The Structure of Kurdistan Daf (II)

 

Researcher:
Mohammad Tarighat

Translator:
Fatemeh Alimohammadi

With its simple physical structure and captivating sound, the Daf never belonged to a particular culture or location, and every nation had different usages for this instrument considering their dominant customs and traditions. Daf’s position had always been different among the tribes; some use it as the main instrument in joyous occasions and ceremonies, some use it as a war instrument, and others for ritualistic-religious ceremonies (Khaktinat, 2003: 25).  

Nowadays, there are circular structures with different names worldwide in Africa, Native America, China, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey, Iraq, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Arab states of the Persian Gulf, and others.

The Lexical Meaning of Daf

The word Daf is derived from “Taf” which means “hitting” or “beating.” This word is pronounced as “Dob” in the Sumerian language. It entered the Akkadian language from Sumerian and turned into “Dopo” or “Topo”; then it entered the Aramic language and turned into “Dop”; and changed to “Dof” or “Daf” in Arabic (Tohidi, 1996: 30).  

Circular instruments such as Daf are instruments for joyous or exciting ceremonies, capable of creating extremely tremendous excitement in human’s heart, contradictory to their simple creating and playing process. There are different names for Daf in Iran, from Daf and Dayereh to “Charkh,” “Gharbal,” “Araboneh,” “Tar,” “Dire,” “Dap,” “Ghaval,” and etc. (Pahlavan, 2013: 7). Also, Hushang Javid, the Persian anthropology and folk music researcher, believes “Dap,” “Bater,” “Dob,” “Dayereh,” and “Taborak” are the Persian names of Daf in different centuries while “Regh,” “Bandir,” “Mazhar,” “Terial,” and others are its names in the musical culture of the Arab world (Mogharab Samadi, 2007: 77).

Ahmad Khaktinat has also had multiple references to different Daf names:  

“During the third and fourth millennium, Apada was common among the Sumerians and later named Dop. Arabaneh is a type of Daf that  hazelnut-shaped bells are used instead of rings. Talban, Jalajal, and Jaljal are other names of Daf in different regions” (Khaktinat, 2003: 16).

Nagib Sardasht states the following Daf names regarding the Kurdish Hanbaneh Borineh: “Daf in the Kurdish language is known as Dahf, Dahfeh, Dahfak, Aarabaneh, andArabaneh (Nagib Sardasht, 2005: 295).

The Position and Role of Daf in the View of Daf Players

Daf is the most irreplaceable instrument in Tekyehs3 and mystics used in three aspects in their Sama ceremonies: first for its prophetic permission, second for its non-melodic nature, and third for its considerable help in the hypnotic course from the consciousness to the unconsciousness and the mystic realm (Mohammadi, 1999: 10).

Music of Daf is the prosperity of every Sama / Daf targets wounds and oppression

They say if one touches the Daf / It inflicts a wound of honor upon his heart (Rumi)

Daf has a high position among the Kurdish regions of Iran with special sanctity. The people of these regions see Dafs in a particular light of divinity, and this instrument has epic, martial, mystical, and even medical aspects for them. The mystical aspect dominates the others for them. Dafs are widely used in Monasteries and are known as one of the most fundamental mystical instruments.

Post a Comment

Required fields are marked *
*
*
Your email is never shared.

Transition to Enlightenment: Six Lectures on Mozart’s String Quartets (4)

Mozart’s compositions bear the imprint of Enlightenment ideals in various ways. His music exhibits a balance between reason and emotion, mirroring the Enlightenment’s call for a harmonious integration of these elements in human life. The clarity of Mozart’s formal structures in his symphonies and operas reflects Enlightenment principles of order and rational organization.

Fereydoun Shahbazian, An Iranian Musical Icon Passed Away

Fereydoun Shahbazian, the renowned Iranian composer, passed away at the age of 82 due to respiratory illness in Tehran. His last significant activity was leading the National Orchestra before the appointment of Homayoun Rahimian

From Past Days…

Behzad Abdi’s opera Rumi was physically released by Naxos

Composing a traditional Iranian opera using the Iranian modal system, dastgāh, has always been my dream. I first approached this by composing an opera called Ashura followed by the operas Rumi and Hafez. I believe that in order to attract an international audience for Iranian opera, it is essential to fuse dastgāh with Western classical forms.

Principles of Violin Playing (III)

Violin players should always pay attention to the proper position of the left thumb and other points related to it and to its joining point to the palm.

The Structure of Kurdistan Daf (VII)

Conclusion

“Daf” is one of type of percussion instruments that has a long history and is commonly known as circular instruments (with a rim). In some tribes, Daf was used as the main instrument in festivity and joy ceremonies; in another tribe it was used as the main instrument for war and campaign ceremonies and some others used it for ritual and religious ceremonies.

Interview with Farhad Poupel (I)

Born in Isfahan, Iran, and based in the UK, Farhad Poupel’s music has been performed and will be performed in numerous prestigious concert halls and festivals throughout the world including Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Japan; La Roque-d’Anthéron Piano Festival, La Roque-d’Anthéron, France; Biarritz Festival, Biarritz, France; Stoller Hall, Manchester, UK; Janacek academy of music and performing art, Brno, Czech Republic; Karlskrona International Piano Festival, Karlskrona, Sweden; by distinguished artists such as Kotaro Fukuma, Peter Jablonski, Daniel Grimwood, Margaret Fingerhut, Catherine Carby, Kristýna Znamenáčková,Jeffrey Biegel, Jean-Francois Bouvery and orchestras such as Windsor Symphony Orchestra or broadcasted on the NPR Radio 4, Netherland. The following is an interview with him on the ocaasion of the premier of the Legend of Bijan and Manijeh.

Ali Rahbari & Recording Iranian Symphonic Compositions

In the few days prior to the New Iranian year (March 2015), the news of the revival of Tehran Symphony Orchestra under Ali (Alexander) Rahbari’s conductorship was announced. Ali Rahbari, who served as assistant to Herbert von Karajan in Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra at a very young age, was also invited to conduct Tehran Symphony Orchestra in 2005; however, the election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s government put an end to his collaboration with this Orchestra. Recently, it was announced that Rahbari is invited to conduct an orchestra in the U.S.

A Miracle in the Iranian Music: About Tehran Flute Choir’s Eight-year Tenacity

Tehran Flute Choir is a 40-member orchestra of Iran’s best flutists; Iran’s best flutists? Yes! If you write down the names of the greatest Iranian flute players who participate at concerts and contribute to academic centers in Iran, you will see that most of them are among the choir’s members.

Principles of Violin Playing (VII)

4.3.1.3 Regarding the great linear distance and the unusual distance between the first and forth fingers, the first finger while playing the doubles of ninth and tenth interval, can be twisted in the knuckle area and the point mentioned in 3.1.2.5 paragraph in relation to the way first finger is placed indicating that the first joint of this finger in back of hand must be in line with the direction of forearm and left hand is not true here.

Lilly Afshar, Iranian Guitar Legend, passed away

The text you are reading is about Hamed Fathi, a guitarist and one of Lilly Afshar’s students, which was previously published on the Persian website HarmonyTalk.com:

Gholam Reza Khan Minbashian: a pioneer in Iranian music (I)

Gholam Reza Khan Minbashian, a.k.a Salar-Mo’azez, was a pioneer in several domains in the history of the Iranian music. He is recognized as the first Iranian musician who was educated in classical music. He is also the first Iranian the score of whose works were published in Europe. He is the first Iranian to have launched courses on Western classical music and was also the first Iranian teacher of classical music. Moreover, he is the first founder of a string orchestra in Iran, the first author of the Iranian Radif which was available in oral form. Minbashian is also the first Iranian who studied music in Europe.

The Mystery of Messiah

Antonio Stradivari (1644 – 18 December 1737) was an Italian luthier and is considered the most significant and greatest artisan in this field.