Side-blown flutist Irem Nergiz said that women have been a part of art throughout history and added: "Women have been a source of inspiration for art for centuries.”

Side-blown flute history goes back to ancient times like Kaval. It is known that it has been used in China since the 900s BC.

Side flute has been used in Europe since the 12th century. Since then, it has become a part of western music. First, the flute, which was used only for military purposes, was included in bands before meeting wider audiences in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Irem Nergiz lives in Amed and started playing the side-blown flute 3 years ago. She spoke to ANF about her art work. Irem Nergiz is continuing her Kurdish music studies and is also currently giving flute lessons at the Dicle-Fırat Culture and Art Association.

Nergiz said that she was interested in side-blown flute since she was a child and added that she wanted to play Kurdish music with this instrument. Nergiz was born in 1998 in Şêliman (Dolapdere) village in the province of Silvan in Amed. The same year, her family had to move to the Yenişehir in Amed.

Emphasizing that her family is an art-loving family, Nergiz said that her father had her listen to dengbeji when she was only 6-7 years old. Since then she loves listening to dengbeji said Nergiz adding that she started to play the side-blown flute in 2018. “I studied flute for 2 years. I now give flute lessons. I taught only for 3 months because of the coronavirus pandemic, but I hope to get together with my students soon."

Pointing out that women have been a part of art since history, Nergiz ended her remarks with the following words: "As a Kurdish woman, I want to make art according to our culture. This is a great honor for me. No matter what instrument, Kurds will continue their art work according to that instrument."