Miraza

General Information

Also Known As

Dara Miraza, Miraza tree, Dara Mirazan

Type

Dara

Nahiya (Subdistrict)

Şiyê

Village or Nearby Villages

Qermîtliq

The Miraza sacred tree (Kurdish: Dara Miraza, also referred to as Dara Mirazan) is one of the shrines and trees of Qermîtliq. The tree is about one kilometer from Qermîtliq, and Apê Reşîd says his father told him it was 500 years old.1

Physical & Landscape Features

People came to the tree from Qermîtliq, Çaqela, Erendê, and Şiyê.2

Ritual Practices & Beliefs

Villagers visited the tree in times of difficulty, made sacrifices, hung colorful rags on the tree, and asked it for their hopes and wishes. Wednesday is the tree's day. People used to light fires near it on Wednesdays and talk by the tree until morning. Regional researchers connected these customs with the era of Zoroastrian Kurds.3

Apê Reşîd says sick people slept at the tree and took home teberik, blessed material taken from the shrine. Visitors brought and slaughtered black chickens. He says Wednesday was the day people came to the shrine.4

People also brought sick sheep to the shrine, led them around it, put teberik in water, and gave the water to the sheep. Apê Reşîd says the animals recovered by God's permission.5

When rain did not fall, sheikhs came to the shrine, prepared dinner, opened a book, prayed, slaughtered and distributed meat, and rain fell by morning.6

Transcripts

Qermîtliq (Ax û Welat - Episode 1124):

  • 32:08 – The host walks one kilometer outside the village to the Dara Miraza tree, and discusses its history and healing customs with a local shepherd, Apê Reşîd.
  • 33:07 – Apê Reşîd details the custom of sacrificing black chickens at the tree on Wednesdays.
  • 34:20 – Apê Reşîd explains how teberik is collected from the tree and used to heal sick livestock.
  • 34:40 – Apê Reşîd describes the rain-summoning prayers performed by sheikhs at the tree.

Videography

Qermîtliq (Ax û Welat - Episode 1124): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBeELpdDr44

Bibliography

References

  1. Ax û Welat, Episode 1124, "Qermîtliq," published 2017, YouTube video, at 32:08-32:43 and 33:49-34:06, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBeELpdDr44. Quote: "em ji gundê Qermîtliq derketin kîlometrek em meşiyan, em rastî darekê hatin, ev dar dibêjin Dara Miraza. ... Ev dara emrê xwe pênc sed sal e. Pênc sed sal. Ev mezinahî dihatin însan, gulê, ji Qermîtliqê, ji Çaqela, ji Erendê, ji Şiyê dihatin ber. ... Bavkê min digot emrê xwe pênc sed sal e. Û digot yaram, miletê me yê Kurd, ji Qermîtliqê de, ji Şiyê de, ji Erendê de dihatin ber ziyaretê. Çeqela..." English translation: "We left the village of Qermîtliq and walked one kilometer; we came across a tree, and they call this tree Dara Miraza. ... This tree is 500 years old. 500 years. People used to come to it from Qermîtliq, Çaqela, Erendê, and Şiyê. ... My father said it was 500 years old. And he said, my friend, our Kurdish people came to the shrine from Qermîtliq, Şiyê, Erendê, and Çeqela." ↩

  2. Ax û Welat, Episode 1124, "Qermîtliq," at 32:43 and 33:57-34:06. Quote: "ji Qermîtliqê, ji Çaqela, ji Erendê, ji Şiyê dihatin ber"; "ji Qermîtliqê de, ji Şiyê de, ji Erendê de dihatin ber ziyaretê. Çeqela..." English translation: "They came to it from Qermîtliq, Çaqela, Erendê, and Şiyê"; "They came to the shrine from Qermîtliq, Şiyê, Erendê, and Çeqela." ↩

  3. Ax û Welat, Episode 1124, "Qermîtliq," at 31:30-31:58. Quote: "Dara azadiyê ku wekî merqed, gundî di demên zor û zehmetiyê de serî lê didin û qurban diyar dikin. Paçên rengareng li ser darê daliqînin û hêvî û mirazên xwe ji darê dixwazin. Dar tenê roja Çarşemê deriyê xwe vedike û mêvanên xwe pêşwazî dike. Beriya çend salan gelek kes roja Çarşemê li nêzî darê agir dadidan û heta sibê bidarê ve sohbet dikirin. Lêkolîvanên herêmê dibêjin ku ev urf û adetên li derdora dara azadiyê têne kirin, vedigere serdema Kurdên Zerdeştî." English translation: "The Tree of Freedom, which is like a shrine, is visited by villagers in times of difficulty and hardship, and they make sacrifices. They hang colorful rags on the tree and ask the tree for their hopes and wishes. The tree opens its door only on Wednesday and welcomes its guests. Several years ago, many people lit fires near the tree on Wednesdays and talked by the tree until morning. Regional researchers say that the customs and traditions practiced around the Tree of Freedom go back to the era of Zoroastrian Kurds." ↩

  4. Ax û Welat, Episode 1124, "Qermîtliq," at 32:51-33:37. Quote: "Merî kût dihat, bilind diçû. ... Vî tê de radiket... gih xilmaş dibû, xewra diçû... Ra dibû, ê teberik... lehîştana (?) û teberik bi xwe re dibirin mal. Ba'dî piştî wê ra, ê radibûn, mirîşka reş tînan ber. Mirîşka reş tînan ber, jê dikirin. ... Roja Çarşemê dihatin ber darê. ... Hewa qerar dînaye ku roja Çarşemê hev (bên) ber vê ziyaretê." English translation: "A crippled person would come and leave walking upright. ... He would sleep in it; when he became drowsy, he would fall asleep. He would wake up, and they would take the teberik home with them. After that they would get up and bring a black chicken. They brought a black chicken and slaughtered it. ... They came to the tree on Wednesday. ... It has been decided that on Wednesday they come to this shrine." ↩

  5. Ax û Welat, Episode 1124, "Qermîtliq," at 34:15-34:36. Quote: "pez zeîf dibû, gunexweş dibû (nexaş dibû)... ... pezê xwe dûr ziyaretê radigerandin... Teberik didan pez, dikirin avê û didan pez, ew pez bi îzna Xwedê rehet dibû. ... Ew jî Çarşemê da." English translation: "If sheep became weak or sick... they would lead their sheep around the shrine. They gave teberik to the sheep, put it in water and gave it to the sheep, and the sheep recovered by God's permission. ... That too was on Wednesday." ↩

  6. Ax û Welat, Episode 1124, "Qermîtliq," at 34:40-34:54. Quote: "Dema baranê da, dema baran nedibariya te dît her gundekî ziyareta xwe heye... Ê, em dihatin ber ziyaretê şêxler dihatin, şîv dikirin, kîtav (kitêb) vedikirin... Dewa (dua) tînan me dikir, jê dikir, belav dikir. Li ber Xwedêyê xwe digerîn. Sibe dibû, baranê lê dikir." English translation: "In the time of rain, when rain did not fall, every village had its shrine... Yes, we came to the shrine; sheikhs came, prepared dinner, opened a book, brought prayers for us, slaughtered and distributed meat. They begged their God. By morning, it rained." ↩