The story of Momê is as follows: In the Hekariyan region, there is the Kurdish Ertoşî tribe. When illness breaks out among some families there, they migrate and settle in the village of Zawîtê. A girl named Mominê is a milkmaid. She goes out to milk and returns. They have a lamb that is very sweet and small. She would hold it to her chest and put her nipple in its mouth; when the lamb suckled, milk would flow from the girl's breasts. This becomes a scandal among the milkmaids, until it reaches the ears of Mominê's family. Her eldest brother says, "We will kill her," while the youngest brother says, "Let us marry her to the shepherd; such things happen to people, there is no need to kill." The eldest brother refuses, they take her outside the village, and kill the girl with daggers. The Chaldean, Assyrian, and Syriac peoples of the region also sing this song like the Kurds, though their version differs. (Seyda Goyan, Ethnographer, Kurdish culture researcher)
Lyrics with English Translation
Hey Momina mina, wey canê hê hê hê,
- Hey my Mome, oh my dear,
Rebenê wey canê hê hê hê,
- Poor soul, oh my dear,
Qebrê Momê rê de, heçî hat fathek lê da,
- Mome's grave is by the road, every passerby recites a prayer,
Wey canê, wey canê Momê heheheyyy.
- Oh my dear, oh my dear Mome.
Mominê herde werde, hey Moma dayê,
- Mome here and Mome there, oh my dear Mome,
Tu rûne biska berde, sebra dinyayê,
- Sit down and let your braids fall, my solace in this world,
Rûnişt û kofî çêkir, hey Moma dayê,
- She sat and put on her headdress, oh my dear Mome,
Bêrîyan bêbextî kir, hay giyana daye,
- The milkmaids slandered her, dear mother's soul,
Xelkê j' me gazinde ye, hey Moma daye,
- People complain about us, oh my dear Mome,
Ma şîvan yarê te ye, sebra dinyayê.
- Is the shepherd truly your beloved, solace of our world.
Şertê birayê biçûk e, hey Moma daye,
- The youngest brother's condition, oh my dear Mome,
Dê Momê bikin bûke, hey giyana dayê,
- They will make Mome a bride, dear mother's soul,
Şertê birayê navê ye, hey Moma daye,
- The middle brother's condition, oh my dear Mome,
Em Momê nadinê ye, sebra dinyayê,
- We won't give Mome to him, solace of our world,
Şertê birayê mezine, hey Moma daye,
- The eldest brother's condition, oh my dear Mome,
De Momê bikûjinê, hey giyana daye.
- Kill Mome, dear mother's soul.
Qebirê Momê rê da, hey Moma daye,
- Mome's grave is by the road, oh my dear Mome,
Moma çavbelek tê da, hey giyana dayê,
- Dark-eyed Mome fell there, dear mother's soul,
Heçî hat fathek lê da, sebra dinyayê.
- Every passerby recites a prayer, solace of our world.
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