The newly released song Welat (Homeland) has been widely acclaimed for its heartfelt message and stirring composition. This collaboration, Voices of Kurdistan, brings together exceptional talent: Lyrics by Selahattin Demirtaş, a Kurdish politician and writer currently imprisoned in Turkey; music by Kurdish artist Diyar Dersim; and direction by renowned Polish musician Grzech Piotrowski. Performed by Kurdish singers alongside Piotrowski’s World Orchestra, the piece is a powerful cry for a homeland, blending voices and melodies in a deeply moving tribute.
The World Orchestra, led by Piotrowski, is renowned for its innovative fusion of musical traditions. Using instruments such as the Armenian duduk (a woodwind intrument made of apricot wood), the Bulgarian kaval (an end-blown flute) and the Finnish kantele (a psaltery or plucked stringed instrument), it bridges diverse cultural legacies with contemporary arrangements. Their performances highlight the richness of musical traditions while exploring connections across genres and histories. Piotrowski’s vision celebrates music as a universal form of expression that transcends boundaries.
By bringing together Kurdish voices and the innovative approach of the World Orchestra, Welat becomes a shared artistic statement. It reflects the resilience of Kurdish culture and conveys a universal yearning for connection, identity and home.
Here is the song, accompanied by its evocative lyrics, capturing a poignant moment of solidarity and hope. The singers are: Nasir Rezazi, Diyar Dersim, Hozan Cömert, Şehrîbana Kurdi, Dengbêj Kazo, Deniz Deman, Narin Feqe, Kijan Xeyat and Elind.
Welat (Homeland)
When I found you, Homeland of sorrow and despair,
Reason and wisdom set me free,
No more to bear my pain and anguish.
Your voice roars like the storm,
Homeland of breath and life.
You embraced my people’s cry,
No more to bear my pain and anguish.
Sacred are your earth and waters,
Roses flourish within your embrace.
Erdêxan and Efrîn, you’ll never fade,
My beloved, Kurdistan.
Your mountains rise with pride,
Upon their slopes roses bloom.
Wan and Mahabad, you’ll never fade,
My homeland, Kurdistan.
The eternal cycle revolves and the semah* turns,
Homeland of love and hope.
Bring unity to life,
No more to bear my pain and anguish.
From all four corners, rise,
Break free from prisons and chains.
Let them hear: We are free,
No more to bear my pain and anguish.
Sacred are your earth and waters,
Roses flourish within your embrace.
Amed and Hewlêr, you’ll never fade,
My beloved, Kurdistan.
Your mountains rise with pride,
Upon their slopes roses bloom.
Dêrsim and Sine, you’ll never fade,
My homeland, Kurdistan.
* The semah is a dance of worship in the Alevi tradition, involving the unity of every living being in a cyclical understanding of time.
