Thread on the performative game of Dimdime and similar dances.

Local people of Colemêrg/Hakkari play a theatrical dance reenacting the Battle of Dimdim that took place between Kurdish tribes and the Safavid Empire between 1609 and 1610.

Some examples of the dance:

Mount Dimdim is located between the Baranduz river and the tributary Qasimlu near the shore of Lake Urmia. According to Kurdish oral tradition the fortress on top of the mountain dates from the pre-Islamic period.

Dimdime dance is interlinked with the story of the Battle of Dimdim, the lead-dancer represent Xanoyê Lepzêrîn and the person in-front of him, the enemy, symbolize the Shah. The person furthest back in line is Mehmûdkê Alekanî, who betrayed Lepzêrîn/the people at Dimdim castle.

The dance of Dimdime is often followed by the dance of Kevrol. In Kevrol, two groups form a line. One group hold hands together to symbolize a mountain range, the other group passes under their shoulders. A form of Kevrol:

This symbolize the Kurdish loss of the war. When Lepzêrîn and his army sacrificed themselves at Dimdim, the remaining people went to the mountains to save themselves.

The rhythms of the Dimdime dance are unmistakably warlike, the Kevrol however allows for more fun and playful rhythms and songs. The two dances are performed like a theatre reenacting the Battle of Dimdim through dance, music and song.

There is a similar dance in Botan called Heprûvî or Heprovî that is not to be confused with Dimdime. The Heprovî does not include “an enemy” and “a protector” nor is it about war and the epic of Dimdim. These games involve wolfs, foxes and sheep in their storyline instead.

In Heprovî, the lead player holds a stick and symbolize a shepherd trying to keep his/her herd from falling out of line and “protect” them from the wild animals.

Another similar dance or game called Varvara is performed in Dêrsim. People who play this game hold sticks in their hands, the lead player’s stick is longer than the other players’ and he tries to wave his stick towards the other players.

The other players in turn move their sticks in order to protect themselves. The dance go on until the players are tired. Players who are tired of Varvara begin to play Silêmano instead by forming a ring where the players punch each other hard on the back. Those who run lose.

Varvara and Silêmano can be considered war games too that emerged as a result of victory of resistance against invaders. Some say that the dance represent the Turkish-Russian wars when Russians entered the region and the villagers united under Dede Suleyman, hence the name.

Dimdime is also performed/played among Assyrians from Colemêrg/Hakkari. This clip is from Til Temir in Hasakah. The Assyrians there are originally from Hakkari.

Many thanks to @kenancolemergi! Most of the information on this thread is credited to him as he made the original thread on the dance/game in Kurdish (kurmancî) which i now translated to English. Gelek spas!