Şehmus Yas, the ‘singing storyteller’ of Van

Şehmus Yas, aged 65, who lives in the city of Van (Wan) in eastern Turkey, sings klams (a Kurdish folk singing style) on the streets.

Musicians who sing klams are ‘singing storytellers’, or “dengbej” as they are referred to by Kurdish tradition.

Yas tells his own story in the klams he sings during his daily walks through the streets of Van.

The citizens of Van often request klams from him and he has become a well-known figure in the city.

Yas has a disabled child whom he also sings to.

“I have experienced many things in my life”, he observes. “I sing songs of heartbreak”.