Faith music in the "Ezidi Community"in a religious-cultural- mythological context

FAITH MUSIC IN THE "EZIDI COMMUNITY" IN A RELIGIOUS-CULTURAL- MYTHOLOGICAL CONTEXT SUMMARY The Ezidis, who date the existence of their beliefs to approximately 7000 years ago, describe themselves as the first community formed in Mesopotamia to adopt monotheism. As justifications for this, they show the "Creation Story of the Earth Qewl" and "the construction date of The Lalish Temple", which is explained by the Qewls (prayer) in their oral texts and are claimed to exist in their holy book (Mushafa Reş, Kıtêb-a Cilwa), which contains all the information of their beliefs. Ezidis, an ethno-religious group from the peoples of the Middle East, have been subjected to forced migration by issuing exile edicts because of their culture, way of worship, Ezidi-Yezidi name confusion and forms of worship incompatible with Islam. This has caused them to transform themselves into a closed ethnicity in order to hide their form of worship in order to preserve their religion and protect their communities. In this study, researches on Ezidi history, philosophy and faith rituals were conducted by interviewing the Ezidi clergy at Lalish Temple located in the Shekhan region of Duhok province in Iraq. Qewals (faith musicians) who live in Bahzan and Bashika, one of our field study areas, located in the region of Iraq close to Mosul, are the performers of faith music that the Ezidi community has continued from the past to the present, and they contain information about their faith. Qewals (faith musicians) who are away from external musical influences, do not feel obliged to conform to standardized Western music norms. When the cultural analysis of the structural/performative features of the ritual music of Qewals (faith musicians) who have an important place in the oral narratives of Ezidism and undertake the role of culture carrier, the following results were obtained: In order to teach faith and keep it in mind; Qewals (faith musicians) read the Qewls (prayer) that do not have fixed-fret, with recitative. The remaining musical Qewls, which form the minority, are performed with sacred instruments called şaz (wind instrument without tongue like reed flute) and qûdum (percussion instrument for ritual like frame drum) (known as şibab and def). As it is "out of tune" according to the fret standards used in Turkish and Western music, it has been difficult to determine the maqam and scale. In our research, in the analysis of six Ezidi Sema (whirling ritual dance) melodies performed during the worship rituals of the community; It has been determined that the four sema are close to "uşşak maqams fret". From the analyzed "uşşak maqam semas"; "Kanuni Sema" is performed in free measure, "The Graveyard Lamentation Ritual" and "Folk Dance For Wishes To Be Come True" which have the same melody, are in rhythm with four measures of 12\8, the last two measures of 2\4 and "Şerfedin Sema" is performed in 12\8 rhythms. From the remaining two semas, "Şe Şems Sema" is performed in 12\8 rhythm and and close to "çargâh maqam" fret; "The Voice of Scream" is performed in free measure and close to "segâh maqam". The Ezidi community presents the Ezidi philosophy and world perception, their common denominator with other beliefs and cultures, in a unique style with music, dance and prayers accompanying their worship rituals. The rite of rotation, which expresses the rotation of the universe, planets and the earth, is an example of Middle Eastern culture, as is known from the examples in the Mevlevi Sema (ritual whirling dance), Zarathustra chants, Islamic chants with tersanctus and Alevi Semah (ritual whirling dance). In the study, it has been determined that the "The Dance for Wishes" and the "The Graveyard Lamentation Ritual" have the same govend (ritual dance made by holding hand) melody and style, symbolizing the "rebirth of the soul". In addition, number symbolism also plays an active role in their beliefs: The presence of seven angels in reference to each day, and during the visiting rituals, performing a seven-day sema, one per day, is only one of the examples of this situation in music and dance.