show what a traditional Diyarbekir wedding would look like. The singer is Papken Simonian, and the event was organized by the Qamishli Hamazkayin Union.
Source: YouTube - Hovsep Sarkis.

1- Yavri yavri/Hele hele hele ninnaye

Yavri yavri, kezi ara parov
Mechkiti parag djarov

Akh yavri yavri kezi ara parov
Mechkiti parag djarov
 
Yavri, yavri, elir is kaghken g’ertas
Chis esis mnak parov

 
***
 
Es kshir Hampartsoum e
Hele hele hele ninnaye
Aghchigneroun hartsoum e
Hele yar hele yar ninnaye
 
Ego endzi bak mi dour
Hele hele hele ninnaye
Eger ashkharh antsoum e
Hele yar hele yar ninnaye
 
Nsdir tonderdoune
Hele hele hele ninnaye
Erise garmrdoun e
Hele yar hele yar ninnaye
 
Ego endzi bak mi dour
Hele hele hele ninnaye
Eghnam hokouti doune
Hele yar hele yar ninnaye

Nsdir e badin koshan
Hele hele hele ninnaye
Araki g'elle shoushen
Hele yar hele yar ninnaye

Ink g'elle ink ge khme
Hele hele hele ninnaye
Chi havni kaghki pashan
Hele yar hele yar ninnaye

Baghn inch e baghchan inch e
Hele hele hele ninnaye
Aghchi ko savdan inch e
Hele yar hele yar ninnaye

Pantser dzar kaghtsr bdough
Hele hele hele ninnaye
Chem hasnim faydan inch e
Hele yar hele yar ninnaye

Yes kezi ara parov
Hele hele hele ninnaye
Mechkiti parag djarov
Hele yar hele yar ninnaye

Elir is kaghken g’ertas
Hele hele hele ninnaye
Ches esis mnak parov
Hele yar hele yar ninnaye.

Names of women and children unknown, Diyarbekir, pre-1915; photographer unknown. Armenian women wear seed-pearl headdresses with earflaps, unique to Diyarbekir (Source: PROJECT SAVE, Armenian Photograph Archives, Courtesy of the Boyajian Family, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, through the kindness of Bishop Papken Varjabedian).

2- Inch eretsir toun eretsir

Inch eretsir toun eretsir
Inch eretsir toun eretsir
Poshin e klkhout tretsir
Anerig dkhmar peretsir
Va vay le va vay le malet vera

Inch eretsir toun eretsir
Inch eretsir toun eretsir
Poshin e klkhout tretsir
Anerig dkhmar peretsir
Va vay le va vay le malet vera

Urtsen gi kas entou taghoun
Urtsen gi kas entou taghoun
Pats khapange mera baghoun
Erisis khetir e meghoun
Va vay le va vay le malet vera

Inch eretsir toun eretsir
Inch eretsir toun eretsir
Poshin e klkhout tretsir
Anerig dkhmar peretsir
Va vay le va vay le malet vera

Urtsen gi kas veri vana
Urtsen gi kas veri vana
Yes divana toun divana
Asdvadz mezi tor mi pana
Va vay le va vay le malet vera

Inch eretsir toun eretsir
Inch eretsir toun eretsir
Poshin e klkhout tretsir
Anerig dkhmar peretsir
Va vay le va vay le malet vera

Markhani baghchi havouze
Markhani baghchi havouze
Vize gakhman e yoldouze
Ahcks desav sirds g’ouze
Va vay le va vay le malet vera

Inch eretsir toun eretsir
Inch eretsir toun eretsir
Poshin e klkhout tretsir
Anerig dkhmar peretsir
Va vay le va vay le malet vera

Urtsen gi kas oushig oushig
Urtsen gi kas oushig oushig
Vodkit mdav varti poushig
Bak mi idas inch anoushig
Va vay le va vay le malet vera

Inch eretsir toun eretsir
Inch eretsir toun eretsir
Poshin e klkhout tretsir
Anerig dkhmar peretsir
Va vay le va vay le malet vera
Va vay le va vay le malet vera.

The family of Sarkis and Anna Kazanjian, Diyarbekir, 1910. Photo by H. Tufengchian and Co. (Source: PROJECT SAVE, Armenian Photograph Archives, Watertown, MA, courtesy of John Kazanjian).

3- Yar ella… Inch aghchig/akhkig e mashalla

Yar ella yar yar ella yar ella
Yar ella inch akhkig e mashalla
Yar ella yar yar ella yar ella
Yar ella inch aghchig e mashalla

Yar ella shekhin abdon mir meshag
Yar ella knats kaghits manoushag
Yar ella perits prits leyn doshag
Yar ella yar yar ella yar ella
Yar ella inch aghchig e mashalla
Yar ella mir plink ou tsir plink
Yar ella kar-gorig ou blblig
Yar ella yar yar ella yar ella
Yar ella inch aghchig e mashalla

Yar ella peretsink harsn ou pesan
Yar ella tretsink sedri koshan
Yar ella irank irants pspsan
Yar ella yar yar ella yar ella
Yar ella inch aghchig e mashalla

Yar ella perek araki shoushen
Yar ella oudink khmink kef enink
Yar ella yar yar ella yar ella
Yar ella inch aghchig e mashalla

Yar ella mir kaghake chours tor e
Yar ella akhkig e mer pin tore
Yar ella yar yar ella yar ella
Yar ella inch aghchig e mashalla

Yar ella mir kaghake meydan e
Yar ella polour polour bedan e
Yar ella yar yar ella yar ella
Yar ella inch aghchig e mashalla

Yar ella Ghazi koshke mir katsin
Yar ella harsn ou pesan peretsin
Yar ella tak ou dengag peretsin
Yar ella arak kini khimtsoutsin
Yar ella dgha aghchig khaghtsoutsin
Yar ella yar yar ella yar ella
Yar ella inch aghchig e mashalla.

The Malkhasian/Malkasian Family, Diyarbekir, 1911. Only three of those pictured here survived the Genocide: seated at the center the young boy, Harutiun, the small girl on the right, Toontouch "Florence" Malkasian, and the young woman Arek, standing on the left (Source: PROJECT SAVE, Armenian Photograph Archives, Courtesy of Antranig Tarzian).

4- Esor epetsink porig nanaye nanaye

Esor epetsink porig nanaye nanaye
Ellank katsink Dborig nanaye nanaye
Nana nana nanaye nanaye nanaye
Inch aghchig e nanaye nanaye nanaye

Eloun khadzits mits pakhtsank nanaye nanaye
Mir charokhner hon mortsank nanaye nanaye
Nana nana nanaye nanaye nanaye
Inch aghchig e nanaye nanaye nanaye
Nana nana nanaye nanaye nanaye
Nana aghvor dgha e nanaye nanaye

Nana nana nanaye nanaye nanaye
Nana aghchig dgha e nanaye nanaye

Katsink khnamonts doune nanaye nanaye
Khnamin engav koune nanaye nanaye
Nana nana nanaye nanaye nanaye
Nana aghchig dgha e nanaye nanaye
Inch aghchig e nanaye nanaye nanaye

Arank harsi destoure nanaye nanaye
Hasank kouachayi tore nanaye nanaye
Nana nana nanaye nanaye nanaye
Inch aghchig e nanaye nanaye nanaye
Nana aghchig dgha e nanaye nanaye

Godretsink ttou noure nanaye nanaye
Khrovav pesi koure nanaye nanaye
Nana nana nanaye nanaye nanaye
Inch aghchig e nanaye nanaye nanaye
Nana aghchig dgha e nanaye nanaye

Peretsink harsn ou pesan nanaye nanaye
Tretsink sedri koshan nanaye nanaye
Irank irants pspsan nanaye nanaye
Nana nana nanaye nanaye nanaye
Nana aghchig dgha e nanaye nanaye

A view of Diyarbekir (Source: Lamec Saad, "Zestien Jaar als Quarantaine-Artsin Turkije", De Aarde en haar Volken, Haarlem, 1917).

5- Tsoun e egir meghasni hay le le

Tsoun e egir meghasni hay le le
Aghchig eli degh hasni hay le le
Hay le hay le hay le le hay le le
Hay le hay le hay le le hay le le

Tsoun e egir lerneroun hay le le
Khaz me dabge derderoun hay le le
Togh bsage khorteroun hay le le
Hay le hay le hay le le hay le le
Hay le hay le hay le le hay le le

Chour e engir khoteroun hay le le
Asdvadz beye khorteroun hay le le
Hay le hay le hay le le hay le le

Chour e
engir chaghtsenir hay le le
Asdvadz
beye aghchegnir hay le le
Hay le hay le hay le le hay le le
Hay le hay le hay le le hay le le

Chour e
engir arvenir hay le le
Asdvadz arner barv
enir hay le le
Hay le hay le hay le le hay le le
Hay le hay le hay le le hay le le

Choukhdag gakav lerneroun hay le le
Ezeb aghchig khorteroun hay le le
Hay le hay le hay le le hay le le
Hay le hay le hay le le hay le le.

The Proodian Family, Diyarbekir, c. 1912 (Source: PROJECT SAVE, Armenian Photograph Archives, Courtesy of Antranig Tarzian)

6- Akhkig aghchig toun ego endzi modig

Akhkig aghchig yes zargouk im boyiti
Akhkig aghchig yes zargouk im boyiti
Shad havnir im parag mechkit khouyiti
G’ouzim askan dari mikam koviti
Akhkig aghchig

Akhkig aghchig toun ego endzi modig
Akhkig aghchig toun ego endzi modig
Arnim houditi mnam dzoutsiti
Arnim houditi mnam dzoutsiti
Akhkig aghchig

Midkit engadzis adine mazirti kashem
Midkit engadzis adine mazirti kashem
Dardet engir im halil am mashe
Dardet engir im halil am mashe
Miag ki saz ge zargim karis nakash e
Miag ki saz ge zargim karis nakash e
Or me gi kam odat pespestsnim
Akhkig aghchig

Akhkig aghchig inch gaynir is ereroun
Akhkig aghchig inch gaynir is ereroun
Ego endzi bak me dour ghamzanerout koveroun
Ego endzi bak me dour ghamzanerout koveroun
Inch kashir e mamit kezi pereloun
Inch kashir e mamit kezi pereloun
Kshir koun che knir oranki oreloun
Akhkig aghchig.

The Deriklian family, Diyarbekir, circa 1910. The seated man with a waterpipe in his hand is Garabed Deriklian. To the far right, the child standing next to his mother's feet is Yervant Deriklian (Source: PROJECT SAVE, Armenian Photograph Archives, Courtesy of Antranig Tarzian)

7- Gadar khanan gokhadz mashin

Gadar khanan gokhadz mashin
Erzehale dvits pashin
Yourtsen gi ker bakkal bashin
Aghas toun khev is toun khev is
Aghas toun khev is toun khev is
Pashas toun khev is toun khev is
Glor mlor ego kovis
Baknim sirim desnam ov is

Mir doun tsir dan modig modig
Mir dan g’eller enoush hodig
Mir dan g’eller enoush hodig
Tsir dan g’eller khisd khorodig
Aghas toun khev is toun khev is
Pashas toun khev is toun khev is
Aghas toun khev is toun khev is
Pashas toun khev is toun khev is
Glor morol ego kovis
Baknim sirim desnam ov is

Mir doun iger karsoun garas
Tsir doun iger karsoun garas
Karsoun garsink kinin er khas
Osgi goumgoum ardzete tas
Osgi goumgoum ardzete tas
Amoun tasin bak men idas
Aghas toun khev is toun khev is
Pashas toun khev is toun khev is
Aghas toun khev is toun khev is
Pashas toun khev is toun khev is
Glor morol ego kovis
Baknim sirim desnam ov is

(Gendri) olervoghe ov er
(Chitmenti) hed darav hov er
Harses i vid Bokhsa kale
Noren kale noren kale)
Aghas toun khev is toun khev is
Pashas toun khev is toun khev is
Aghas toun khev is toun khev is
Pashas toun khev is toun khev is
Glor morol ego kovis
Baknim sirim desnam ov is

Kourke hakir tive nigh e
Dzdzevnire garak yegh e
Dzdzevnire garak yegh e
Ezbeneroun derdin tigh e
Aghas toun khev is toun khev is
Pashas toun khev is toun khev is
Aghas toun khev is toun khev is
Pashas toun khev is toun khev is
Glor morol ego kovis
Baknim sirim desnam ov is

Kourke hakir tive al e
Dzdzevnire portekal e
Dzdzevnire portekal e
Ezbeneroun derdin mal e
Aghas toun khev is toun khev is
Pashas toun khev is toun khev is
Aghas toun khev is toun khev is
Pashas toun khev is toun khev is
Glor morol ego kovis
Baknim sirim desnam ov is
Glor morol ego kovis
Baknim sirim desnam ov is

8- Amoune daran endzi chdaran ke amo

Amoune daran endzi chdaran ke amo
Amoune daran endzi chdaran ke amo
Mir tore tsadz endzi chdesan ke amo
Mir tore tsadz endzi chdesan ke amo
Ellank pantsertsnink ke amo
Ellank
pantsertsnink ke amo
Vran tnink zanke tnink ke amo
Vran tnink zanke tnink ke amo
Amoune daran yesi chdaran ke amo
Amoune daran yesi chdaran ke amo
Mir tore tsadz endzi chdesan ke amo
Mir tore tsadz endzi chdesan ke amo

Babous ese endzi khabir togh charne
Nshanadzs osgerich e ge shine
Amoune daran yesi chdaran ke amo
Mir tore tsadz endzi chdesan ke amo

Inch akhkig e pantser fourni hatsire
Aman gerir nshanadze khevtsir e
Amoune daran yesi chdaran ke amo
Mir tore tsadz endzi chdesan ke amo
Mir tore tsadz yesi chdesan ke amo

Kaghktsiin siradze kavourma e
Chalghe zargin arak khemin fayda e
Amoune daran endzi chdaran ke amo
Mir tore tsadz endzi chdesan ke amo

Tserk tserki dour ego ertank mir paghnik
Kourban eghnam kezi perogh mamouti
Amoune daran endzi chdaran ke amo
Mir tore tsadz endzi chdesan ke amo

Kezi perits mezi sebits palayin
Akh dour mezi pan dour mezi djan mezi
Akh dour mezi pan dour mezi djan mezi heyran kezi
Amoune daran endzi chdaran ke amo
Mir tore tsadz endzi chdesan ke amo.

A musician beggar with his saz, waterpipe and drink at the market in Diyarbekir (Source: Ernest Chantre, "Van Beyroeth naar Tiflis", De Aarde en haar Volken, Haarlem, 1890).

9- Dounerou mech bzdi mzdi

Dounerou mech bzdi mzdi
Glorvim da engnim dzoutsti
Kani erigti chegir e
Baknim khntsorig eristsi
Kani erigti chegir e
Baknim ghamzali eristi

Dounerou mech ergou kastal
Aghchig eli boyit tstsou
Siradznirit kezi g’ouzin
Inch aghchig is shad akhkig is

Dounerou mech gar anasoun
Saat ou ges mnatsh lousoun
Irenk tour in mege bessoun
Shad akhkig is kaghki aghchig

Dounerou mechig anoushig
Aghchig yego oushig oushig
Endzi aghchig shad idogh iga
Amounoun mech toun anoushig

Dounerou mech bzdi mzdi
Glorvim da engnim dzoutsti
Kani erigti chegir e
Baknim khntsorig eristi
Kani erigti chegir e
Baknim ghamzali eristi.