كفرشيل قرية سورية جميلة تقع غربي مدينة عفرين في ريف حلب الشمالي مباشرة وتتبع لها. Kafrshil is a beautiful Syrian village located directly west of the city of Afrin in the northern countryside of Aleppo, and is administratively part of it.
كما أنها تقع على بعد 62 كيلومتراً عن مدينة حلب باتجاه الشمال الغربي. It is also located 62 kilometers away from the city of Aleppo towards the northwest.
وعلى بعد 22 كيلومتراً عن مدينة جنديرس باتجاه الشمال الشرقي. And 22 kilometers away from the city of Jindires towards the northeast.
يحدها جنوباً قرية بابليت، وأما شمالاً فقرية خلينير. It is bordered to the south by the village of Bablit, and to the north by the village of Khalner.
وغرباً قرية معراتة، وأما شرقاً فمدينة عفرين بشكل مباشر. To the west by the village of Ma'rata, and to the east directly by the city of Afrin.
سكانها الأصليين من الأكراد السوريين الذين ينتمون إلى عشيرة الرشوان فخذ الجقلي. Its original inhabitants are Syrian Kurds who belong to the Rashwan tribe, the Jaqali clan.
كفرشيل القديمة تقع إلى الجنوب من القرية الحالية بحوالي 2 كيلومتر. Old Kafrshil is located to the south of the current village by about 2 kilometers.
والتي تعد الآن كخربة، كان فيها كنيستين ومغاور قديمة وآبار وقنوات. Which is now considered a ruin, it had two churches, old caves, wells, and canals.
إضافة إلى نبعة ماء كانت تتجمع حولها البيوت القديمة. In addition to a water spring around which old houses gathered.
يعتمد سكان القرية على زراعة الزيتون والرمان والفواكه والحبوب. The villagers rely on cultivating olives, pomegranates, fruits, and grains.
وأيضاً على تربية الحيوانات. And also on animal husbandry.
وأيضاً يعملون في تجارة الزيتون والحبوب في مدينة عفرين. They also work in the olive and grain trade in the city of Afrin.
نسبة التعليم فيها مرتفعة وتكثر فيها الشهادات الجامعية من كافة التخصصات. The education rate there is high, and university degrees from all specializations are common.
وفيها مدرسة ابتدائية وحيدة. And it has a single primary school.
أهلاً وسهلاً. Welcome.
أهلاً عمو. أهليين أبو عبيد أهلاً وسهلاً فيك. Welcome, uncle. Welcome Abu Ubaid, welcome to you.
نشكر الله، الحمد لله. نتعرف عليك؟ We thank God, praise be to God. Can we get to know you?
بشير علي جمو أبو خالد. Bashir Ali Jamo, Abu Khalid.
أهلاً وسهلاً فيك. من الضيعة؟ Welcome to you. From the village?
منرحب فيكم أهلاً وسهلاً بكفرشيل. We welcome you, welcome to Kafrshil.
بلدنا ومواليد 49، أمورنا ماشي الحال، كنت موظف في حلب بمؤسسة إكثار البذار. Our town, born in '49, things are going well, I was an employee in Aleppo at the Seed Multiplication Corporation.
خيو ومشي الحال وتقاعدت سنة 2004. Brother, things went well and I retired in 2004.
يا أهلاً وسهلاً فيك، أنت من 2004 هون؟ Welcome to you, have you been here since 2004?
لا لا، لأنه من بعد سنة 2013 جيت. No, no, because I came after 2013.
ليش؟ Why?
كان عندنا بحلب جنب بني زيد، بني زيد تعرضت للقصف ولشغلات، ونحن كنا يعني ماشي الحال. We were in Aleppo near Bani Zaid. Bani Zaid was subjected to shelling and things, and we were, you know, doing okay.
لما الأمور اختلطت مع بعضها، صار الضرب يصل لمناطقنا. When things got mixed up with each other, the shelling started reaching our areas.
حملنا حالنا وجبنا العفش تبعنا وسكنا هون. We packed up, brought our furniture, and lived here.
تمام. خليني أسألك عن وضع الناس هون طبيعتهم شلون؟ Great. Let me ask you about the situation of the people here, what is their nature like?
والله طبيعتهم ناس دراويش كويسين شغيلين، بيشتغلوا بالزراعة. Well, their nature is that they are simple, good, hard- working people, they work in agriculture.
في نسبة مثقفين كان كويس، عموماً حالياً يعني بتعرف الأمور، نتيجة الحرب وشغلات. There was a good percentage of educated people. Generally now, you know how things are, as a result of the war and stuff.
في ناس كانوا بالعسكرية اجوا يا أخي شافوا في موت عم بده يقتل مين؟ There are people who were in the military, they came, oh brother, they saw death. Who are they going to kill?
يقتل قرايبينه، أولاد شعبه ما تحمل، شكل فرار وراح. Kill his relatives, the sons of his people? He couldn't bear it, he defected and left.
طيب بس خليني أسألك سؤال، طبيعة المجتمع اللي هون هي طبيعة حضارية مدنية ولا طبيعة فلاحية رعوية بسيطة؟ Okay, but let me ask you a question. Is the nature of the society here civilized and urban, or simple, agricultural and pastoral?
لا والله طبيعة حضارية، حضارية في تفاهم بين الناس كلها. No, honestly, it's a civilized nature. Civilized, there is understanding among all people.
احكيلي عن وضع المرأة هون. Tell me about the status of women here.
وضع المرأة والله المرأة أخت الرجل. The status of women, well, the woman is the sister of the man.
بتشاركه في كل الأعمال الزراعية، وحتى بالثقافية، والأولاد بنات وبنين بيروحوا عالمدرسة سوا. She shares with him in all agricultural work, and even cultural. The children, girls and boys, go to school together.
وعايشين سوا وماشي الحال. And they live together, and things are fine.
المستوى المعيشي للناس شلون؟ How is the living standard of the people?
والله قبل، يعني كان ماشي الحال، بس نتيجة الغلا الفاحش اللي صار، ومشكلة الدولار ورفعه وهيك، أثر كثير على الوضع الاجتماعي في الضيعة. Well, before, you know, things were fine, but as a result of the outrageous inflation that happened, and the problem of the dollar and its rise and so on, it affected the social situation in the village a lot.
ليش؟ لأن الواحد بحاجة لتدفئة، بحاجة يشغل موتور مي، بحاجة يشتري مازوت، بحاجة يشتري خبز. Why? Because a person needs heating, needs to run a water pump, needs to buy diesel, needs to buy bread.
الخبز ارتفع، كان الربطة بـ 200 ليرة اليوم حق الربطة 1000 ليرة. Bread has gone up, a bundle was 200 liras, today the price of a bundle is 1000 liras.
بس أنا معلوماتي إنه معظم هاي الضيعة أهل الضيعة بحكي ها، وضعهم تقريباً جيد. But my information is that most of this village, the people of the village I mean, their situation is mostly good.
يعني مقبول شوي بس كل ماله يوم عن يوم عم يزداد سوء. I mean, it's somewhat acceptable, but day by day it's getting worse.
أنا معك صحيح. I agree with you, right.
يوم عن يوم عم يزيد هالغلا الفاحش هذا ما في استقرار، امبارحة فلحت لي كرم جنب المشفى. Day by day, this outrageous inflation is increasing, there is no stability. Yesterday I plowed an orchard next to the hospital.
قبل الشجرة الوحدة كلفتني 600 ليرة بس فلاحتها، امبارحة 700 ليرة. Before, a single tree cost me 600 liras just to plow it, yesterday it was 700 liras.
يعني خلال شهرين ثلاثة خيو ارتفع سعرها كثير، وهالشي طيب اللي ما معه إيش بيسوي؟ I mean, within two or three months, brother, its price went up a lot. And this thing, well, the one who has nothing, what does he do?
صحيح، الله يعطيك العافية يا عمو بشير. Right. May God give you health, Uncle Bashir.
أهلاً وسهلاً بشكرك كثير أبو عبيد، وإن شاء الله بلدنا يتحول للأحسن، ويكون في ديمقراطية. Welcome. I thank you very much, Abu Ubaid. And God willing, our country will change for the better, and there will be democracy.
والناس تحس إنه مواطنين سوريين فعلاً، عن حق وحقيقة. And people will feel that they are truly Syrian citizens, in truth and reality.
إن شاء الله. God willing.
السلام عليكم. Peace be upon you.
وعليكم السلام أهلاً وسهلاً. And upon you be peace, welcome.
مرحبا، أهلاً وسهلاً فيك. Hello, welcome.
شلونك عمو نتعرف عليك أنت من هون؟ How are you uncle? Can we get to know you, are you from here?
أنا من هون من الضيعة. I am from here, from the village.
الاسم الكريم؟ Your noble name?
عبد الرحمن جمو. Abdul Rahman Jamo.
عبد الرحمن جمو، يا أهلاً وسهلاً فيك، شو بتشتغل؟ Abdul Rahman Jamo, welcome to you. What do you do for a living?
والله متقاعد، بارك بالبيت. Well, I'm retired, sitting at home.
بالبيت، إيش في عندك أولاد؟ At home. What children do you have?
عندي ولاد سفرناهم لبرا. I have children, we sent them abroad.
ليش؟ Why?
إي ما كان في كيف بده ياخذ الأولاد؟ سفرناهم لبرا. Yeah, there was no way... how could he take the children? We sent them abroad.
وكل شباب الضيعة هيك؟ And all the youth of the village are like that?
أكثرية، يعني الشباب اللي شفتهم هون قليلين كثير، قليلين راحوا لبرا أوروبا. The majority, I mean the young men you see here are very few. They are few, they went out to Europe.
إيش بيشتغلوا هنيك؟ What do they do there?
بيروحوا بيشتغلوا الله أعلم شو بيشتغلوا ما بعرف. They go and work, God knows what they work, I don't know.
بيشتغلوا واحد باسطنبول واحد بالسويد، كثير يعني. They work, one in Istanbul, one in Sweden, a lot of them.
عم أقصد ولاد الضيعة كلهم. I mean all the children of the village.
والله أكثرية راحوا. Well, the majority left.
راحوا. بيبعتولكم مصاري بيساعدوكم؟ They left. Do they send you money, do they help you?
بيبعتولنا شوي شوي. They send us a little bit.
شوي عقدات عقدات. A little bit, occasionally.
ما بيبعتولنا ألواح، عقدات. They don't send us stacks, just occasionally.
يعني 100 200 كل شهر. I mean 100, 200 every month.
إي 200 دينار دولار شو؟ Yeah, 200 dinars, dollars, what?
دولار، لا لا لا، شوي شوي، تعني 100 دولار هيك بهال. Dollars, no no no, a little bit, meaning 100 dollars like that.
الله يرزقكم يا رب. May God provide for you.
الله يديمك الله يخليك. May God keep you, may God preserve you.
الله يعافيكم يا رب، أهلا شكراً لكم. شلون الأسعار هون؟ May God give you health, welcome, thank you. How are the prices here?
أسعار غالية. Prices are expensive.
ذبح ذبح، غالي والله. Slaughter, slaughter, it's expensive by God.
في شيء هون من المحل من شغل الضيعة، إنتاج الضيعة؟ Is there anything here from the local shop from the village's work, the village's production?
لا لا لا لا لا. No, no, no, no, no.
كله مشتري من برا؟ It's all bought from outside?
كله من برا هذا كله من برا والله. All from outside, this is all from outside, by God.
الله يعطيكم العافية. May God give you health.
الله يعافيك أهلاً وسهلاً. May God give you health, welcome.
شكراً إلكن. Thank you all.
مرحبا يا صبايا. شلونكم؟ Hello girls. How are you?
الحمد لله. Praise be to God.
شو اسمك؟ What's your name?
كلثوم. Kalthoum.
أهلاً وسهلاً. من وين؟ Welcome. From where?
من الغاب. From Al-Ghab.
أهلاً وسهلاً. وأنتي شو اسمك؟ Welcome. And you, what's your name?
خديجة. Khadija.
أهلاً وسهلاً بالآنسة خديجة. أنتي من وين يا خديجة؟ Welcome, Miss Khadija. Where are you from Khadija?
من هون. From here.
أنتي من وين؟ Where are you from?
من وين خديجة؟ Where from, Khadija?
من هون. From here.
آه من الضيعة من هون؟ كفرشيل؟ Ah, from the village here? Kafrshil?
مين أبوها؟ Who is her father?
أبو عماد. Abu Imad.
أبو عماد، يا أهلاً وسهلاً يا آنسة خديجة. Abu Imad. Welcome, Miss Khadija.
أنتي بأي صف؟ What grade are you in?
بتروحي عالمدرسة ولا لا؟ Do you go to school or not?
لا. No.
وأنتي؟ And you?
أنا بس للأول والثاني. I am just in first and second.
إي درستي الثاني؟ Ah, you studied in the second grade?
هي بس للأول والثاني بالمدرسة عم بيدرسوا، أنا رحت الثالث. They only teach first and second grade at school, I went to third.
ثالث، يعني هلق ما عاد في عندك مدرسة هون؟ Third, so now you don't have a school here anymore?
وين هلق هيك أنتو؟ Where are you like this now?
وين كنتوا هيك عم بتمشوا أنتي وخديجة؟ Where were you walking like this, you and Khadija?
كنا هنيك. We were over there.
هنيك؟ خديجة شلونك احكيلي شوي. Over there? Khadija, how are you, talk to me a little.
لا. No.
احكيلي شغلة. Tell me something.
لا. No.
بتحبي هالضيعة؟ Do you like this village?
أنا حبيتها كتير. I liked it a lot.
وحبيتها لأنو أنتي منا. And I liked it because you are from it.
مو بتحكي يا خديجة ليش ما عم تحكي معنا؟ Aren't you going to speak Khadija, why aren't you talking to us?
ما بعرف. I don't know.
طب قليلا تحكي معنا قنعيها. Well tell her to talk to us, convince her.
Kîfek? How are you?
Heyk. Like this.
Lêş? Why?
Ha? Huh?
Nihin hebeynak, intî hebeytîna? We liked you, did you like us?
Nihin hebeynakî, intî hebeytîna? We liked you, did you like us?
Ê. Yes.
Eyn aleykî. Ey sef? Good for you, what grade are you in?
Şû omrik? How old are you?
Omrik umrî... umrî sitte. I am six years old.
Omrik sitte? Ya selam, ya selam. Uş andik ixwe? You're six? Oh wow, oh wow. What siblings do you have?
Andik ixwe wela ma andik? Do you have siblings or not?
La. No.
Ma andik la halik intî? You don't have, are you alone?
Ya ehlen we sehlen fîkî. You are very welcome.
Nihin ktîr hebeynakî. We liked you very much.
Yalla. Selam aleykum. Alright. Peace be upon you.
Selam. Peace.
Selam aleykum. Peace be upon you.
Wa aleykum selam wa rahmetullah wa barakatuh. Ya mît ehlen we sehlen. And peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. You are very welcome.
Nitearraf aleyk. Can we get to know you?
Xalid Mihemed Eş-Şehûd min rîf El-Meera Eş-Şerqî. Ebû Ala. Khalid Muhammad Ash-Shahud from the eastern countryside of Maarrat. Abu Ala.
Ehlen wesehlen fîk. Muhacir lehûn? Welcome. Are you displaced here?
Muhacir lehûn, ê. Displaced here, yes.
Qedêş sarlak hûn? How long have you been here?
Sarlî sine w nus teqrîben. It's been about a year and a half.
Sine w nus. Ihkîlna ewez hûn şlon. Wadekûn intû kemuhacirîn. A year and a half. Tell us how the situation is here. What is your situation like as displaced people?
Wallah wedina mû zîyade yeenî biddî qellak... mû zîyade... U bas yeenî bi-hal-dêea ihne înşallah mirtahîn u mebsûtîn elhemdulelah reb el-alemîn. By God, our situation is not great, I mean I want to tell you... not great... But in this village we are comfortable and happy, praise be to God, Lord of the worlds.
Kîf ayşîn? Şû am tişteğlû? Mesder dexlekûn min wên? How are you living? What are you working on? Where is your source of income from?
Wallah şuğul ma fî. Yeenî biddak es-serahe şuğul ma fî. Bi- seyf fî şuğul xudra hûn bi-dêea. Fî ayleyn tlâte bîşteğlû bil-xudra. W işteğelna biz-zeytûn keman. By God, there is no work. I mean, to be honest with you, there is no work. In the summer there is work with vegetables here in the village. There are two or three families working with vegetables. And we worked with olives too.
Yeenî aamal ziraîye? Meaning agricultural work?
Ê aamal ziraîye. Yes, agricultural work.
Ma fî mihan, hiraf, wezayif aamme? Are there no professions, crafts, or public jobs?
La bid-dêea hûn ma fî ziraa hûn ed-dêea ekterîta yeenî kull ed-dêea biz-ziraa bîşteğlû. Ma andun ğeyr heyk. No, in the village here there isn't. Mostly agriculture here. The whole village works in agriculture. They don't have anything else.
Biz-ziraa bes. Only agriculture.
Ê biz-ziraa bes. Yes, only agriculture.
Min weyn bitcîbû haciyatekûn, mesela... haciyatekûn min Meerete min Efrîn min wên? Where do you get your necessities from, for example... your necessities from Maarrat, from Afrin, or from where?
El-xubiz byîcî lehûn fî dukken anne hûn el-xubiz byîcî lehûn. U el-baqî kullu min Efrîn, ê min Efrîn. Bread comes here, there is a shop here and the bread comes here. And the rest of everything is from Afrin, yes, from Afrin.
Wadel mayîşî şlon? How is the living situation?
Wallah şû biddî qellak... weset... ma fî la nzawid wela nnaqis, weset teqrîben ê. By God, what can I tell you... average... I can't exaggerate or understate, about average, yes.
Fî ktîr muhacirîn lehûn? Are there many displaced people here?
Ê fî teqrîben şî xamsîn ayle bid-dêea hûn. Yes, there are about fifty families in the village here.
Ma btişteğlû bi... maakûn heywanat trebûhun? Do you work with... do you have animals to raise?
Ê fî nas fî andun, ene andî erba anzat ê. Yes, some people have them. I have four goats, yes.
Ayşîn minnun? Do you live off of them?
Ê elhemdulelah reb el-alemîn. Yes, praise be to God, Lord of the worlds.
Sar fî tezawuc beynkûn w musahare beynkûn w beyn ehl ed- dêea? Have there been any marriages and in-law relationships between you and the people of the village?
Fî şexis wahid bes, sar fî. Only one person, there has been.
Eş tallemtû minnun w tallemû minkûn? What did you learn from them and what did they learn from you?
Wallah innu a-weynak cemaa kweysîn yeenî kullun u ihne min qedîm yeenî bnicî nişteğil hûn biz-zeytûn. Min qedîm yeenî bnicî lehûn w cîna aleyhun w elhemdulelah u ihne dayfûna wallah ma qesserû meana xalis ebeden. By God, I tell you, they are good people, all of them. And we, from the past, we used to come and work here in the olives. From the past, we used to come here and we came to them, and praise be to God, they hosted us. By God, they did not fall short with us at all, never.
Qedîmen kuntu ticû tişterû zeytûn? In the past, did you use to come and buy olives?
Kunne min qedîm nicî... We used to come from the past...
W lamma nazahtû aw tehaccertû lehûn... And when you fled or were displaced here...
Icîna ê... icîna ala mearifne teqrîben en-nas ktîr icet a-mearife lehûn ê. U istaqbelûna wallah istaqbelûna, yeenî ma qesserû meana xalis ebeden. We came, yes... we came to our acquaintances, roughly. A lot of people came to their acquaintances here, yes. And they welcomed us, by God, they welcomed us. I mean, they didn't fall short with us at all, never.
W niam. Bless them.
Ellah yeatîk el-afiye. Bless them.
Ellah yeatîk el-afiye. May God give you health.
Mît ehlen wesehlen... You are very welcome...
Şukren ilek. Thank you.
Ya mît ehlen wesehlen. You are very welcome.
Adat w teqalîd ahalî Kefer Şîl ekîd baa btixtilif an el-adat w et-teqalîd lel-mintaqa umûmen ellî waqaa ğerbî medînet Efrîn. The customs and traditions of the people of Kafr Shil certainly differ slightly from the customs and traditions of the region in general, which is located west of the city of Afrin.
Yeenî hiye bitişbah ktîr Maarate w btişbah Kefer Cenne w btişbah Xilnêr. Walakin fîha mîzat muxtelife qalîlen baad eş-şey'. Fî munasabat el-aayad we fî munasabat el-efrah we fî munasabat el-etrah. I mean, it is very similar to Maarat and Kafr Jannah and Khilner. But it has slightly different features in holiday occasions, in occasions of joy, and in occasions of sorrow.
Lel-hedîs an el-adat w et-teqalîd fî Kefer Şîl seyekûn maana el-amm Ebdelcewad Silêman muxtar el-qarye... Ebû İmad... hîye yihkîlna an hal-adat. Ellah yeatîk el-afiye ammî Ebû İmad. To talk about the customs and traditions in Kafr Shil, we will be joined by Uncle Abdul Jawad Suleiman, the village mukhtar... Abu Imad... to tell us about these customs. May God give you health, Uncle Abu Imad.
Ehlen wesehlen w mît ehlen wesehlen. Welcome, you are very welcome.
Heleq qabl eş-şî, ene araft innu hûn teqrîben kanet es-saha tabaa el-qarye. Now, first of all, I learned that this was roughly the village square.
Ewa. Yes.
Ellî kan yisîr fîha fil-waqfat... waqfet Eyd el-Fitir w Eyd el-Edha, bitsawû hûn bitsammûha intû ma'ide muştereke tawîle ew keza heyk... şlon btsîr? What used to happen here on the eves... the eve of Eid al- Fitr and Eid al-Adha. You make here what you call a long shared table or something like that... how does it happen?
Qabl el-eyd b-yom yomeyn kan ysîhû beyn ed-dêea innu bukra xeyr el-meyyit. A day or two before the Eid, they would call out among the village that tomorrow is the "Charity of the Dead."
Xeyr el-meyyit. Charity of the Dead.
Biddun yamilû xeyr lel-meyyit. Kull wahid yîcî yutbux tubxa u yeenî... They want to do charity for the dead. Everyone would come and cook a meal, and I mean...
Kweys. A good one.
Kweys yeenî mû heyalla tubxa. A good one, I mean, not just any meal.
Ê. Yes.
Tanî yom byisîhû, byîcîbû waqit... qabl el-ğeda qabl... The next day they call out, they bring it on time... before lunch, before...
Bihuttû beyn ed-dêea. They place it in the village.
Bihuttû hûn... They place it here...
Bihuttû hûn? They place it here?
Bihuttû hûn min hûn la ğaşî... yeenî mu eqel şî xemsîn metir mît metir tûl es-sîniyat yeenî. They place it here, from here to the end... I mean not less than fifty or a hundred meters long of trays.
Sewanî, ma'ide muştereke. Trays, a shared table.
Sewanî... ma'ide yeenî kull wahid cayib meau. Trays... a table, I mean, everyone brings their own.
Yictimuu ahl ed-dêea kullun? The whole village gathers?
Byictimuu ahl ed-dêea kullun... we l-ğarîb adda keman ywaqqif... byisîhû aat... yalla yalla... eş-şebab eş- şebab... kullun byaklu min hal-ekil. The whole village gathers... and even a stranger passing by stops... they call out to them... come on, come on... the young men, the young men... they all eat from this food.
Şebab w niswan w wlad? Young men, women, and children?
La bes şebab... rical w şebab... in-niswan la. No, only young men... men and young men... women, no.
Kan xallîna nimşî ammu şway, xallîna nimşî. Let's walk a bit, uncle. Let's walk.
Kanu yidhahu debayih bhadak el-waqit? Did they used to slaughter sacrifices at that time?
Fî minnun debayih, fî minnun yîcîbû laham, fî minnun hasab et-tubxat yeenî. Some of them have sacrifices, some bring meat, some depending on the meals, you know.
We kull ahl ed-dêea rahet takul? And all the village people go to eat?
Kull ahl ed-dêea. Yeenî kull wahid biddu ybeyyin halu innu akilu lazim atyab min hadak el-ekil. All the village people. I mean, everyone wants to show off that their food must be more delicious than the other food.
W hade ismu xeyr el-meyyit. And this is called "Charity of the Dead."
Xeyr el-meyyit. Charity of the Dead.
Bi-waqfet Eyd el-Fitir w waqfet Eyd el-Edha? On the eve of Eid al-Fitr and the eve of Eid al-Adha?
Ê... byisîhû ew... Yes... they call out...
Tayib hey el-aade mawcûde bi-ğeyr diye wala bes andkûn? Well, is this custom present in other villages or only with you?
Wallah bicûz fî diye keman... yeenî mû anne mû bes ... fî ğeyr diye keman. By God, it might be in other villages too... I mean, not just with us... in other villages too.
Xallîna nimşî. Let's walk.
Eymet hal-aade axer marra sawaytûha? When was the last time you did this custom?
Min şî... wallah intahat şî min xamstaş sine teqrîben... min xamstaş sine... waqfet a... From about... by God, it stopped about fifteen years ago... from fifteen years... the eve of...
Tayib... Ene ellî baarifu innu aydan keman fî andkûn şî ismu zîyare. Alright... What I also know is that you also have something called a "Ziyarah".
Zîyare... Ziyarah...
Lamma byinhebis el-matar. Eş byisîr eş-şî byisawwa? When the rain stops. What happens, what is done?
Yis... şî sine matar qalîl... el-aalam am byidau... byaxdu xewarîf kull bayt byaxud xarûf az-zîyare. In a year when there's little rain... people pray... they take sheep, every house takes a sheep to the Ziyarah.
Byirûh az-zîyare, byurqusû byidbukû ahyanen tubul... w zurnaye... byaxdu maa baadun maa... byurqusû hawalî zîyare we baadên byidbihû. They go to the Ziyarah, they dance, they do dabke, sometimes with drums... and a zurna... they take them together... they dance around the Ziyarah and then they slaughter.
Yidbihû xewarîf? They slaughter sheep?
Xewarîf, w yutbuxû hnîk. Kull wahid ayle la hal... yutbuxû keman ymiddu hal... sifre hal-ekil... yaklu kullun maa camaa maa baadun. Sheep, and they cook them there. Every family on their own... they cook and spread the table with this food... they all eat together as a group.
Nisa' w rical muxtalet? Women and men mixed?
Hadak hnîk rical w nisa'... bas niswan la halun bi-cîha byaklu w rical la halun yeenî... yeenî... W baad ma xallesû byidau we byinzilû kull wahid a-baytu a-dayatu. Over there, there are men and women... but women on their own in one side eating, and men on their own... I mean... And after they finish, they pray and everyone goes down to their home, to their village.
Kull ma inhebese el-matar heyk byisîr. Whenever the rain stops, this happens.
Ê... wa ahyanen habbese wasilû ad-dêea ahyanen kani yîcî matar. Ahyanen keman yitawwil kam yom illa hal-kam yom yisîr matar yeenî bi-quwet Allah... Yes... and sometimes as soon as they reach the village, sometimes the rain comes. Sometimes it also takes a few days, but within those few days it rains by God's power...
Min duaakûn. From your prayers.
Min duaana... From our prayers...
Fî şî keman yeenî smeetu ellî fhemtu. Innu kan ahyanen fî andkûn aade sayra innu lamma el-qamar byiğîb ew byinhêcib bi-sine marra mitla am biqulu... There's also something I heard and understood. That sometimes you had a custom that when the moon disappeared or was eclipsed in a year, like they say...
Wallah ene kuntu zğîr... yeenî awwe el-umrî. Kan el-qamar yeğîb... yeenî byiqulu el-hût akalu. By God, I was young... I mean in my early years. The moon would disappear... I mean they would say the whale ate it.
El-hût akalu. The whale ate it.
El-hût akalu. Kan yîcîbû tenak yîcîbû şeğlat yudrubû a-hal- tenak w ysîhû... tubul... The whale ate it. They used to bring tin cans, bring things to hit on these tin cans and shout... drums...
Tubul. Drums.
Tubul w tenak mate muhim. W ellî andu silah yidrub la foq yeenî kan zeman yidrubû heyk as-sema innu ya hût itruk el- qamar... itruk el-qamar... Drums and tin cans, whatever is available. And whoever has a weapon shoots upwards, I mean in the past they would shoot at the sky like, "Oh whale, leave the moon... leave the moon..."
Itruk el-qamar yeenî itruk el-qamar. "Itruk el-qamar" meaning leave the moon.
Ê. Şway şway... mû... halağ xusûf... şway şway am byirûh aha... el-hût tarak el-qamar... Yes. Slowly, slowly... not... now it's an eclipse... slowly, slowly it goes away, ah... the whale let go of the moon...
Şî hulu ktîr... Ellî smeetu keman ellî fhemtu innu intu andkûn fil ... nar byisîr yeenî farah. Very beautiful thing... What I also heard and understood is that you have... when there's a joy.
Ê. Yes.
Urs w in-nafas l-ibnak. Kull ahalî ed-dêea byîştirkû bit- teklife. Teklifet el-urs. Şlon? Ihkîlî haş-şî. A wedding and you throw a party for your son. All the people of the village share the cost. The cost of the wedding. How? Tell me about this.
B-twazziu kurût. Ewelî qedîmen kan ywezziu qitaat qimaş aw kase aw şeğlat sînîye aw ... hey mişan ed-dawe el-urs... They distribute cards. In the past, they used to distribute pieces of cloth or a cup or a tray or... this is for the wedding invitation...
Eh. Kull wahid hedîye bi-baatûlu. Yes. Everyone is sent a gift.
We yom el-urs kullun byîctemuu... baad ma yruhû yîcîbû el- arûs w yamilû hafle ewelî kan bid-dêea baadên sar bil- meqasif keza naam... Yictimuu ahl ed-dêea kullun, ahyanen fî minnun saba yyam kanu yiduqû tabul saba yyam. Wa ahl ed-dêea kullun mawcûdîn... yruhû kull ed-dêea and beyt.. hadol dyafî and beyt. And on the day of the wedding they all gather... after they go and bring the bride and have a party. At first it was in the village, then it became in wedding halls, etc. Yes... All the village people gather, sometimes for seven days they would beat the drum, for seven days. And all the village people are present... all the village goes to the house... these guests at the house.
Naam. Yes.
Ynamû tanî yom is-subih keman yîcû a-l-urs... we fî minnun yom yomeyn kan yixlas yeenî.. They sleep, and the next morning they come to the wedding... and some of them would finish in a day or two...
Ene maak. Bas sualî, şlon kanu ahl ed-dêea yitşarekû bi- kilfet el-urs? I'm with you. But my question is, how did the village people share the cost of the wedding?
B-aad ma yom bidu yintehî.. yîcî it-tabbal... quddam kull wahid yqul "şabaş" li-ahl el-arûs yeenî el-arîs. After the day is about to end... the drummer comes... in front of everyone he says "Shabash" to the bride's family, I mean the groom.
Ehl el-arîs... ê. The groom's family... yes.
Hade byaatî meselen eşqad byitla minnun, hade byaatî qalîl hade byaatî ektar hade byaatî ektar... w baadên baad ma tabaa el-arîs byitla şobaş tabaat it-tabbalîn. This one gives, for example, whatever he can afford. This one gives a little, this one gives more, this one gives more... and then after the groom's part, the drummers' Shabash comes out.
Yeenî şobaş tneyn, wahid tabaa el-arîs, u wahid tabaa tabbalîn... I mean, two Shabashs, one for the groom, and one for the drummers...
Ewa. Yes.
Yeenî bih-el-hale ahl el-maazîm xellîna nsammîhun byisaadû bi-kilfet el-urs. So in this case, the guests, let's call them, help with the cost of the wedding.
Bi-saadû ewa. Yeenî ahyanen byitla kilfet el-arûs el-urs kullu min el-qaraybîn yeenî. They help, yes. I mean sometimes the cost of the bride, the whole wedding, is covered by the relatives.
Tamam. Biqiyat şeğle wahde bas. Ellî fhimtu ankûn innu bel- wefat esna' el-aza yeenî aydan btitcemme ed-dêea killa w bitithemmel kilfet el-aza. Yeenî byîcîbû akil lel-meyyit w lel-muazzîn, fil-yom el-ewel w it-tanî w it-talit w mumkin yistimir hetta ektar. Şlon hey? Okay. Only one thing left. What I understood from you is that in the event of a death, during the mourning period, the whole village also gathers and bears the cost of the mourning. I mean, they bring food for the deceased and for the mourners, on the first, second, and third day, and it might even continue longer. How is this?
Hey ade ellî tuwuffî akter şî qaraybînu... This custom, the one who died, mostly his relatives...
بيجمعوا هالمصاري أو بيعملوا كل بيت يوم غدا يعني. They collect this money, or each house makes lunch for a day.
بس أكثرية اللي ما بيعمل غدا بحط مصاري يعني. But the majority of those who don't make lunch contribute money instead.
اللي خمسين ألف، اللي مية ألف، اللي خمسة وعشرين ألف، حسب قدرته يعني. Some give fifty thousand, some a hundred thousand, some twenty-five thousand, according to their ability.
يعني بيجمع تقريباً كلفة هالميت كمان على... So they gather roughly the expenses for the deceased as well...
أول نهار مين بيسوي الأكل لأهل الميت؟ Who makes the food for the family of the deceased on the first day?
أهل الميت... أول يوم أهل الميت. The family of the deceased... On the first day, the family of the deceased.
ثاني يوم؟ The second day?
ثاني يوم يا أخوه، يا ولاد عمه، يا ولاد أخته. On the second day, either his brothers, his cousins, or his nephews.
اليوم الثالث؟ The third day?
الثالث كمان من قرايبين وقرايبينهم. The third day is also from relatives and extended family.
تمام. Alright.
بس لما جمعوا هالمصاري بيعطوه لأهل الميت. But when they collect this money, they give it to the family of the deceased.
بجوز هو كمان بيتصرف بهال... يعني... He might also use it for... you know...
نعم، بيدبر أموره. Yes, to manage his affairs.
يعطيك العافية أبو عماد. May God give you health, Abu Imad.
أهلاً وسهلاً، شرفتوا، يا أهلاً. Welcome, you have honored us, welcome.
[Music] [Music]
فيما يخص كفرشيل تاريخياً، فإن الاسم سرياني وتعني مزرعة شيل. As for Kafr Shil historically, the name is Syriac and means "the farm of Shil."
القرية الأصلية كما قلنا توجد إلى الجنوب من هذا المكان للقرية الحالية، وقد كانت قرية رومانية قديمة. The original village, as we said, is located to the south of this place for the current village, and it was an ancient Roman village.
أما هنا فقد كانت هناك مغاور سكنها الإنسان بعدما تعرضت القرية القديمة للخراب والدمار، وزلازل حصلت في فترة متأخرة. As for here, there were caves inhabited by people after the old village was subjected to ruin and destruction, and earthquakes that occurred in a later period.
للحديث عن تاريخ قرية كفرشيل، يسرنا أن نلتقي بالأستاذ محمد سليمان، أحد أبناء هذه القرية، والعالم بتاريخها. To talk about the history of the village of Kafr Shil, we are pleased to meet with Mr. Muhammad Suleiman, one of the sons of this village and a scholar of its history.
الله يعطيك العافية أستاذ محمد. May God give you health, Mr. Muhammad.
الله يعافيك، أهلاً أستاذي. May God grant you health, welcome, my sir.
حياك الله. May God greet you.
احكيلي... يعني أصل كفرشيل، اللي حكينا كفرشيل القديمة. Tell me... I mean about the origin of Kafr Shil, the old Kafr Shil that we talked about.
كفرشيل القديمة هي موقعها قبلة الضيعة الحالية، فوق النبعة. The location of the old Kafr Shil is south of the current village, above the spring.
كانت عبارة عن نبعة مائية حواليها سكن، وفي كنيستين. It was a water spring surrounded by housing, and there were two churches.
كنيسة بالناحية الغربية، ووحدة بالناحية الشرقية. A church on the western side, and one on the eastern side.
نتيجة الزلازل والبراكين والأحداث اللي صارت، تقريباً تهدمت القرية. As a result of earthquakes, volcanoes, and the events that took place, the village was almost entirely destroyed.
وبقي آثار منها. ونتيجة إنه الـ... And ruins of it remained. And as a result of the...
بأي فترة؟ In what period?
والله ما وصلنا هالفترة، ما بنعرف تاريخها، عن تاريخها بالضبط ما بنعرف. Well, we haven't reached that period, we don't know its history, we don't know exactly about its history.
نحن سكننا، نحن يعني وعينا ع حالنا شفنا آثار موجودة. We lived here, I mean, we grew up and saw the ruins present.
بس بأي تاريخ ما بنعرف. But in what date exactly, we don't know.
هلق حالياً ما في آثار؟ Are there no ruins right now?
ما في، لا هلا تقريباً نتيجة التنقيب عنه والعالم وكذا اختفت، في قليل منها، وأخذوا حجارة استعملوها للبناء بالضيعة. There aren't, no, now almost due to excavations by people and such, they disappeared. There's a little bit left, and they took stones to use for building in the village.
طيب لكن كفرشيل القديمة قبل ما أنتقل للي بعدها، وين تقع عن عفرين؟ Okay, but the old Kafr Shil, before I move on to the next part, where is it located in relation to Afrin?
تقع شي تقريباً 3 كيلو متر غربي عفرين. It's located approximately 3 kilometers west of Afrin.
غربي عفرين. West of Afrin.
باتجاه معراتة. In the direction of Ma'rata.
ع طريق معراتة، من منتصف الطريق تقريباً. On the Ma'rata road, roughly halfway there.
ليش سكن الإنسان، يعني ابن كفرشيل الأصلي ليش سكن بهداك المكان اللي الآن اسمه خربة؟ ليش سكن هنيك؟ Why did people live, I mean the original inhabitant of Kafr Shil, why did they live in that place which is now called a ruin? Why did they live there?
لأنه كان فيها نبعة مي. وعادةً الإنسان وين بيسكن؟ بيسكن حوالي بيكون في مي. Because there was a water spring there. And generally, where do people live? They live around where there is water.
مشان أولاً المزروعات، ثانياً مشان الغنمات أو الحيوانات اللي عنده، يستفيدوا منها. Firstly for the crops, and secondly for the sheep or animals they have, to benefit from it.
يعني كانوا غنامة؟ So they were shepherds?
كان بطبيعة الحال، قديماً أكثر شيء غنامة، كانت مناطق جبلية، أكثر شيء يعتمدوا ع الغنم. Naturally, in the past they were mostly shepherds. They were mountainous areas, so they relied mostly on sheep.
طيب طبيعة المنطقة الجغرافية بهداك الوقت كيف كانت؟ Okay, what was the geographical nature of the region at that time?
كانت عنا تقريباً في منطقة هي غربي الضيعة، عبارة عن متل بحيرة ماء حواليها كلها قصب، We had roughly an area west of the village, which was like a lake surrounded entirely by reeds,
ومنطقة جبلية كان فيها مغر، يستفيدوا منها في تربية الأغنام والمواشي تقريباً. and a mountainous area with caves that they used mostly for raising sheep and livestock.
تمام. طيب بعد ما تدمرت القرية القديمة وما بتعرف أديش التاريخ، انتقلت الناس اللي سكنت هنيك لهون. Alright. So after the old village was destroyed, and you don't know the exact date, the people who lived there moved here.
سكنوا هون، على بعد 2 كيلو متر شمالي القرية القديمة. They settled here, about 2 kilometers north of the old village.
شمال القرية حوالي كيلو متر تقريباً. North of the village by about one kilometer.
طيب ليش سكنوا هون؟ Yes, one kilometer.
طيب ليش سكنوا هون؟ Okay, why did they settle here?
سكنوا هون في مغر، سكنوا بالمغر، استفادوا من المغر سكنوا فيها. They settled here because there were caves. They lived in the caves; they benefited from them and lived in them.
لأنه العمار انهدم سكنوا في المغر. Since the buildings were destroyed, they lived in the caves.
تمام. طيب مين العوائل يعني المشكلة أو المؤسسة لهالقرية؟ وقديش صار لهم جايين لهون؟ Alright. So who are the families forming or founding this village? And how long have they been here?
تقريباً عوائل بالنسبة لجدي أنا بعرف لسابع جد إجوا ساكنين هون. Families roughly, as for my grandfather, I know up to my seventh grandfather who came and lived here.
نحن وكندير تقريباً ضيعة وحدة، نتيجة مراعي وانتقال من منطقة لمنطقة، أحد الإخوة اجوا سكنوا بكفرشيل، سليمان وأخوه مصطفى. We and Kandir are almost one village. Due to grazing lands and moving from one area to another, one of the brothers came and settled in Kafr Shil, Suleiman and his brother Mustafa.
هدول من عشيرة الرشوان. These are from the Rashwan tribe.
من عشيرة الرشوان إيه. Yes, from the Rashwan tribe.
في عيلة تانية نتيجة في تبادل زواج وقربة ومصاهرة، اجوا عيلة تانية سكنوا كمان معنا، عيلة بيت خليل سيجرازي نحن بنقول لهم. There is another family. Due to intermarriage, kinship, and marriage ties, another family came and settled with us too, the family of Khalil Sigrazi, as we call them.
هدول هفيدية اسمهم. They are called Havidia.
هفيدية. Havidia.
هفيدية إيه اجوا سكنوا عنا. Yes, Havidia. They came and settled with us.
في شيكاك؟ Are there Shikak?
في شيكاك بعد فترة كمان نتيجة مصاهرة إجت عائلة من الشيكاك سكنوا كمان عنا، صاروا ثلاثة. There are Shikak. After a while, also due to intermarriage, a family from the Shikak came and settled with us too, making it three.
وفي عائلة قديمة كمان كانوا بعدنا اجوا لهون بيت شو اسمه... عائلة كوتشر. And there is an old family as well, they came here after us, the family of what's his name... the Kochar family.
عشيرة كوتشر إيه. Yes, the Kochar tribe.
هلا عندي معلومة بأنه يعني المؤسسين الأصليين لهالقرية اللي هي كفرشيل سكنوا في فترة ما في خلنير. Now I have a piece of information that the original founders of this village, which is Kafr Shil, lived at some point in Khalnir.
في قبل ما يجوا لهون إيه. خلنير كان منطقة جبلية، فيها مغر، استفادوا من المغر سكنوا فيها أكثر شيء. Before they came here, yes. Khalnir was a mountainous area with caves; they mostly made use of the caves and lived in them.
بعد ما صار تطوير الزراعة وطلع آلات زراعية حديثة، حفروا متل مجاري صفوا المي على المجاري، After agriculture developed and modern agricultural machinery appeared, they dug like channels, drained the water into the channels,
صفي أراضي زراعية استفادوا منها، صاروا يستفيدوا منها. and it became agricultural land that they benefited from.
استصلحوها. They reclaimed it.
استصلحوها ايوا. Yes, they reclaimed it.
إذاً معناها الآن القرية مؤلفة من ثلاثة أو أربعة أفخاذ. So that means the village is now composed of three or four clans.
إيه أربع عائلات تقريباً. Yes, about four families.
شقف لي هنن نفسهم الرشوان؟ Shaqaflis, are they the same as Rashwan?
نفسهم إيه فخذ منهم. The same, yes, a clan of them.
شقف لي هنن فخذ من الرشوان؟ The Shaqaflis are a clan of the Rashwan?
فخذ من الرشوان إيه. Yes, a clan of the Rashwan.
اللي هنن مؤسسين الضيعة هون. Who are the founders of the village here.
إيه فخذ من الرشوان إيه. Yes, a clan of the Rashwan.
تمام، تمام. يعني أنا فيني أقول الناس اللي... الكرد السوريين اللي استوطنوا هون، اللي سكنوا هون، قديش صار لهم؟ عم بتقول من سبع جدود؟ Alright, alright. So can I say the people who... the Syrian Kurds who settled here, who lived here, how long have they been here? You're saying since seven grandfathers?
لأ قديمين كتير بس بالنسبة إلي أنا بعرف لسابع جد. أنا بعرف لسابع جد. No, they are very ancient, but as for me, I know up to my seventh grandfather. I know up to my seventh grandfather.
يعني عندي الوالد الله يرحمه بتذكر بمذكراته اسمه واسم أبوه واسم جده لسابع جد تقريباً. I mean, my father, God have mercy on him, I remember in his memoirs he wrote his name, his father's name, and his grandfather's name up to the seventh grandfather roughly.
تمام. هلا في معلومة أيضاً أنا قرأت عنها بأنه كان في عرب كانوا يسكنوا بالمنطقة اللي بين كفرشيل وبين معراتة، وقيودهم على كفرشيل للآن. Alright. Now there's also a piece of information I read about that there were Arabs who lived in the area between Kafr Shil and Ma'rata, and their civil registry records are in Kafr Shil to this day.
كان أولي يجوا رعيان معهم غنم، يجوا أصحاب الغنم هون. In the past, shepherds used to come with their sheep, the sheep owners would come here.
وشلون هلا اخوتنا جايين لعنا يسجلوا على اسم الضيعة، ومواليدهم مواليد الضيعة. Just like how our brothers are coming to us now, they registered under the name of the village, and their birthplaces are listed as the village.
وفي منهم يجوا يشتغلوا فلاحين عند مثلاً الإقطاعية الموجودين هون. And some of them used to come and work as farmers for, say, the feudal lords present here.
كان في إقطاعية هون؟ Were there feudal lords here?
كان في طبعاً مثلاً اللي عنده أولي بسنوات ثلاث أربع إخوة There were, of course. For example, someone who had three or four brothers back then,
أراضيه كثيرة إجباري بدهم فلاحين يشتغلوا عنده، يجيبوا. and had a lot of land, they inevitably needed farmers to work for them, so they brought them.
أيوا. I see.
إيه، يجيبوا. Yes, they brought them.
تمام. إذاً في مسجل على قيود الضيعة عرب من العميرات. Alright. So there are Arabs from the Omeirat registered in the village's records.
عرب، في من العميرات. Arabs, there are some from the Omeirat.
من البو شعبان؟ From the Albu Shaban?
شلون؟ Pardon?
من البو شعبان؟ From the Albu Shaban?
لا عميرات هن. No, they are Omeirat.
عميرات إيه عميرات. Omeirat, yes, Omeirat.
إيه عميرات. Yes, Omeirat.
حسب معلوماتي أنا، حتى صار مصاهرة بين بعضكم كمان يعني. According to my information, there even came to be intermarriage among you too.
بين العرب والكرد. Between Arabs and Kurds.
أخذتوا وعطيتوا منهم وتزوجتوا، ومصاهرة. You married from one another, gave and took in marriage.
إيه عادي، عادي هاي. Yes, it's normal, that's normal.
وشو كنتم تشتغلوا سوا؟ And what did you use to work in together?
بالزراعة، بالزراعة وبالرعي. In agriculture. In agriculture and grazing.
زراعة ورعي. Agriculture and grazing.
طيب. هلق أنا بالفترة الأخيرة، صارت تطورت، يعني صار دراسة، صار ثقافة، صار علم، اشتغلوا بالوظائف واشتغلوا بالأعمال الحرة وكل شيء هلق. Okay. Now, in the recent period, things have developed; I mean, there is education, culture, and science. They worked in jobs and freelancing, and everything now.
تمام. Exactly.
أنا حسب معلوماتي إنه الآن نحن وصلنا تقريباً لمكان أقدم بيت بالضيعة. According to my information, we have now roughly arrived at the location of the oldest house in the village.
إيه. Yes.
هو بيت مين؟ Whose house is it?
بيت اسمه بيت مصطفى عثمان. A family known as the family of Mustafa Othman.
عثمان، خلينا نروح نشوفه. Othman, let's go see it.
تفضل. Please, go ahead.
[Music] [Music]
هون هاد البيت. Here is this house.
هاد البيت إيه. This is the house, yes.
بس نتيجة إنه صار عمار جديد، يعني بقي من الآثار شي بسيط يعني. But because there has been new construction, only a small part of the ruins remained.
خلينا نشوف، تفضل. السلام عليكم. Let's see, please. Peace be upon you.
هلق واضح هاد البيت؟ Now, is this house clear?
شرف للإمام لهون. Please come forward here.
هلق هيدي الحجرة؟ Now, this stone?
إيه. Yes.
مكتوب عليها 1220 هجري؟ It says 1220 Hijri on it?
أيوة. نعم. Yes. Yes.
هاد البيت، هاد أقدم بيت؟ This house, is this the oldest house?
أقدم بيت إيه. The oldest house, yes.
شو هيدي الـ... الرسمة اللي هون، تحتها؟ وردة؟ What is this... drawing here, underneath it? A rose?
وردة إيه. وردة. A rose, yes. A rose.
هاد شو كان هون؟ What was this here?
كان مثل بيت الآغا. It was like the Agha's house.
بيت الآغا؟ The Agha's house?
بيت الآغا القديم. القديم. The old Agha's house. The old one.
أيوة. هات هنيك جوا كان موديل قناطر؟ I see. Was it an archway design inside there?
شرف. Go ahead.
أيوة. واضح. هذا هو... هذا هو البيت. I see. It's clear. This is... this is the house.
هاد هو، بس هدوه، قسموه، صار فتحوا فيه مشاريع تانية، معمل وما معمل، هيك ضيعت ملامحها يعني. This is it, but they tore it down, divided it, and opened other projects in it, a factory and what not, so it lost its features.
ضيعت ملامحها. It lost its features.
إيه. Yes.
هاد أقدم بيت وما زال موجود؟ Is this the oldest house and it's still existing?
أقدم بيت إيه، ما زال موجود إيه. The oldest house, yes, it still exists, yes.
لكن هو أقدم بيت انبنى في الضيعة فعلاً؟ But is it actually the oldest house built in the village?
أقدم بيت كان على سر النبعة، البيوت القديمة كانوا هنيك. The oldest house was right by the spring, the old houses were there.
أنا عم بحكي ع الضيعة هي الحالية. I'm talking about this current village.
الضيعة هلق أقدم بيت بتذكر أنا هاد. In the village now, the oldest house I remember is this one.
هاد؟ هاد أقدم بيت. This one? This is the oldest house.
هاد إيه. This one, yes.
طيب. شرف أستاذي. Okay. Come along, my sir.
أستاذي شرف، بدي أسألك آخر سؤال. Come along, my sir, I want to ask you a final question.
تفضل. Go ahead.
تاريخياً أهل كفرشيل كيف كانت علاقتهم؟ يعني مع المنطقة؟ علاقاتهم الإدارية، علاقاتهم التجارية؟ Historically, how were the relations of the people of Kafr Shil? I mean with the region? Their administrative relations, their commercial relations?
والله المنطقة كلها كانت علاقة أخوية، وعلاقة جيران، يعني علاقة محبة. Honestly, the whole region had a brotherly relationship, a relationship of neighbors, I mean a relationship of love.
علاقة محبة، وعلاقة تعاون. يعني بالأفراح، وبالمصائب كانوا بيتكاثروا مع بعضهم. A relationship of love and cooperation. In joys and in hardships, they used to gather with one another.
ارتباطهم مع مين أكثر شيء؟ ارتباطهم بأي مكان، بعفرين مثلاً ولا بمعراتة؟ Who was their connection with the most? Their connection to which place, with Afrin, for example, or with Ma'rata?
عفرين مدينة مي قديمة، عفرين مدينة مي قديمة، عمرها 100 وشوي يعني. نعم. Afrin is not an old city. Afrin is not an old city; it's about 100 years old or so. Yes.
كان مع معبطلي، ومع مثلاً شران، مع الضياع اللي حواليها، مع كلس، مع معراتة، It was with Maabatli, and for example Sharran, with the surrounding villages, with Kilis, with Ma'rata.
يعني الضيع الكبيرة كان في مناطق كان مثل ناحية يعني. I mean, the big villages, there were areas that were like a sub-district.
القرى العربية الأقرب إلها مين هي؟ Which are the closest Arab villages to it?
القرى العربية، ما في نحن عنا قرى خاصة عربية ما في. Arab villages, we don't have exclusively Arab villages here, no.
أقرب تجمع عربي لكفرشيل؟ The closest Arab settlement to Kafr Shil?
تجمع عربي بابليت. An Arab settlement is in Bablit.
كيف كانت العلاقة؟ How was the relationship?
علاقة كمان كويسة. ممتازة. The relationship was also good. Excellent.
وما زالت؟ And it still is?
وما زالت ممتازة إيه. And it still is excellent, yes.
الله يعطيك العافية. May God give you health.
الله يعافيك أستاذي. متشكرين كتير، أهلاً وسهلاً، فرصة سعيدة. May God grant you health, my sir. Thank you very much, welcome, it was a happy opportunity.
حياك الله أستاذي. الله يعطيك ألف عافية. May God greet you, my sir. May God give you a thousand healths.
[Music] [Music]
بهالفقرة الأخيرة رح نزور معكم العم جمعة عبدو، أكبر رجال معمر بكفرشيل، ليحكيلنا عن أوضاعه وأوضاع الناس... In this final segment, we will visit with you Uncle Jumaa Abdo, the oldest living man in Kafr Shil, so he can tell us about his conditions and the conditions of the people...
ويغني لنا بآخر فقرة من هالحلقة أغنية من تراث المنطقة وفلكلورها الغنائي. And he will sing for us in the last segment of this episode a song from the region's heritage and its musical folklore.
تفضلوا معنا. Please join us.
السلام عليكم. Peace be upon you.
أهلا وسهلا. Welcome.
شلونك عمي جمعة؟ How are you, Uncle Jumaa?
والله... إنت بتعرف العمر إلو دور. Well... you know age plays a role.
إلو دور، الله يطول بعمرك. قديش عمرك؟ It does, may God prolong your life. How old are you?
عمري... 82 سنة. I am... 82 years old.
ما شاء الله، يعني 82 سنة. Mashallah, so 82 years old.
إي 82 سنة. Yes, 82 years old.
ما شاء الله، احكيلي عنك، عن وضعك شلون؟ Mashallah, tell me about yourself, how is your situation?
وضعي... رحمة الله... هالدار... والـ 80 شجرة براس الجبل. My situation... God's mercy... this house... and the 80 trees at the top of the mountain.
الحمد لله. Thank God.
عايشين... شغل ما بحسن... والله هاديك الساعة لحتى طلعت برا، لحد الآن أنا مرضان. We are living... I can't work... I swear, just an hour ago when I went outside, and I am still sick until now.
سلامتك، سلامتك. Get well soon, get well soon.
تسلم. Thank you.
قبل ما نصور معك كنت عم تقلي إنو يعني الإنسان الكبير بهالبلد مو آخد حقه. Before we started filming with you, you were telling me that an old person in this country is not getting his rights.
مظبوط، لازم حقه، إذا صار عمره 60، لازم يعطوه دولة حقه. Exactly, he needs his rights. If he turns 60, the state must give him his rights.
بتعرف ليش؟ نحن مو بحاجة شيء، إيش في بسوريا؟ لا بنزين، لا مازوت، لا أكل لا شرب، لا زيتون، لا كروم... Do you know why? We don't need anything, what is there in Syria? No gasoline, no diesel, no food or drink, no olives, no vineyards...
هذا كله سوري... ورد الجوري سوري. All of this is Syrian... the Damask rose is Syrian.
والله صايرين تحت الحصيرة، تاريخ مقطوعين. مو حرام علينا؟ We have been swept under the rug, cut off from history. Isn't it a pity for us?
حرام. It is a pity.
نروح ع حلب وبنرجع... بساعة، وقاضي شغلنا بحلب ونجي نشتغل هون كمان. We used to go to Aleppo and come back... in an hour, and finish our work in Aleppo and come work here too.
احكيلي عن ذكرياتك بهالضيعة؟ Tell me about your memories in this village?
ذكرياتي بهالضيعة... هالضيعة... أول مسقط رأسي هون. My memories in this village... this village... it is my birthplace.
نعم. Yes.
بهالضيعة، أنا شفت أبوي، شفت أمي، شفت أم أم أبوي، بس أنا ما شفت جدي. In this village, I saw my father, I saw my mother, I saw my father's grandmother, but I didn't see my grandfather.
ما شفته، هدول أنا شايفهم. I didn't see him, I have seen these people.
كانت ضيعة حلوة؟ Was it a beautiful village?
ضيعتنا؟ إيش قد في ضيع بعفرين منطقة، ضيعتنا أحلى وحدة. بتعرف ليش؟ Our village? Out of all the villages in Afrin region, our village is the most beautiful one. Do you know why?
ليش؟ Why?
نروح عالمخفر، بقولوا إنت كفرشيل؟ لا بيضربوا بعضهم، لا بيقتلوا، لا بيجوا عندهم مشان يأكلو خارجية. We go to the police station, they say "Are you from Kafr Shil?" They don't fight each other, they don't kill, they don't come to them to take bribes.
ليش ليضربوا بعضهم؟ كلهم قرايبين وجيران وبحبوا بعضهم، ضيعتنا طيبة خيي. Why would they fight each other? They are all relatives and neighbors and they love each other, our village is good, my brother.
احكيلي هلا بدي اسمع منك شي غنية بهالمنطقة... قالولي صوتك حلو. Tell me, now I want to hear a song from you from this region... They told me your voice is beautiful.
صوتي راح. My voice is gone.
سلامتك. Get well soon.
بدنا نحكي مظبوط ليه، أنا عندي هيك هيك ما في. Let's speak truthfully why, I am like this, I don't have it anymore.
سمعني. Let me hear.
Eman eman eman eman eman eman eman eman, dilo yeman. Oh, alas, alas, alas, alas, alas, alas, alas, oh my heart, alas.
Eman eman eman eman eman eman eman, ay dilo yeman. Oh, alas, alas, alas, alas, alas, alas, oh my heart, alas.
Çi axir zeman e, hat gelêr zeman e. What an end of times it is, the times have come to the people.
Çi qîmetê mîran e, peya xêrê neman e, xêrê neman e. What value do the lords have, no goodness is left in men, no goodness is left.
Dilo qurban e, te jîn e, hayo ha jîn e. Oh heart, may I be your sacrifice, you have lived, oh you have lived.
Bayê xerbî tê ye, dilo digirvîne. The west wind is blowing, oh heart it makes you weep.
Xêra canê xwe dixwaze, nade şîn e. He wants the good of his soul, he doesn't mourn.
Xêra canê xwe dixwaze, dilo nade şîn e. He wants the good of his soul, oh heart he doesn't mourn.
Serê sibê da, berê berbangê, xewê şêrîn rabûyî. In the early morning, before dawn, you woke up from sweet sleep.
Di berdê xakira, çûyî ber qeraxan, cebilê sekinî. You passed the fields, went to the shores, the mountains stood still.
Bi ser canê xwe de diqulipand. He was turning over upon himself.
O xêra vê wextê, noka wîn e, xêra noka wîn e, xêra noka wîn e. Oh, the good of this time, is nowhere to be seen, the good is nowhere to be seen, the good is nowhere to be seen.
Dilo qurban de gava ze... şen ca gulo me. Oh heart, I am a sacrifice, when... I am the meadow of flowers.
Derya xal dilo me. Oh heart, I am the sea of moles.
Aşiqê bejn û bala te me, an barekî kul û derdê te me, derdê te me. I am in love with your stature and figure, I am carrying a load of your sorrow and pain, your pain.
Çemal bibînim, raste serê min şar e. When I see the beauty, truly my head is wrapped.
Li ber her dem e, li serê min şar e. At all times, my head is wrapped.
Li ber her dem e. At all times.
Oy dilo xêr e, te xêr e, te nexem e. Oh heart, it is good, you are good, you are without sorrow.
الله يعطيك العافية، يسلم تمك. May God give you health, bless your mouth.
إيش معناه الغنية بالعربي؟ What does the song mean in Arabic?
معناه الغنية... يعني عم نرحل... The meaning of the song... means we are departing...
بدنا نحكي مظبوط ليه؟ We have to speak truthfully, why?
أولي شب... Formerly a young man...
والله... براس... مثل هلق... ببرك من هون لحلب قبل الظهر بلحق لحلب بمشي. I swear... at the top of... like now... I would set off from here to Aleppo, before noon I would reach Aleppo walking.
وما بنام... صدقني ليل ونهار، ورحت أنا. And I wouldn't sleep... believe me day and night, and I went.
ما بدي أفخر بحالي... بتعرف ليش؟ الرأس مرتاح، القلب مرتاح... وكلشي مرتاح. I don't want to boast about myself... do you know why? The head is rested, the heart is rested... and everything is rested.
الله يعطيك العافية عمي أبو جلال، أنا بتشكرك، عذبناك معنا، وإنت مرضان. May God give you health Uncle Abu Jalal, I thank you, we bothered you with us, and you are sick.
لا لا أنا ماني مرضان هلق طبت شوي. No, no, I am not sick, now I got a little better.
طبت شوي؟ الحمد لله ع السلامة. You got a little better? Thank God for your safety.
مية سلامة. A hundred welcomes.
السلام عليكم. Peace be upon you.
مع السلامة. Goodbye.
البساطة والطيبة والمحبة والتعايش، هي الأشياء اللي استخلصناها بعد ما انتهت جولتنا معكم بقرية كفرشيل بريف عفرين الغربي. Simplicity, goodness, love, and coexistence, these are the things we extracted after our tour with you ended in the village of Kafr Shil in the western countryside of Afrin.
ناس كرماء بكل ما تعني الكلمة من معنى، وأيضا بسيطين وعفويين. Generous people in every sense of the word, and also simple and spontaneous.
من هون لحتى نلتقي فيكم بالأسبوع القادم، بدنا منكم تتفاعلوا معنا على صفحة الفيس الخاصة بالقناة، وأيضا على معرفاتها الظاهرة أسفل الشاشة. From here until we meet you next week, we want you to interact with us on the channel's Facebook page, and also on its handles shown at the bottom of the screen.
وتقترحوا علينا مواضيع جديدة، وقرى ومدن وبلدات لحلقاتنا القادمة. And suggest to us new topics, and villages, cities, and towns for our upcoming episodes.
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته. Peace, mercy and blessings of God be upon you.