LINGUISTIC, CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL ANALYSIS OF THE WORKS OF KURDISH DENGBÊJS AND WESTERN MINISTRELS

This study aims to comparatively analyze the works produced by the Kurdish dengbêjs and the Western minstrels from a linguistic, cultural, and historical perspective. The works produced by the dengbêjs mainly deal with disasters, wars, heroes, and loves, separations, stories, and epics that profoundly affect society, while the works of the minstrels present wars, heroism, loves with entertainment elements. The dengbêjs usually perform their works with a bare voice, whereas the minstrels use musical instruments in their performances. The performers of both traditions have contributed to the preservation of the linguistic elements of the language they use and their transfer today, reflecting the cultural values, and life norms of societies by reinforcing the identity and sense of belonging of the people. Both the dengbêjs and the minstrels have been the spokespersons of their societies during the important social and political periods of change in terms of history by recording the events with their poems and songs and keeping the collective memory alive. In this context, the study adopted the document analysis method within the scope of the survey design and applied an interdisciplinary approach that brings together the fields of linguistics, history, and music. The study draws attention to the contribution of oral narration traditions to cultural continuity and prepares the ground for suggestions for the protection of this heritage.