Laughing Through Silence: Humour, Language and Memory in Dersim Narratives

Abstract

This article examines how humour shapes collective memory and enables alternative reimaginings of the past among Dersim Alevis, based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted in Dersim and Istanbul between 2021 and 2023. Drawing on interviews, participant observation and personal reflections, it explores how humour operates as a narrative and affective tool for engaging with collective memory, cultural identity and intergenerational trauma. Particular attention is given to the use of Kirmanck & icirc; (Zazaki/D & imath;m & imath;lki) and code-switching practices, which enhance the emotional and aesthetic dimensions of humorous storytelling and reflect broader tensions between local languages and national discourse. The research includes stories of kuretac & imath; (local jokers) and contemporary performances by young comedians, highlighting how humour circulates across generations and social settings from village squares to digital platforms. Rather than offering a fixed definition of humour, the study follows its manifestations in everyday life, considering its functions of coping, criticism and cultural transmission. Situating these narratives within trauma and memory studies, it suggests that humour provides a distinct, and at times subversive, space for remembering, resisting and reimagining the past.