Qere Baba

General Information

Also Known As

Qere Baba shrine, Ziyareta Qere Baba, Dara Qerebaba

Type

Ziyareta

Nahiya (Subdistrict)

Efrîn

Village or Nearby Villages

Xelnêrê

Qere Baba is a shrine associated with Xelnêrê in the Efrîn sub-district. It is a small building on the ridge south of Coqê, and the Sari Qiz shrine lies to its east.1 This is a different shrine from Qerababa, which stands at the village of Qere Baba in the Reco sub-district.

Physical & Landscape Features

Beside the shrine stands a very large old oak that locals call Dara Qerebaba, the tree of Qere Baba.2

Ritual Practices & Beliefs

Qere Baba is one of two shrines of Xelnêrê that people of the region still visit, especially on Wednesdays, to pray for their wishes. Women tie cords and strips of cloth to the oak and drive a peg at the site as a vow, often for children. One woman recounts that she had no children, that she was sent to pray before Qere Baba, and that she later had five. She adds that a child born after such a vow is given the shrine's name.3

Transcripts

Xelnêrê (Ax û Welat – Episode 1123):

  • 09:28 – A guest points out the large oak called Dara Qerebaba.
  • 11:40 – The narrator notes that Xelnêrê has two shrines that people visit on Wednesdays to pray for their wishes.
  • 13:06 – A woman describes tying cords to the oak as a vow.
  • 14:35 – A woman recounts coming to the shrine after years without children.

Videography

Xelnêrê (Ax û Welat – Episode 1123): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXr4JQFyAJc

Bibliography

References

  1. Mihemed Ebdo Elî, Çiyayê Kurmênc (Efrîn): Lêkolîneke Xaknîgarî ye tevahî (Efrîn, 2008), 141. Kurdish quote: "Li Başûrê Gu.Coqê, li ser sirtê, avahiyeke biçûk bi navê pîrozgeha Qere Baba heye, pîrozgeheke din jî li Rojhilata wê ye, ew jî bi navê Sari Qiz tê nasîn." English translation: "South of the village of Coqê, on the ridge, there is a small building called the shrine of Qere Baba; another shrine lies to its east, known by the name Sari Qiz." ↩

  2. Ax û Welat, "Xelnêrê," Episode 1123 (village Xelnêrê), YouTube video, at 09:28–09:35, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXr4JQFyAJc. Kurdish quote: "E darek hona, darek pir mezin heye... vêra dibên Dara Qerebaba. Darek mazî ye." English translation: "There is a tree there, a very big tree... they call it Dara Qerebaba. It is an oak." ↩

  3. Ax û Welat, "Xelnêrê," Episode 1123. Kurdish quote: "Li gundê Xelnerê du zîyaret hene, hetanî niha gelek xelkên herêmê baweriya xwe pê tînin û roja çarşemê serlêdanê dikin û ji bo daxwaz û mirazê xwe dua dikin." English translation: "In the village of Xelnêrê there are two shrines; to this day many people of the region believe in them, visit on Wednesday, and pray for their wishes." Kurdish quote: "ew vê benikê di darê girêdidan, me digot bila mirazî... ê qişkê xwe tunena... ma jê ra benik bi vê paçikê pê girêdidan." English translation: "they would tie this cord to the tree, saying may the wish be granted... I had no children... so a cord was tied for it with this cloth." Kurdish quote: "ez çûme ber Qere Baba, miştarê sing kutayî." English translation: "I went before Qere Baba, the place of the peg-pounding." ↩