Nizamettin Arıç: Kurdish Singer and Filmmaker Who Dared to Sing in Kurdish
- Sherko Sabir
- 6 hours ago
- 3 min read
Who Is Nizamettin Arıç?
Nizamettin Arıç is a Kurdish Turkish singer and filmmaker born in 1956 in Dersim (Tunceli) who became a pioneer of Kurdish cultural expression in Turkey — performing Kurdish music at a time when it was officially banned and directing Keje (1999), one of the first Kurdish-language feature films produced by a Turkish Kurdish filmmaker.
His willingness to perform publicly in Kurdish in Turkey — and the legal and political consequences he faced for doing so — made him a symbol of Kurdish cultural resistance in the 1990s. He spent time in prison for his musical activities and later in exile in Germany, continuing his artistic work while under political pressure.
His film Keje — the first Kurdish-language feature film directed by a Kurdish filmmaker from Turkey — was a pioneering achievement that opened the door for Kurdish cinema from Turkey, which Yılmaz Güney had previously represented only from exile.
Key Takeaways
• Born in 1956 in Dersim; singer and filmmaker.
• Pioneer of public Kurdish music performance in Turkey when it was banned.
• Directed Keje (1999) — one of the first Kurdish-language films from Turkey.
• Imprisoned for his musical activities; spent time in exile in Germany.
• Symbol of Kurdish cultural resistance in Turkey alongside Musa Anter and Ahmet Kaya.
Quick Facts
Table of Contents
Early Life
Born in 1956 in Dersim — the same Kurdish-Alevi region that produced Ayşe Şan. He developed as a musician in the Kurdish folk tradition and became an advocate for Kurdish cultural rights through his performance and later his filmmaking.
Historical Context
Turkey in the 1990s was at the height of its suppression of Kurdish cultural expression — Kurdish music was banned, Kurdish political activists were imprisoned or killed, and cultural workers faced enormous pressure. Nizamettin Arıç's performance of Kurdish music in this environment was an act of cultural courage.
Achievements
Kurdish Music Performance and Keje (1999)
Nizamettin Arıç's public performance of Kurdish music in Turkey — at a time when this was legally and politically dangerous — broke barriers and demonstrated that Kurdish cultural expression would not be silenced. His imprisonment for these activities gave him an authority in Kurdish cultural resistance that was both painful and powerful.
His film Keje (1999) — a Kurdish-language feature film — was a pioneering achievement in Turkish Kurdish cinema, opening the door for the subsequent generation of Turkish Kurdish filmmakers.
Timeline
Debates
His Kurdish identity and his pioneering cultural work are established.
Legacy
Nizamettin Arıç is a pioneer of Kurdish cultural expression in Turkey — a singer who broke the barrier of the Kurdish music ban and a filmmaker who produced one of the first Kurdish-language films from Turkey. His courage in the 1990s contributed to the eventual recognition of Kurdish cultural rights in Turkey.
Connections
FAQ
Who is Nizamettin Arıç?
Nizamettin Arıç (born 1956) is a Kurdish Turkish singer and filmmaker from Dersim who pioneered public Kurdish music performance in Turkey when it was banned, was imprisoned for his activities, and directed Keje (1999) — one of the first Kurdish-language films from Turkey.
Was Nizamettin Arıç Kurdish?
Yes. He was from Dersim in the Kurdish region of eastern Turkey and his entire artistic career has been devoted to Kurdish cultural expression.
References
Wikipedia contributors. 'Nizamettin Arıç.' Wikipedia. Accessed 2025.
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