SHILER KOYI

Koya — Women of the city of Koya in the Kurdistan Region have always played a prominent role in preserving and developing authentic Kurdish arts and culture. In this context, the Zainab Khan Institute in the city took the initiative to organize and open a special course for teaching women to play the daf, which has become a precious opportunity to learn this spiritual art and for women's active participation in cultural activities.

The Zainab Khan Institute is a center for showcasing women's hidden talents and linking authentic art to a brighter future. After the institute organized another course in music and handicrafts for women in Koya, the daf playing course was opened, lasting three months, with 22 women participating.

This course is the first for teaching daf playing at the level of Koya, and according to the participants, no similar course for daf playing has so far been organized anywhere else in the city.

The goal of the Zainab Khan Institute in Koya is not limited to teaching daf playing alone but also includes introducing society and women to authentic Kurdish art and culture, preserving it, and transmitting it to future generations. Participants hope to expand their activities in the future and for the women's daf playing ensemble in Koya to continue on a broader scale.

 

"The Daf Is a Spiritual Instrument"

Dilzar Sozi, a university student participating in the daf playing course at the Zainab Khan Institute for about three months, says: "I started from scratch, because no course of this kind, especially for teaching daf playing, has been organized before in the city of Koya. Therefore, we thank the institute for giving us this opportunity. Our teacher is also skilled and teaches us excellently."

She describes the daf as "the spiritual instrument because its sound blends with the soul." Therefore, she believes "it is better for every woman who has a passion or talent to advance in the field she loves, so she can discover herself and her abilities."

Her interest in playing the daf is not new; since her childhood, she was passionate about it, but due to the absence of any course in this field, she could not learn it. "I hope we continue to progress from here onward and that I become a skilled daf player."

 

"Our Goal Is to Introduce Society to Kurdish Art and Culture"

Sakala Mohammed also participates in the course and is a member of the Zainab Khan Institute. She says: "The institute gave this opportunity to the women of Koya to learn daf playing, and our goal is not limited to that but also includes introducing society to Kurdish art and culture. The daf is one of these arts, and preserving it is preserving this art for future generations."

She noted that the course lasted three months and that the main teacher of the course came from the city of Sanandaj in Eastern Kurdistan and managed the course in cooperation and supervision with a teacher from the institute.

The number of participants in the course reached 22 women. It began on June 21, and despite the short duration, the participants managed to achieve a good level in daf playing, and they continue to progress and develop.

Sakala Mohammed believes the daf is not merely a musical instrument but also part of Kurdish identity and culture. From this standpoint, playing the daf "places on our shoulders, as individuals, a great responsibility to preserve this art and transmit it to future generations."

 

"Through the Daf, a Person Unites with Their Soul and Culture"

Behast Warya said about her experience in the course that she is happy with it: "I have become one of the women in our city who participated in this course, and this course is supposed to become the first daf playing ensemble in the Kurdistan Region." She explained that "the daf is a spiritual instrument, and through it, a person can unite with their soul and culture."