Xidir Balî

General Information

Also Known As

Xidir Balî shrine, Ziyareta Xidir Balî, Xidir Êlyas, Ziyareta Xidir Êlyas, Xizir Îlyas

Type

Ziyareta

Nahiya (Subdistrict)

Efrîn

Village or Nearby Villages

Maratê

Religious Affiliation

Yezidi, Muslim

Xidir Balî, also called Xidir Êlyas, is an old shrine west of the village of Maratê in the Efrîn sub-district.12 This is a different shrine from Xidir in the Şiyê town cemetery.

Physical & Landscape Features

The ridge that rises to the west of Maratê is known as Gaza Ĥecî (Haji Ridge). On its southern side stands the sanctuary of Xidir Balî, among several large and ancient oak trees.3

Dedicated Figure & Historical Roots

The elders say the site was a station of the prophet Khidr or of the Yazidis, from an ancient history, and that the grave of a good man is buried here, though it is not visible. The village, whose recorded history is carved on a stone as some nine hundred and fifteen years old, was originally Yezidi and over time became Muslim.45

Ritual Practices & Beliefs

Every night a fire appears at the site, and the people say they do not know who lights it. Visitors come to the tree and tie something to it to ask for a wish. Women without children come to tie something of theirs and to plead before Khidr for a child. If a calamity has befallen the village, a person comes and lights a fire by the tree, saying "Khidr, lift this calamity from us."6

In times of drought, when the rain did not come, the village would buy lambs, and men, women, and elders would gather at the shrine to slaughter them and plead before Khidr and God for rain and blessing. The Afrin Zeyton account places this gathering on the second Friday, made for charity and blessing.7

Transcripts

Maratê (Ax û Welat – Episode 907):

  • 03:22 – The host reads the village's recorded history and names the old shrine, Xidir Balî.
  • 05:23 – An elder says the village was originally Yezidi and later became Muslim.
  • 15:54 – An elder describes the shrine: the station and grave, the nightly fire, the wish-tying tree, and the drought rain ritual.

Maratê (Afrin Zeyton – Episode 8):

  • 20:00 – An elder describes gathering at the shrine of Xidir Êlyas on the second Friday to sacrifice and pray for rain.

Videography

Maratê (Ax û Welat – Episode 907): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnKcW8LAymA

Maratê (Afrin Zeyton – Episode 8): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cTNrtYja4M

Bibliography

References

  1. Mihemed Ebdo Elî, Jabal al-Kurd (Mintaqat Afrin): Dirasa Jughrafiyya Shamila, Arabic ed. (Efrîn, 2014). Kurdish quote: "Sirta ku li Rojavaya Gu.Maratê ye jî, bi navê Gaza Ĥecî tê nasîn, li aliyê wê yê Başûr, pîrozgeha Xidir Balî heye, ew çend darên Sindîganê yên mezin û kevin in." English translation: "The ridge to the west of Maratê village is known by the name Gaza Ĥecî; on its southern side stands the sanctuary of Xidir Balî, with several large and ancient oak trees." ↩

  2. Ax û Welat, "Maratê," Episode 907 (village Maratê), YouTube video, at 03:22, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnKcW8LAymA. Kurdish quote: "Gundekî kanî têda heye, çiya têda heye, ziyaretek kevn jî têda heye, navê xwe Xidir Balî." English translation: "It has a village spring, a mountain, and also an old shrine, whose name is Xidir Balî." ↩

  3. Elî, Jabal al-Kurd (Mintaqat Afrin): Dirasa Jughrafiyya Shamila, Arabic ed.. Kurdish quote: "Sirta ku li Rojavaya Gu.Maratê ye jî, bi navê Gaza Ĥecî tê nasîn, li aliyê wê yê Başûr, pîrozgeha Xidir Balî heye, ew çend darên Sindîganê yên mezin û kevin in." English translation: "The ridge to the west of Maratê village is known by the name Gaza Ĥecî; on its southern side stands the sanctuary of Xidir Balî, with several large and ancient oak trees." ↩

  4. Ax û Welat, "Maratê," Episode 907, at 15:54. English quote: "they say this was like a station of that prophet or of the Yazidis... they say his grave is also buried here, specifically buried in this area." ↩

  5. Ax û Welat, "Maratê," Episode 907, at 05:23. Kurdish quote: "Na dibêjin gundê we destpêka gundê we dibêjin Êzîdî bûn? Ne'am. Pêşiya me giştik Êzîdî bûn." English translation: "Do they say your village, at its beginning, were Yezidi? Yes. Our ancestors were all Yezidi." Kurdish quote: "Dipêra fetrek... Îslam bûn." English translation: "Then after a period... they became Muslim." ↩

  6. Ax û Welat, "Maratê," Episode 907, at 16:26–16:55. English quote: "Every night fire ignites here, and it appears just like now... And one comes to this tree too, to where they tie, they tie something to this tree, asking for their wish from it. Those women who didn't have children, they want to come to this shrine... To plead before Khidr, 'Khidr, give us a child.'" English quote: "If a calamity has befallen a village, one comes here and lights a fire by this tree, saying: 'Khidr, lift this calamity from us.'" ↩

  7. Ax û Welat, "Maratê," Episode 907, at 17:01–17:23. English quote: "Our village in the past, if a rain didn't come... a drought occurred, they would go around the village, go buy lambs. Men and women and elders would come here, they would slaughter here, make their food. They would plead before Khidr, they would plead before God." ↩