Cet article a moins pour objet la description des instruments de musique des Yezidi, instruments qui ne présentent en eux-mêmes aucune singularité remarquable, que celle de l'usage qui en est fait dans cette communauté religieuse, usage qui offre d'intéressantes particularités sur lesquelles, à notre connaissance tout au moins, aucune étude n'a encore été publiée. Corollairement, la description portera sur le statut social des instrumentistes, médiateurs entre ces instruments de musique et leur fonction sociale.

The Yezidi are a religious community composed of Arabs and Kurds distributed between Iraq—where the majority live—and the neighbouring countries. Great controversies surround their beliefs. This is due on one hand to the extremely secret character of their religious practices, which makes access to them difficult, and on the other hand to their dogmas, imperfectly known even by them. But it seems that the essential point of their religion, in the view of their Christian and Muslim neighbours, concerns their adoration of Satan, shaïtān, represented by the peacock, ṭāwūs. It is because of this very idolatry that they are considered as dangerous heretics.

Yezidi music is either Arab or Kurd, depending on the region. Indeed, the nature of musical material (modes, rythm), instruments, musical style as well as the secular functions of music is shared by the communities of the region. The Yezidi are different only in terms of the cultural context of the music; the music itself is not distinguished from that of neighboring cultures.

In this article, the sacred aspect of life is approached through the study of the musical instruments, their use, their function in socio-religious life. Also, it discusses the important role played by the musician as the necessary mediator between the instrument and its social function.

No musical instrument—as a type—is peculiar to the Yezidi. The most important instruments, which are seven in number, are used in the region on different social occasions.

With the exception of the long necked lute, tanbūr, these instruments are combined into three ensembles, each composed of two instruments. They are of two kinds; the sacred instruments include a wooden flute, shabbāba, and a big frame drum with discs, daff. These are mentioned in the sacred texts and are used in the most secret ceremonies. Secular contexts make use of the small frame drum with discs daff, as well, and of the clarinet, miṭbadj, the oboe, zurna, the big circular two skinned drum, ṭabl and the long necked lute, tanbur. With the exception of the ensemble of the drum and the oboe ṭabl wa zurna, forbidden on sacred ground, the rest of the instruments may be played like the sacred ones during the same festivities and ceremonies such as the fixed calendric occasions (sacred pilgrimages, New-Year's, etc.), and the non-fixed rites such as birthdays, baptisms, marriage and death.

Musicians are of two kinds in the Yezidi society: the specialist professional and the religious specialist. The former play on non-sacred instruments and offer their services to all the sects of the region for remuneration and food. The latter, called ḳawwāls (“sayers”), are a hereditory caste. They form the lower stratum of the Yezidi religious hierarchy but yet enjoy a very important status since they are the only teachers of the community, transmitting tradition orally from generation to generation, singing it and playing on sacred instruments.