Wa-Hatin Pesmerge Me
(Here Come Our Peshmerga)
Serchopi Dance – Iran
Collated and Prepared by Adam Jahanghiri, Jing Lin Wang, and Matthew Atkins
YouTube link to the song: https://youtu.be/UUAEtTg9w6E
Image source:
https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/518195500845276660/#details?am
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a9d0c5c1ff27b9e4
Wa-Hatin Pesmerge Me is a piece that uses the
Kurdish dance called the serchopi. The serchopi
is an Iranian dance that is often used in village
celebrations and weddings. The dance helps to
create a sense of community among the people.
In addition, traditionally, the serchopi has also
been performed after the Peshmerga, a guerilla
(mountain fighter) group, has defeated terrorist
groups, such as ISIS.
History
“The Peshmerga, whose name translates as
"those who face death", are the Kurdish fighters
in northern Iraq. In recent weeks, they have
been fighting Islamist militants of the Islamic
State - formerly known as Isis - who seized large
swathes of territory in the north. Now thought
to number around 190,000, the Peshmerga
have their roots in groups of loosely organised
tribal border guards in the late 1800s, but were
formally organised as the national fighting force
of the Kurdish people after the fall of the
Ottoman Empire in the wake of World War One.
As the Kurdish nationalist movement grew, so
too did the identity of the Peshmerga as a key
part of Kurdish culture - evolving from tribal
defenders to nationalist fighters for an
independent Kurdish state.”
Source: Profile: Who are the Peshmerga? (2014). Retrieved
January 22, 2019 from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-
middle-east-28738975
Dance
The Serchopi involves skipping movements
while crossing your feet. It also involves the
shrugging off shoulders and swaying back and
forth in a line.
“The person at the beginning of the line dictates
the pace of the dance based on the rhythm of
the music. Called serchopi (or sarchopi) the
dance leader waves a scarf in tune with the
beat of the music, and they may at times step
out of the line and stand in front of the dancers,
leading the dance like a conductor.
“Standing shoulder to shoulder and holding
hands, the dance represents unity and equality
and it is an integral part of Kurdish identity. The
dances are performed in weddings and other
joyous social and cultural occasions.”
Source: Golzadeh, Z. (2018). A guide to Iran’s most iconic
dances [Blog]. Retrieved January 22, 2019 from
https://blog.persiaport.com/en/guide-to-iran-most-iconic-
dances/amp/
Instruments
The darbuka is a drum used to keep the pulse
of the piece. The rhythm changes from duple to
triple meter. The nay is a recorder look-alike
with a reed sticking out from the top (similar to
an oboe), and is usually played in the
introduction and middle sections of the piece.
Other instruments include the mizwad (similar
to a bagpipe), and tembur (a stringed
instrument similar to the lyre).

Image source: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mizwad

Image source: https://djoliba.com/en/darbuka/59-

darbuka-egypt-pearly-arabian-model-alexandria.html

Image source: https://m.ebay.ie/itm/antique-afghan-folk-

music-instrument-Tambur-Tanbur-tanboor-from-
Afghanaistan-16A-/162109785202

Image source: https://goo.gl/images/ZniqeP

Image source: http://flagpedia.net/iran