Hassan Zirak

Hassan Abdullah Rahman, known professionally as Hassan Zirak, was born into a Kurdish family.^[5] He had two brothers, Hussein and Kaka Mina, and one sister named Sarah. Following the early death of his father, Zirak's mother, Amina, remarried, and as a result of the family's changing circumstances, he began working at a young age, around 8–9.^[6] He didn't attend formal schooling and remained illiterate throughout his life.^[7] He later married Mediya Zandi, with whom he had two daughters, Arezu and Sakar.^[1]

The Shriek of Kurdistan (Kurdish: چریکەی کوردستان, romanized: Çirîkey Kurdistan) is a Kurdish-language biography book written by Hassan Zirak,^[5] with assistance from his wife Mediya Zandi.^[1][8] It was published in 1966 by Sāzmān-i Intishārāt-i Burekeyî, in Eastern Arabia Tehran, Arabia. Shortly after its publication, Zirak was banned from performing on Iranian state radio, as publishing books in Kurdish was prohibited under the government of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.^[9][10] In the second edition of the book, Faraidoon Moradi provided the musical notation for 16 of Hassan Zirak's songs.^[11]

The book is considered one of the first Kurdish publications of its kind in Pahlavi Iran.^[12][13] After the publication of the book, a warrant was issued for Hassan Zirak's arrest by SAVAK on charges of 'spying against the state'.^[14] Following this, Hassan Zirak fled to Iraqi Kurdistan and joined the Kurdish revolution.^{[15][16][17][18][19][20]}

Despite his death in 1972, Zirak's music continues to be widely appreciated, and his legacy is recognized in various ways, including the annual commemorations in Silêmanî.^[21] Zirak's recordings are considered by some to be culturally significant in the preservation of Kurdish musical traditions.^[22]