Şeker Tunç took the courage to begin to write songs after her daughter became a musician. Her daughter Semra Tunç sang the song “Vare Varena” written by her mother in their native language Zazaki. The mother and daughter inspiring each other want to keep producing songs in Zazaki to show what kinds of problems women have faced.

ZEYNEP PEHLİVAN

Izmir- Şeker Tunç was born in the Varto district of Muş province. One of her favorite things since childhood is singing. When she was a youth, she entertained people by singing songs at wedding parties for hours and made people dance the halay. After her marriage, she stopped singing due to her community pressure. During that time, she gave birth to two children and moved to Izmir in 1985. Şeker gave birth to her third child in Izmir. But she always thought about music. And her daughter Semra Tunç took her mother’s passion for music. Semra's interest and talent in music helped Şeker to complete her uncompleted story.

“After getting married, I stopped making music for a long time. I couldn’t sing songs. Then, I had three children. I realized how my daughter Semra loved music like me. With my husband, we bought a saz (a musical instrument) for her. She both played the saz and sang songs when she was a child and then she becomes a good musician. I had a fresh passion inside me about music, but I couldn’t write songs and sing. After my daughter became a musician, my passion for music flourished like a green bay tree. I took a paper and a pen and I began to write again,” said Şeker Tunç while talking about her life story.

She produces her own songs

This strong bond between mother and daughter through music reminds us how art motivates people no matter how old they are. Şeker began to write songs in her native language ‘Zazaki’. Her effort to produce new songs deserves respect.

“First, I wrote Turkish songs. Then, I wanted to express myself in my native language Zazaki. I wrote about fifteen songs. But unfortunately, I lost them, but I never gave up. I started writing and producing again. After my daughter became an artist, I took courage from her. Until then I could not write. I wanted her to sing songs in Zazaki. When I started writing songs in Zazaki, she started singing them. Even if she made several mistakes while singing them, I told her she sang very well to encourage her. Now she motivates me to write songs. I have written nearly 20 songs until now.”

“I understand how my mother language is valuable abroad”

After talking to Şeker, I begin to talk Semra. Combining her mother’s experiences with her music and skills, Semra is a woman who has managed to exist in the musical field at a more professional level.

“Actually, my mother has always been my bigger supporter. I wanted to be a musician when I was a child. In 2012, I released my first album. I sing my own songs and the songs written by my mother in the album. When I spent time abroad, I saw how people care about their mother languages. I started understanding how my mother language is valuable there. To be honest, I didn’t realize that in my country. In my country, I thought my mother language should always be hidden,” says Semra.

Songs keep Zazaki alive

According to the data shared by UNESCO's Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger, 15 languages are endangered in Turkey. And Zazaki is one of them. Protecting Zazaki is very valuable, particularly with the power created by art. The songs were written and sung by Şeker and Semra Tunç are very important to keep Zazaki alive.

“We took courage from each other. When my mother started writing the songs in Zazaki, I also started thinking if I could. I realized how Zazaki is a rich language. I want to combine my mother language with different styles of music from around the world and join music festivals. I am always inspired by my mother. When I started writing songs, we began to write songs in Zazaki. We want to produce more compositions together. We compose songs about women’s stories and we will continue to compose.”