Ze Tije Cemila Min (2015)
Doesn’t the word “folk” immediately inspire thoughts of people sitting around a fire, sharing stories and singing songs that have been around for generations? The stories of yore, the myths, the old wives’ tales and the culture of oral traditions served important functions in preliterate societies. This is how history was passed down, how people learned the names and stories of their ancestors, how people learned about the world around them and how to survive in it.
While this form of storytelling has mostly been lost in modern society, folk music remains. A very literal translation of the term is “the music of the people,” but these days it’s a far less general term. It will likely feature a guitar and a story that somehow gives this genre a timeless quality, like we could all be sitting beside that fire, eagerly awaiting conversations and lessons from the elders.
Like most folk songs Ze Tije’s “Cemila Min” is a simple song, the lyrics speaking of leaving, longing, beauty and the soul. The song is also so elegant and heart-rending you might guess at what it’s about even if you don’t understand Kurdish. Music has its own language, the language of the spirit, and this song speaks to that part of a person. An absolute treasure to be enjoyed over and over again, for all times.
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