Ciwan Haco - Gula Sor (Red Flower)

"Gula Sor" ("Red Flower" in Kurdish) is a song by Ciwan Haco about the Kurdish lives lost to the wars and oppression in the Middle East, and in particular, Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey. Kurds have a legend about the red flowers that decorate various places in the mountains and hills of the geographical region of Kurdistan and that, in some cases, grow during all four seasons. The legend goes that the flowers get their color from the blood of the Kurdish martyrs. The song is dedicated to these martyrs and describes the flowers as a memory of their simple human desire for freedom and the love that they and all people have for their native lands.
For the past five centuries the Kurds of Central Asia have been forced to live under oppressive regimes and to seek refuge out of their traditional homeland. The oppression the Kurds have experienced, combined with the suppression of their language has led many of them to believe that they are among the most hated peoples of the world. The Kurdish proverb, “Kurds have no friends,” expresses that sentiment. Despite the suffering the Kurds have endured, they remain a culturally distinct people.
Ciwan Haco born in 1957 near Qamishlo in Syria. He is a descendant of the Kurdish noble famaly, Haco Agha, from the district of Mardin. As a result of repression after the rebellion of Shaikh Said 1925, the family left the region of Mardin. They settled down in Ciwans Birthplace .
After finishing high school, he left for Germany in order to continue his studies. He studied music at the University of Bochum for three years. He is now residing in Sweden.. He is most famous for successfully combining traditional Kurdish music with modern jazz, rock, pop and other genres. His earliest work consists of traditional Kurdish songs and songs about love and social and political hardships that Kurds have endured in the Middle East.In his songs, he has  repeatedly expressed with pride that he is closely linked with the suffering and struggle of his people in Kurdistan. Very popular with the Kurdish diaspora as well as with the Kurdish people in Kurdistan. He has played many concerts across Europe.
"Gula Sor" is from one of Ciwan Haco's earlier albums and is performed in a Kurdish language called Kurmanci, which is spoken by the majority of Kurds.

Kurdish/ Kurmanci Lyrics

Hay gula sor, hilbû jor, bîn da dor

gula sor, gula sor

li paş çiyayê kaf şîn bû

alem jêre evîn bû

bi me xweş, da me heş

em bi bîna wê sermest

emê pê şa bin serbest

 

hey gula sor, hilbû jor, bîn da dor

gula sor gula sor

hay gul, gula sor gul

gul gula sor, gula sor gula sor

 

nezanîn, xemrevîn, xemilîn

pê zemîn

gula bi kelemê di nav baxê îrema

hey gula sor, alem li dor

bicivin û bînbikin dor bi dor

 

hey gula sor, hilbû jor, bîn da dor

gula sor gula sor

hay gul, gula sor gul

gul gula sor, gula sor gula sor

English Translation - Red Rose

Hey red rose, grew high and spread its smell around

Red rose, red rose

Your place is behind the Kaf mountain

The world fell in love with it

Is a source of enjoyment for us and brought us to a reason

With its smell we became ecstatic

We found life and became free

 

Hey red rose, grew high and spread its smell around

Red rose, red rose

Hey red rose, red rose

Rose red rose, red rose, red rose

 

Ignorance, comforter and smartened itself up

On this earth

Branchy rose in the Garden of Eden

Hey red rose, wrapped all around

Come together and smell it all around

 

Hey red rose, grew high and spread its smell around

Red rose, red rose

Hey Red rose, red rose

Rose red rose, red rose, red rose