Oral Histories (2)

Eyşana Xelef Hemo (1956-) grew up in Skênei, a village in Shingal. Loss has defined her life: she married her cousin when he was left utterly orphaned, without a single family member, and to mourn all those she herself had lost, she learned to sing…

Xelef Elyas (1948-), a Êzîdî folklore singer from Shingal, grew up within the oral tradition. Omar's father was himself a singer and performer, deft with the tambûr. Omar began learning the craft at age 20, studying not only with his father, but with…