NISHO’S FLUTE

Duration:
61 min

Type:
Documentary

Year:
2023

Director:
Sedat Kiran

Producer:
Sedat Kiran

Country:
Kurdistan (Bakur)

Languages:
Kurdish

Subtitles:
English

The 1915 Armenian relocation significantly impacted Kurdish families like the Dikrans from Eğilli, Diyarbakır. Nine-year-old Nişan Dikran, known as Master Nişo, fled with his mother after losing two brothers. Similarly, in Ergani, Zülfü Yokuş, or Zilfo, grieved his father’s death in the Ottoman Army. In Diyarbakır, both youths connected through the kaval, a musical instrument. Zilfo relocated near Nişo, who mentored him, fostering a close family bond. Nişo’s craftsmanship gained him renown, while Zilfo’s kaval playing enhanced his reputation. By the 1950s, Armenians moved westward due to increasing unease. Nişo relocated to Istanbul, facing material challenges, while Zilfo sold his unique kaval. Both passed away around the same time: Nişo in Istanbul and Zilfo in Diyarbakır. Their children, İbrahim and Hatice, share their parents’ stories, and kaval masters inspired by Nişo continue to enchant audiences.

Sedat Kiran was born in 1976 in Siverek, Sanliurfa. Under the name of Siverek Natural Flower Producers Association, he did social-cultural projects related to the protection of plants. He opened a photography exhibition under the name of ‘Zılgıtın Sesi’ in collaboration with photography artist Gül Ertunan Karaaslan.