Zazaca Öğren

Ali Agha, Son of Kelhan

A feud story about Ali Agha, son of Kelhan, his power around Karbegan, the trap set by Qasım Agha and Weşinli Hasan Agha, the killing of Ali Agha's family, and the burial of the dead.

URL: https://zazacaogren.com/lesson/lerch-ali-agha-ladi-kelhani/

Ali Agha, Son of Kelhan

Content warning

violence; death

People mentioned

Ali Agha; Qasım Agha; Weşinli Hasan Agha; Ahmed; Eysan; Mela Qasım; Ramedan Agha; Memed Agha; Hasan Kalan; Mela Resa.

Historical context

This text reflects local power relations around Karbegan/Karabegan and Sivan/Servi. The 1870-1871 Diyarbakır salname mentions the Karabegan nahiye together with villages attached to Sivan, supporting a Palu-Genç/Servi historical geography for Karbegan. An 1849 Ottoman archival document cited by Nilay Özok-Gündoğan records Abdullah Beg's claim that the Weşin fire was set by the Karabegan tribe because of a long-standing enmity between Karabegan and Weşin. This does not independently prove who set the fire, but it shows that Karbegan-Weşin hostility was invoked in an official document in 1849 (Özok-Gündoğan 2022, 162; BOA.İ.MVL 139/3859, doc. no. 5, 13 February 1849). The story is published here as part of the Zaza material Lerch collected from prisoners of war in Roslavl in 1856.

Research note

The names Narbêş, Syeraçur, Desmun, Merzyelê, and Ğêytê show the local geography of the narrative; the Karbegan/Karabegan and Sivan/Servi connection is also supported by outside sources.

Places mentioned

ZazakiEnglish
Ali ağa laci Kêlhani mirêy na'hêy Karbegani.
Ali Agha, son of Kelhan, was the mir of the Karbegan district.
Namêy daway Ali ağay Narbyêş.
The name of Ali Agha's village was Narbyesh.
Ali ağa çêhêr dawang da pyêrû, hiris û çêhêr kişti.
Ali Agha attacked four villages and killed thirty-four people.
Çawdi Ali ağay çi nyêbê, çewi desti Ali ağay nyêgêrawt.
Nothing happened to Ali Agha; no one's hand touched Ali Agha.
Ali ağay kêyê xoê bar kêrd, şê Syêraçûrê.
Ali Agha packed up his household and went to Syerachur.
Hiris û şêş roci vênert Syêraçûrêdê.
He stayed in Syerachur for thirty-six days.
Hiris û çêhêr dewi Karbegani, hiris û çêhêr dewi Sivani amêy pyêser, mêşore kerd, ağalêrani Sivani, Qasim ağa Karbêgani, 'Hasan ağa Weşini amêy pyêser va kê: ma şyêri kêy Ali ağay byari daw.
Thirty-four villages of Karbegan and thirty-four villages of Sivan came together and held counsel; the elders of Sivan, Qasim Agha of Karbegan, and Hasan Agha of Weshin came together and said: 'Let us attack Ali Agha's house.'
Qasim ağa va kê: ma Ali ağay bê'hapêyni, ma şawê venga êskêrê xoê di, eskêri dawang wa pyêrû bêrû pyêser, ma şawê şyêri Ali ağay çêhêr hemê lacana ma bıkşi.
Qasim Agha said: 'We will deceive Ali Agha; at night we will call our army, let the village soldiers all gather, and at night we will go kill Ali Agha and all four of his sons.'
'Hasan ağay Weşini va kê: rınd bênû, ma şyêri Ali ağay byari bıkşi.
Hasan Agha of Weshin said: 'That will be good; let us go kill Ali Agha.'
Ağalêrani Sivani va kê: ma qarış nyêbêni.
The elders of Sivan said: 'We will not get involved.'
Qasim ağay va kê: şümari lazim nyû.
Qasim Agha said: 'We have no need of you.'
Ağalêri Sivani ci giryay şi kêy xoê.
The elders of Sivan withdrew and went home.
Qasim ağa, 'Hasan ağa enyê wirdi şi, kêy Ali ağay ard dawê, çêhêr hemê lacana berdi, kêrdi wadey Mê'hmêdi 'Hêndani.
Qasim Agha and Hasan Agha, the two of them, went to raid Ali Agha's house; they took all four sons and put them in Mehmed Hendani's room.
Qasim ağay şawê 'habêrê erşawûtê dawana va kê: şıma çê vênerti?
At night Qasim Agha sent word to the villages and said: 'Why are you waiting?'
ma şyêri Ali ağay bıkşi.
'We are going to kill Ali Agha.'
Dewi pyêrû amêy pyêsêr, şawê werişti, çêhêr sêy eskêr vıcyay, amêy Qasim ağa 'hêt.
All the villages gathered; they rose at night, four hundred soldiers came out and came to Qasim Agha's side.
Qasim ağa werişt bê aspar, kawta eskêri vêr, amêy Ğêytê, Ğêytêra sêytê gêrawt, bi pangd sêytê şi Ali ağay 'het.
Qasim Agha mounted his horse, went before the army, came to Gheyte, took another hundred men from Gheyte, and with five hundred men went to Ali Agha.
Qasim ağa şi Ali ağay hetê ronişt va kê: ağa, ez ama twêra ric amênêt kêna.
Qasim Agha went to Ali Agha, sat down, and said: 'Agha, I have come to ask a favor of you.'
Ali ağa va kê: ağa, mê me'hêpinê, ez çêkanê xoê nyêdana.
Ali Agha said: 'Agha, do not deceive me; I will not give you my weapons.'
Qasim ağay va kê: metêrsê, ez twêra xainê nyêkêna.
Qasim Agha said: 'Do not fear; I will not betray you.'
Ali ağa va kê: tê xaini, ez çêkani xoê nyêdana twê.
Ali Agha said: 'You are a traitor; I will not give you my weapons.'
Qasim ağay swend wênd.
Qasim Agha swore an oath.
Ali ağay çêki xoê çêhêr hemê lacana xoê aryê kerdi, day Qasim ağayra.
Ali Agha gathered his own weapons and the weapons of all four of his sons and gave them to Qasim Agha.
Qasim ağay gêrawt.
Qasim Agha took them.
A'hmêd laci Ali ağay va kê: 'halo, çêkani ma mebêrê, tê xaini, bawki mê serêdê aqıl çinyû, rocêy ramazanyû, bawni, xalo, tê çêkani ma bêni, pêynıdê tê xain vêci, ez twê kısêna.
Ahmed, Ali Agha's son, said: 'Uncle, do not take our weapons. You are a traitor; perhaps there is no sense in my father's head, today is Ramadan. Look, uncle, if you take our weapons and then come out as a traitor, I will kill you.'
Qasim ağa va kê A'hmêdira: warêza, metêrsê.
Qasim Agha said to Ahmed: 'Nephew, do not fear.'
A'hmêdi va kê: 'halo xancêray mê bıdê, ez zana, tê xaini, byê ba'htêdê tı ma kişêni.
Ahmed said: 'Uncle, give me my dagger; I know you are a traitor, and when you go outside you will kill us.'
'Hali xancêray A'hmêdi nyêday cê.
His uncle did not give Ahmed his dagger.
'Hal şê tebêr, eskêri xora va: mevindi, çêki Ali ağay çêhêr hemê lacan mê gêrawt, ez ama tebêr, mevindi, bêr bışikni, şyêri zerê, Ali ağay çêhêr hemê lacan bıkşi; hêma dês û hêyşti merdwomi ğaribi yênê 'hetê esti, yênêra ve meki.
His uncle went outside and said to his soldiers: 'Do not wait; I have taken the weapons of Ali Agha and his four sons, and I have come outside. Do not wait, break down the door, go inside, and kill Ali Agha and all four of his sons; there are also eighteen foreign men there with them, do not touch them.'
Eskêri Qasim ağay bêr şêkit, Qasim ağay kawta ver, veng da va kê A'hmêdira: warêza, ez amêya, tı kû sera şyêri, ez serêy twê ena gêlankê wêna.
Qasim Agha's soldiers broke down the door, Qasim Agha went ahead and called out to Ahmed, saying: 'Nephew, I have come; wherever you go, this time I will cut off your head.'
A'hmêdi veng da va kê: Alah izmê mê bıdû, ez twê veri êyxoê kışêna.
Ahmed called out and said: 'May God give me permission; first I will kill you with my own hand.'
'Hal şi kê A'hmêdi bıkşû.
His uncle went to kill Ahmed.
A'hmêd awnya dyêsi wedi, yaw şıbakê 'ha dyêsê wedidê, desti xoê berd zerêy şibakê, yaw xancêri zerêy şıbakêdê di gêrawtê vera, day 'hali bınê çici raştirû.
Ahmed saw an opening in the wall; there was a lattice in the wall. He put his hand inside the lattice, found a dagger inside the lattice and pulled it out, and struck his uncle under the right side of the chest.
'Hal kawt.
His uncle fell.
A'hmêdi xancêri 'halira vetê, A'hmêdi Êysan kişt, 'Hasani Kalan kişt.
Ahmed pulled the dagger out of his uncle; Ahmed killed Eysan and killed Hasan Kalan.
Kalme gna A'hmêdi pêy çimyirû, goêni byê A'hmêdi çimi.
A sword came down between Ahmed's two eyes, and blood came into Ahmed's eyes.
A'hmêd hyêrs bê, 'hawt teni pêy aya xancêri kişti.
Ahmed became enraged and killed seven people with that dagger.
A'hmêd kişya.
Ahmed was killed.
'Hiryê heme bêrai A'hmêdi bawkê yê kişti.
All three of Ahmed's brothers and his father were killed.
Dês û 'hêyşt teni merdümi ğaribi kişti.
Eighteen foreign men were killed as well.
Eskêr ağayra şê, hêrgû kês şi kêy xoê.
The soldiers left the agha's side, and everyone went home.
Cênazay Ali ağay, çêhêr heme lacana, dês û hêyşt merdümi ğaribana pyêrû mêndi wadedê.
The bodies of Ali Agha, his four sons, and the eighteen foreign men all remained in the room.
Soba Mêlay Rêsa veng da va kê mêla Qasimi Dêsmûncira: byêri cênazay Ali ağay aylana dês û hêyşt teni merdümi ğaribana 'hetya byêri beri wedari.
In the morning Mela Resa called to Mela Qasim of Desmun and said: 'Bring Ali Agha, his sons, and the eighteen foreign men here; take them outside.'
Mêla Qasim werişt Dêsmûnira, Mêmêd ağa werişt Ğêytêra, Ramêdan ağay werişt Mêrzyêlêra, şi, leşi Ali ağay lacana dês û hêyşt merdûmi ğaribana gêrawti ardi berdi wederti.
Mela Qasim rose from Desmun, Memed Agha rose from Gheyte, Ramedan Agha rose from Merzyele; they went, took the bodies of Ali Agha, his sons, and the eighteen foreign men, brought them out, carried them away, and buried them.

Sources

Russian original edition

Lerch, Peter Ivanovich. Izsledovaniia ob iranskikh kurdakh i ikh predkakh, severnykh khaldeiakh. Vol. 1. St. Petersburg: Imperial Academy of Sciences, 1856. Text 3, Ali Agha narrative, printed pp. 99-102.

Pages: Russian RGO viewer images 113-116; printed pp. 99-102.

Primary scan witness for Lerch's Zazaki transcription and Russian free translation; the Russian scan prints only the heading '3.' for this text.

German edition / reprint scan

Lerch, Peter. Forschungen über die Kurden und die iranischen Nordchaldäer. Abth. 1. St. Petersburg: Kaiserliche Akademie der Wissenschaften, 1857. Story 'Ali Agha, der Sohn Kelhän's,' pp. 61-65.

Pages: Internet Archive scan pages n104-n108; printed pp. 61-65.

Used for the German free translation and as a second scan witness for the Zazaki transcription.

Bingöl University thesis transcription

Aslanoğulları, Mehmet. Lerch'in Zazaki Derlemelerinin Çevrimyazımı ve Türlerine Göre Sözcüklerin Tahlili. Master's thesis, Bingöl Üniversitesi, 2014.

Pages: PDF pp. 47-50; story heading "Meselê Eli Ağay Laci Kelxoni Qerbegoni."

Secondary transcription witness used during alignment and review. The transcription text is cited here but is not reproduced in the Interlinear view.