BENİM EVİM TÜRKİYE
Kurds
(Kurd. Kurd) - Indo-European Iranian-speaking people, living mainly in Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria. They speak Kurdish.
Most Kurds profess Sunni Islam, some - Shiite Islam, Yezidism, Christianity and Judaism.
Kurds are one of the ancient peoples of the Middle East. Ancient Egyptian, Sumerian, Assyrian-Babylonian, Hittite, Urartian sources began to report on the ancestors of the Kurds quite early.
Kurdistan. The main problem of the Kurds is that this nation does not have its own state. In addition, the Kurds living in Syria and Turkey are humiliated in their rights: in Syria they are not citizens, in Turkey they do not have the right to speak their language, study and promote their culture and language.
The problem is complicated by the fact that the territory of Kurdistan is quite rich in natural resources, in particular oil. Accordingly, large and powerful world states are trying with all their might to exert their influence on this serious source of energy.
There is also a political disunity of the Kurds. Several political parties that exist in this area cannot agree with each other.
Kurds have to live in difficult conditions. The regions where they live are economically underdeveloped. Many consider these people wild and uneducated. Although in fact, the culture of the Kurds is quite multifaceted and has several centuries.
How to distinguish a Turk from a Kurd? By appearance: Kurds are darker, the color of hair, eyes, bodies is closer to the Arabs (Persians). Kurds are short, stocky. By conversation: most Kurds speak Turkish with a Kurdish accent, if your "Turkish" guy knows Kurdish - he is 100% Kurd, because. Turks do not know or understand the Kurdish language. Religiosity: even if a young Kurd has fun, goes into all serious troubles, has many girls, he goes to the mosque, performs prayers, immoderate religiosity, respects his parents and all relatives, they all live together (clan), he chooses a modest girl, a virgin, capable of give birth to at least 3 children, caring, obeying him in everything. By behavior: most of the workers in the resort areas (bartenders, waiters, hamamshchiks, other attendants) are Kurds, young, poorly educated, speak (and write) in street language, behave defiantly, disrespectfully treat girls, they can shout after you "hey, natasha!" Kurds hate the Turks and the Republic of Turkey, speak out against the current government, dream of the reunification of the historical people and Kurdistan.
Few today know who the Kurds are and where they live? But a large number of people belong to the Kurds. Kurdistan is the southwestern territory of the Asian continent, which is inhabited by Kurds in an absolute or relative majority. Kurdistan is not a state-political, but an ethnographic name, since it is located on the territory of four states:
- Scythian-Median origin.
- Japhetic.
- Northern Mesopotamia.
- Iranian plateau.
- Persia.
- Yezidis are one of the ancient peoples of Mesopotamia, they speak the Kurmanji dialect of the Kurdish language - the culture is identical to Kurdish, the religion is Yezidism.
- A Yazid is born from a Yezidi Kurdish father, and any decent woman can be a mother.
- YAZIDISM is practiced not only by Yezidi Kurds, but also by other representatives of the Kurdish people.
- Yezidis are ethnic Kurds who profess the ancient Kurdish religion Yezidism.
- With the consent of the girl, the groom can kidnap her. If this happens against the will of the parents, he has to take her to the sheikh's house, and, if the relatives overtake the fugitives, they can kill them. If the young people have time to take refuge in the sheikh's house, then the latter gives the bride's parents a ransom, and the parties reconcile.
- A Kurdish woman has the right to choose the man she loves as her husband. As a rule, the choice of the daughter and parents coincides, however, otherwise, the father or brother can forcibly marry the girl to the person who is considered a worthy candidate for husbands. At the same time, the refusal of the girl to this candidate is considered a terrible shame. It is also considered shameful to divorce your wife, and such cases are extremely rare.
- A Kurdish wedding can last up to seven days, and its duration depends on the financial situation of the owners. This is very reminiscent of Turkish wedding traditions.
- If the groom's relatives live far from the bride's relatives, then two weddings are played, and in cases where the young people live at a short distance from each other, they celebrate one big wedding.
- Kurdish wedding celebrations are lavish and expensive, so the son's parents have been saving money for the wedding for a long time. However, the expenses are paid off by the gifts of the guests, which, as a rule, are sheep or money.
- Treats for weddings or other celebrations consist of rice and meat. Men and women celebrate holidays separately in different tents.
- Blood feud is relevant among the Kurds to this day. The reasons for quarrels can be the lack of water, pastures, etc. However, modern Kurds are increasingly resolving conflicts with the help of payment. There are also known cases when a woman or a girl who was given in marriage to the enemy acted as a payment, and the parties were reconciled.
- Many Kurdish women and girls wear trousers, which is explained by the convenience of riding horses. Jewelry for women are gold and silver coins.
- In marital relations, the Kurds are monogamous, with the exception of the beks, who may remarry in order to strengthen family ties.
- This people is also distinguished by its respectful attitude towards representatives of other religions, regardless of what faith the Kurds have, they can participate in religious ceremonies of other faiths.
- Kurds are also distinguished by their friendliness towards other nationalities, but they do not tolerate situations related to the oppression of their languages, customs and orders.
Today there are Kurds, according to various estimates, from 20 to over 30 million people. There are 14-15 million Kurds in Turkey, about 4.8-6.6 million in Iran, about 4-6 million in Iraq and about 1-2 million in Syria. Almost 2 million Kurds are scattered throughout Europe and America, where they created powerful and organized communities. There are 200-400 thousand Kurds in the countries of the former USSR, mainly in Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Kurds are an Iranian-speaking people living in the territories of Turkey, Iran, Syria, Iraq, and also partially in the Transcaucasus. The Kurdish people speak two dialects - Kurmanji and Sorani.
Kurds are one of the oldest peoples in the Middle East. Ancient Egyptian, Sumerian, Assyrian-Babylonian, Hittite, Urartian sources began to report on the ancestors of the Kurds quite early. The well-known orientalist, doctor of historical sciences M. S. Lazarev, wrote that “it is very difficult to find a people who would have lived on their national territory for so long…”. From the point of view of N. Ya. Marr, “the Kurds retain elements of the ancient culture of the Near East because they are descendants of the autochthonous population…” wrote O. Vilchevsky (1-70). Scientists - Academicians N. Ya. Marr, I. M. Dyakonov, V. F. Minorsky, G. A. Melikishvili, I. Chopin, P. Lerkh, Professor Egon von Elktedt, Amin Zaki, Gurdal Aksoy and others among the ancestors the Kurds are called the ancient tribes of the Gutians, Lullubis, Hurrians, Kassites, Mads (Medes), Kardukhs, Urartians, Khalds, Mars, Kirti and other inhabitants of the gray-haired Middle East. Kurds, as descendants of these tribes, have their roots in the distant historical past.
The Kurds are the largest people without their own state. Kurdish autonomy exists only in Iraq (Kurdish Regional Government of Iraq).
This people has been fighting for the creation of Kurdistan for more than twenty years. It is worth noting that all world powers are playing the Kurdish card. For example, Israel and the United States, which are allies of Turkey, encourage its fight against the Kurdish movement. Russia, Greece and Syria support the PKK.
Such interest of other states in Kurdistan can be explained by their interest in the rich natural resources of the territory inhabited by Kurds. Oil is one of the most important resources.
Due to the rather favorable geographical and strategic position of Kurdistan, foreign conquerors have paid special attention to these lands since ancient times. Therefore, from the time of the formation of the Caliph to the present, the Kurds were forced to fight against the enslavers. It is worth noting that the Kurdish dynasties during the early feudal period had significant political influence in the Middle East and ruled not only in individual principalities, but also in such large countries as Syria and Egypt.
In the 16th century, a series of ongoing wars began in Kurdistan, the cause of which was Iran and the Ottoman Empire, arguing over the possession of its lands.
According to the Zohab Treaty (1639), which was the result of these wars, Kurdistan was divided into two parts - Turkish and Iranian. Subsequently, this event played a fatal role in the fate of the peoples of Kurdistan.
The Ottoman and Iranian governments gradually weakened and then liquidated the Kurdish principalities in order to enslave Kurdistan economically and politically. This led to the strengthening of the feudal fragmentation of the country.
The government of the Ottoman Empire dragged the Kurds against their will into the First World War, which subsequently led to the ruin of the region and its division into four parts: Turkish, Iranian, Iraqi and Syrian.
Origin of the Kurds
The origin of the Kurds is currently a subject of debate and controversy. According to several hypotheses, this people has:
Obviously, many of the representatives of these areas took part in the formation of the Kurdish people.
Religion of the Kurds
There are several religions in Kurdistan. The bulk of the Kurdish population (75%) professes Sunni Islam, there are also Alawite and Shia Muslims. A small proportion of the population professes Christianity. In addition, 2 million adhere to the pre-Islamic religion of "Yazidism" who call themselves Yezidis. However, regardless of religion, every Kurd considers Zoroastrianism to be his original religion.
Speaking of the Yezidis, one should always remember:
Sunnism is the dominant branch of Islam. Who are Sunni Kurds? Their religion is based on the "Sunnah", which is a set of rules and principles that were based on the example of the life of the Prophet Muhammad.
The Kurdish people are the largest in number, having the status of a "national minority". The number of Kurds in the world does not have accurate data. Depending on the sources, these figures vary greatly: from 13 to 40 million people.
Representatives of this nationality live in Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan, Germany, France, Sweden, the Netherlands, Germany, Britain, Austria and many other countries of the world.
Kurds in Turkey today
Currently, there are about 1.5 million Kurds living in Turkey who speak the Kurdish language.
In 1984, the Kurdistan Workers' Party entered into a war (which continues to this day) with the Turkish authorities. Kurds in Turkey today demand the proclamation of a single and independent state - Kurdistan, which will unite all the territories inhabited by Kurds.
Today, the Kurdish issue is one of the key issues in discussions on the further path of Turkey's European integration. European demands to grant the Kurdish people autonomy and rights in line with European standards remain unfulfilled. These circumstances largely explain the reason why the Turks do not like the Kurds.
Traditions and customs of the Kurds
Due to the fact that the Kurds do not have their own official state, a certain political status in the world, not many people know who the Kurds are. The history and culture of this people, meanwhile, is distinguished by its richness and versatility.
Kurdish struggle for independence
The first attempt to create an independent Kurdish state was made in the 1840s by Badrkhan-bek, the emir of the Bokhtan region (with the capital Jazire). In the year he began to mint a coin on his own behalf and completely ceased to recognize the power of the Sultan. However, in the summer, the city of Bokhtan was occupied by Turkish troops, the emirate was liquidated, Badrkhan-bek himself was taken prisoner and exiled (he died in 1868 in Damascus).
A new attempt to create an independent Kurdistan was made by Badrkhan's nephew Yezdanshir. He raised an uprising at the end of the year, taking advantage of the Crimean War; he soon managed to take Bitlis, followed by Mosul. After that, Yezdanshir began to prepare an attack on Erzurum and Van. However, the attempt to connect with the Russians failed: all his messengers to General Muravyov were intercepted, and Ezdanshir himself was lured to meet with Turkish representatives, captured and sent to Istanbul (March). After that, the uprising came to naught.
The next attempt to create a Kurdish state was made by Sheikh Oyidullah in the city of Oyidullah, the supreme leader of the Naqshbandi Sufi order, who was highly respected in Kurdistan both for his position and for his personal qualities, convened in July 1880 in his residence Nehri a congress of Kurdish leaders, at in which he put forward a plan: to create an independent state, and in order to first attack Persia (as a weaker enemy), seize Iranian Kurdistan and Azerbaijan and, relying on the resources of these provinces, fight against Turkey. The plan was accepted, and in August of the same year, the Kurdish invasion of Iranian Azerbaijan began. It was accompanied by an uprising of local Kurdish tribes; detachments of the rebels approached Tabriz itself. However, Obeidullah with his main forces slowed down during the siege of Urmia, was eventually defeated and forced to return to Turkey. There he was arrested and exiled to Mecca, where he died.
At this time, the ideology of nationalism is increasingly penetrating into Kurdistan from Europe; its propaganda was conducted by the first Kurdish newspaper, Kurdistan, which was issued from the city of Cairo by the descendants of Badrkhan.
A new upsurge of the national movement in Kurdistan came after the Young Turk Revolution of the year. The nationalist society “Revival and Progress of Kurdistan” arises and immediately gains popularity, the head of which was Sheikh Abdel-Kader, the son of Obeidullah, who returned from exile; after that, the "Kurdistan League" arises, which aimed to create a "Kurdistan beylik" (Kurdish principality) either as part of Turkey, or under the protectorate of Russia or England - there were disagreements in this respect. The sheikh of the Barzan tribe Abdel-Salam, who raised a number of uprisings in 1909-1914, and especially Molla Selim, who became the leader of the uprising in Bitlis in March 1914, was associated with her.
As for Turkish Kurdistan, the Kurds, who were afraid to fall under the rule of Armenians and Western powers, succumbed to the agitation of Mustafa Kemal, who promised them complete autonomy in a joint Kurdish-Turkish Muslim state, and supported him during the Greco-Turkish war. As a result, in 1923, the Lausanne Peace Treaty was concluded, in which the Kurds were not mentioned at all. This treaty defined the modern borders between Iraq, Syria and Turkey, cutting through the former Ottoman Kurdistan.
After that, the Kemalist government began to pursue a policy of "Turkization" of the Kurds. The answer was an uprising raised in early 1925 by Sheikh Said Piran. The rebels captured the city of Gench, which Sheikh Said proclaimed the temporary capital of Kurdistan; further, he intended to capture Diyarbekir and proclaim an independent Kurdish state in it. However, the assault on Diyarbekir was repulsed; after that, the rebels were defeated near Gench, the leaders of the uprising (including Sheikh Abdul-Qadir, son of Obaidullah) were taken prisoner and hanged.
A new uprising of Turkish Kurds began in the city of Ararat mountains. It was organized by the Khoibun (Independence) society; the rebels tried to form a regular army under the command of the former colonel of the Turkish army, Ihsan Nuri Pasha; A civil administration was also created under the leadership of Ibrahim Pasha. The uprising was crushed in the city. The last mass movement of the Turkish Kurds was the movement of the Zaza Kurds (a tribe speaking a special dialect, professing Alavism and hating Muslims) in Dersim. Before the city of Dersim enjoyed de facto autonomy. The transformation of this area into the Tunceli vilayet with a special regime of government caused an uprising under the leadership of the Dersim sheikh Seyid Reza. The army corps sent against the rebels was not successful. However, the commander of the corps, General Alpdogan, lured Seyid Reza to Erzurum for negotiations, where the Kurdish leader was arrested and soon hanged. The uprising was suppressed only in the city. As a result of the regime of military and police terror established in Turkish Kurdistan, the ban on the Kurdish language, Kurdish national clothes and the very name "Kurds" (Kemalist scholars declared the Kurds "mountain Turks", allegedly running wild and forgetting the original Turkish language) , as well as mass deportations of Kurds to Western and Central Anatolia, the Kurdish movement in Turkey was destroyed for many years, and the Kurdish society was destructured.
The center of the Kurdish movement at that time was Iraqi and Iranian Kurdistan. In the city of Suleymaniye, Mahmud Barzanji again raises an uprising. The uprising was crushed, but immediately after that, the uprising of Sheikh Ahmed broke out in Barzan (1931-1932). In 1943-1945, a new uprising led by 1975 took place in Barzan. During the uprising, Barzani managed to achieve formal recognition of the right to autonomy for the Kurds of Iraq; however, in the end he was defeated. The defeat of the uprising provoked a split in the movement of the Iraqi Kurds: a number of left-wing parties broke away from the Democratic Party of Kurdistan, in the summer of 1975 they took shape in the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan under the leadership of Jalal Talabani.
At the beginning of the year, in connection with the Islamic revolution in Iran, power in Iranian Kurdistan was practically in the hands of the Kurds. However, already in March, armed clashes began between the detachments of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan and the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution sent from Tehran. In early September, the Iranians launched a massive offensive, accompanied by mass executions of residents of the captured villages from 12-13 years old. As a result, government forces managed to take control of the main part of Iranian Kurdistan.
The Iranian and Iraqi Kurds found themselves in a tragic situation during the Iran-Iraq war of 1980-1988, when the former enjoyed the support of Baghdad, and the latter, Tehran; on this basis, there were armed clashes between detachments of Iraqi and Iranian rebels.
In March of the year, as a result of the defeat of Iraqi troops, a new uprising broke out in Iraqi Kurdistan. In April, it was suppressed by Saddam Hussein, but then NATO forces, acting under a UN mandate, forced the Iraqis to leave part of Iraqi Kurdistan, where the so-called "Free Kurdistan" was created with a government of members of the KDP and PUK. The final liberation of Iraqi Kurdistan took place after the fall of Saddam Hussein. At present, there exists a formally federal, but in fact semi-independent state, whose president is
At this time, the Kurdish Workers' Party appeared in Turkey, headed by Abdullah Ocalan, nicknamed "Apo" ("Uncle"), which is why its adherents are called "apochists". After the military coup, its members fled to Syria, where, having received help from the Syrian government, they began an armed struggle against the Turkish state under the slogan "A united, democratic, independent Kurdistan". The first armed action was committed in the year, by the mid-90s . The PKK has already bombarded several thousand (according to its own claims up to 20 thousand) “guerrillas” (guerrillas) with an army and extensive political structures in the Kurdish diaspora around the world. In total, more than 35 thousand people died as a result of hostilities. In Syria, under pressure from Turkey, she refused to support the PKK and expelled Ocalan, which inflicted the strongest blow on the parties, and as it turned out, an irreparable blow; Ocalan was captured by the Turks in Kenya, tried and sentenced to death; he is currently in prison on about. Imraly.
Currently, the actual center of the Kurdish national movement is Iraqi Kurdistan. There is a widespread hope among Kurds that it will become the basis of a future independent and united "Greater Kurdistan".
After these notes on the material life of the Kurdish family, let us move on to the study of the position of women. It reflects well the character of the people. On this occasion, Minorsky notes that the Kurds are probably the most liberal among the Muslims. Of course, all the heavy housework is done by women. They look after the cattle, carry water, climb the mountains to the herd to milk the animals, collect and procure fuel. They do all this by carrying food with them everywhere, tied to their backs with a wide belt. If a woman is not able to withstand this, she quickly fades and loses all the beauty of her sex. Only the wives of leaders (called khanum, in contrast to iyayya - a simple woman) can lead a carefree life, take care of their beauty and take care of their clothes. However, all women, no matter what position they occupy, ride a horse superbly, without fear of outdoing men. They are also not afraid of climbs, and the most desperate of them climb mountains with great dexterity.
Women, as already mentioned, do not cover their faces. In the crowd they mix with men and in general conversation they can always have their say. “Very often in the villages,” Son testifies, “the hostess of the house received me in the absence of her husband, remaining to sit and talk with me without the pretense of bashfulness or shyness of Turkish or Iranian women, sharing a meal with me with pleasure. When the husband appeared, the woman, as a sign of attention to her guest, did not leave him until the husband tied the horse and entered the tent. Of course, there can be no question of the imprisonment of a woman. The Kurdish woman is virtuous, coquettish and cheerful. Prostitution is unknown among the Kurds, as are some of the other vices so prevalent in the East. The youth are very familiar with each other. Marriage is preceded by real courtship on the part of the applicant. Romantic feelings reign in the hearts of the Kurds. Twenty years ago (Minorsky wrote about this in 1914), the following strange incident took place near Mahabad: a young European girl fell in love with a Kurd, became a Muslim, and, despite the weight of the exhortation of the consul and her parents, remained with her husband. Since we are talking about romanticism, it will be permissible to mention that in my Kurdish literary collection there is a small volume of poems (“Divan-i-Adeb” by the poet Mirzba Mukri) dedicated to the beautiful Nusrat, who never became the wife of the poet, having married another. Following also the romantic tradition, Madame Paul Henry-Bordeaux, in her curious and charming novel Antaram Trebizonda, tells us the odyssey of a young Armenian girl sold to a Kurd by gendarmes sent to escort her into exile.
A young Armenian woman talks about her slavery in this way: “Who was I really? Slave! Maid! Outlander! Why did he buy me? This barbarian has an ancient primitive nobility. He has a taste for independence, does not keep a harem. Where does the Kurd get this respect for a woman, unknown among Muslim peoples?
... I loved this man, whom I knew about, did not know his language and history.
... In the morning he woke me up and made me slowly walk around the fire. There is a custom: when a girl marries, she says goodbye to her father's hearth. Some time later, he called me with my wet nurse to a paddock where he gathered a hundred rams, five buffaloes, and a horse with a new red-skin saddle. He stopped us: “I should pay your father a bride price, my bride's dowry. In that case, everything that is here, I give to your nurse, who brought you here. He looked at me pleased. Nothing compelled him to do so. But he wanted to show everyone that he was not going to keep a foreign woman in a tent only for his nightly pleasures, so that everyone would respect his wife. I was excited. A week later I heard on the threshold the tramp of feet, bleating; I left. He was waiting for me. “You should return to your parents after the wedding, so that they give you a cow, a mare and a goat, which would become yours, this is how it is done with us. But I do not want you to be less rich than others, and I give them to you myself.
I had a son. He grew up here. The son did not know a word of Kurdish and was a real Armenian. His father didn't complain about it. But one day he told me: “Teach him to at least call me dad!” I didn't want to. This happiness lasted four years.
Let us return after this digression to the thread of our story. Divorce is very easy for Kurds. Kurds in the heat of a quarrel sometimes swear that if the quarrel is not settled, they will divorce. And they get divorced. It happens in reality. If then repentance begins to torment the husband and he would be happy to take his ex-wife back to him, the law does not allow this, unless during the period of their separation the wife did not remarry and then receive a divorce. In the cities, one can find professionals (mohallel) who are willing to play the right role for a fee in order to annul the effect of the first divorce. Usually in such cases there is a whole series of misunderstandings about which there are many Kurdish anecdotes. All this, however, is applicable only to the life of citizens. Nomads, of course, have simpler and stricter morals.
The Kurds have one special, called chopi, a dance in a circle with bouncing. The one who leads the dance holds a handkerchief in one hand, and the other carries the dancers holding hands in a circle. Once this dance was given in honor of Minorsky by a wealthy Kurd. As soon as the sounds of the zurna (clarinet) were heard, accompanied by a drum, all the women of the village dressed up in five minutes and took their places among the men, trampling heavily, but with enthusiasm until the evening. Here is another piece of evidence:
“I was in a hurry for the first time to approach the gathering place where they danced the Kurdish dance, which seemed to me curious and at the same time very graceful. Men and women, holding hands, forming a large circle, to the sound of a bad drum, moved slowly and monotonously to the rhythm ... It is noticeable, however, that Kurdish women, although they are Muslims, are not bashful. Their faces were not covered" 1).
A woman among the Kurds, no doubt, has her own personality. It is no coincidence, for example, that a mother, distinguished by nobility or beauty, adds her own name to the name of her son; for example, the name Bapiri Chachan (meaning "Bapir, son of Chachan") maintains a mother's reputation. Many examples can be cited when a whole tribe is subordinate to a woman, at the head of which she had to become. It is known, for example, that during the final occupation of Hakkari by the Turks, this district was ruled by a woman (see Hartmann). “We ourselves (Minorsky) saw in the autumn of 1914 in the small town of Alepche (near Suleymaniye) the famous Adele Khanum, the widow of Osman Pasha from the Jaff tribe 2) . For several years, she really ruled the entire district, formally entrusted by the Turks to her husband, who was almost always absent. Son, disguised as an Iranian merchant, lived for some time in her small court and very amusingly described how she judges and manages affairs, not forgetting her purely feminine duties, such as buying various fabrics, taking care of the house. The government appointed a Turkish official in Alepche. Adele-khanum found herself in disgrace since then; removed from business, she behaved, however, with great dignity. She visited us in our camp, accompanied by a whole retinue of relatives and maids, and willingly agreed to be photographed. Adele Khanum thanked her son for the gifts with a letter written in French by a young Kurd who was studying with the Catholic missionaries in Senn.
1) Comte de Sercey, La, Perse en 1839-1840, p. 104.
2) To this example cited by Minorsky, I can add one more, from my side, with Mariam Khanum, the widow of Sheikh Mohammed Siddiq. I had the pleasure of negotiating with this noble Kurdish woman who was left alone with her servants in Neri, the main residence of Shemdinan, at the time of the approach of Russian troops in 1916 in this small part of Kurdistan. Millingen (decree, op., p. 25) also names a Kurdish lady, the widow of Omer-Aga, the leader of the Milan tribe. She was only twenty-two years old when she lost her husband, but she was respected by all the elders of the tribe and she enjoyed great influence among them. She ran the affairs of the tribe with the energy of a man. M. Massignon drew my attention to the influence of Yezidis among the noble Kurds. The beauty of these women attracts Kurds who seek to marry them.
Kurds are generally very fond of children. Near each leader you can see his beloved child, the tenth or twelfth offspring. Jan Fulad Bek, according to Sheref-name (p. 292), had 70 children. And this is not an exceptional case. Often in the mountains you can meet a young Kurd carrying a child in his arms - the hope of his old age. Minorsky recalls one scene while traveling in Kurdistan: “We were climbing with a caravan along a narrow path along an abyss, when suddenly two people appeared from above. Ahead, a Kurd, lightly dressed, seemingly a poor peasant, carried a sick child wrapped in rags. His wife, who had a good but sad face, followed him, carrying a dagger to make her husband more comfortable. The child fell off the roof and lost consciousness. Parents hurried to show it to a neighboring sorcerer. Noticing the Europeans, who in the East are all known as doctors, the mother grabbed the stirrup, began kissing her feet, crying, begging to save the child. There was a lot of sincerity and real grief in this whole scene. And, on the contrary, one recalls the contempt for danger and death among the Kurds and the words of one leader: “It would be dishonorable to die only in bed. But if a bullet catches me and they bring me home, everyone will be glad that I will die properly. Perhaps this harsh philosophy is shared by Kurdish mothers, but the grief of the poor woman spoke eloquently that there are even stronger bonds in her heart.
Infectious diseases are very common. However, severe illnesses are rare among nomads. The treatment consists in putting a talisman on the sore spot or making the patient swallow a piece of paper with a verse from the Koran or a magic formula. Several medicinal plants are used, but this type of home treatment has not yet been sufficiently studied.
We recall that M. Wagner 1) talks about this.
The Bilbas tribe has a special way of healing wounds. They sew up the wounded in a freshly skinned bull, leaving only the head free. The skin itself falls off the body of the patient over time. The most dangerous wounds from a spear and a saber blow are treated in the same way.
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1) M. Wagner, op. cit., S. 229.
The Kurds also trust the doctor or any European, as has just been said. If you give a piece of sugar or a little alcohol, the sick Kurd immediately says that he feels better. Diseases of the respiratory tract, despite sudden changes in temperature, are not common. Rheumatism, on the contrary, is very common, probably as a consequence of the insufficient protection of the tent from the cold and contact with the cold earth. Finally, malaria often threatens the Kurds. To protect themselves from it, they build high decks, described at the beginning of the chapter. Children, left to their own devices, poorly dressed, are tempered from an early age. Cases of longevity are very frequent in Kurdistan.
Returning to the Kurdish family, we note, as Son testified, that from north to south, the Kurd retains monogamy and that the average normal family rarely exceeds three or four people. Only chieftains have more than one wife, and in some of the cases given in Sheref-nama there are a large number of very well-bred wives (see "Women Without Count", p. 336).
6. Head of the Family
It is noteworthy that the Kurds marry for love, and the bride and groom know each other before the wedding, while other Muslim peoples marry against the will of the future spouses, through third parties. In a Kurdish family, the father is its head (malkhe mal) and manages everything. He owns the best seat, in his presence family members cannot sit or talk without his permission.
The eldest son is the father's heir. And no one is more dear to a Kurd than his successor. This explains the fact that during negotiations with the Kurds, the eldest sons of the leader are taken as hostages. This is stronger than an oath in the Koran.
The tribe can take obligations in the absence of the leader, if his successor is in place; but the Kurds will not take the obligation if there is no heir, for this threatens civil war after the death of the leader.
“The observance of seniority in the family is deeply rooted in the customs of the Kurds. We have interesting examples of this every day. Hadji Nejmeddin wanted to light his chibouk. His eldest son, like a faithful servant, went after the fire and helpfully brought it; in turn, being only two years older than his brother, he also wanted to smoke. The younger brother rushed with the same helpfulness after the fire, and then, in turn, was himself served by a smaller brother, who turned to his nephews, etc., exactly following the hierarchy of ages and position ”1).
“Young Kurds, as well as the sons of the leader, do not have the right to sit down in the presence of elders; they serve them with coffee and pipes. If a young man enters the tent, he usually kisses the hand of all the elders in order; the elders kiss him on the forehead. If the one who enters is older, he takes only the hand of the leader, and everyone present puts his hand to his forehead as a sign of respect.
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1) Ch o let, op. cit., p. 229.
1) M. Wagner, op. cit., Bd. II, S. 240.
Children inherit after their father. In the absence of children, the inheritance passes to the brother or grandchildren; the male heir receives twice as much as the heiress. After the wife, if she did not have a single child, half goes to her husband, the other half to her relatives (brothers, sisters, nephews and nieces). If she has children, the husband receives a fourth of the property, and the children the rest. The wife after the death of her husband, if she has no children, receives a quarter of the inheritance (if there was more than one wife, they divide this fourth part among themselves); if there are children, the wife receives only an eighth, the rest goes to the children. The guardian is appointed, if necessary, the eldest son or brother in the absence of a direct heir.
Closely related to the question of the Kurdish family is the problem of pedigree. All the old noble families have a well-specified pedigree. Nothing inspires a Kurdish leader like talking to him about his ancestors. You may know many of them. But he will name a few more generations and tell you about their bold exploits in the fight against the Rumi (Turks) and Aj (Iranians). To feel at ease among the Kurds, one does not need to know the genealogy thoroughly, one can always find several examples in Sheref-name (p. 323, fifteen generations listed). I had the pleasure of knowing Hamdi Bey Baban, who spent many years on genealogical research from Arabic, Turkish and Iranian sources, in which there were mentions of his fellow tribesmen. I preserve his family tree as a valuable document for insight into the psychology and thinking of the Kurd. However, family traditions, pride in the father's hearth are not the property of the nobility alone. Every Kurd, no matter what social strata he belongs to, knows well which hearth (byna-mal) he belongs to, knows exactly his origin. In Kurdistan there are often illiterate people who know by heart ten to fifteen generations of their ancestors with a lot of details (Minorsky). For Kurdish tribal history, genealogical data has real meaning.
For centuries, in countries where Muslim traditions are strong, the question of the attitude towards a woman, her place in the family and society has been acute. For hundreds of years, Islam has nurtured in Eastern women obedience to her husband, obedience to his word and will. Despite legal rights to education, possession of property and personal inviolability, many men control the fate of their wives and daughters, traditionally considering themselves the master of the family and home. In his power is control over their education and leisure. It is the father who chooses a husband for his daughter, while the girl may not even know her betrothed. Women are being curtailed in their rights, because many eastern countries do not have laws that allow women not only to be on an equal footing with men, but also to simply be legally protected. For example, in Iraq, a woman needs to obtain permission from a male relative in order to obtain a passport and become a full citizen, or in Syria, marriages with underage girls have been recorded, which violates not only legal, but also moral standards. In many Muslim countries, women are required to wear a hijab and hide their faces from the eyes of passers-by. All this belittles women, deprives them of their own will and does not allow them to become an independent member of society.
However, there is a society in the Middle East where the feminine word is equal in strength to the masculine.
The image of the Kurdish woman is a symbol of courage and independence for the whole world. For centuries, the women of Kurdistan have opposed the oppressive rulers and the patriarchal traditions of the East. They always defended their place in society, not allowing the strength of their spirit and will to gain freedom to be fettered.
Kurdish society is quite patriarchal and traditional, more so than in the West, but less so than in the East. However, Kurdish women receive education on an equal footing with men and find work in their profession without any problems. Moreover, a fairly large part of the army, and this is about 40%, consists of women. In connection with the fight against the terrorist organization ISIS (banned in the Russian Federation), which has escalated in recent years, more and more often photos of girls confidently holding weapons and ready to defend the honor and freedom of their people appear on the Internet and in the media.
In Western (Syrian) Kurdistan, women have become known as the most powerful female fighting force. Known as the Women's Defense Forces (YPJ), this unit was noted for their bravery on the battlefields. Al Jazeera reported that Kurdish female fighters from the YPJ single-handedly eliminated more than 100 ISIS fighters. In the battles for Kobani, it was reported that up to 40% of the combat resistance against ISIS consisted of Kurdish women.
In addition to fighting, many women have come to prominence through their participation in the Kurdish government. Historically, they have a rich culture of political participation and leadership, despite the predominant influence of the patriarchal traditions of the Middle East. Many believe that before the advent of the Ottoman Empire and the adoption of Islam, equality and even matriarchy reigned among the Kurds, which were replaced by the imposition of patriarchal norms, but did not break the love of freedom and independence of Kurdish women.
Back in the early 1900s, the leader of the Begzade and Jaf tribes in Southern (Iraqi) Kurdistan was a woman, Adela Khanum. She received power through her husband, who was appointed head of the region. Eventually her influence outgrew his, and he willingly gave her more power to govern the region. She remained in power after his death until 1924.
The creation of major women's political and social movements took place at the end of the twentieth century, when the leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, Abdullah Ocalan, said "No revolution can take place while women are slaves." He initiated the creation of the Kurdistan Women's Association, which includes the Zvezda Free Women's Union, the Women's Freedom Party, the Kurdistan Free Women's Party and the Kurdistan Women's Liberation Union. At the moment, about 30% of the Kurdish regional government is made up of women, which is unique in the Middle East.
Thanks to such a powerful upholding of rights, Kurdish women today do not cover their faces, are not afraid to go against the will of a man and do not experience oppression in society. They are independent and self-sufficient, even more so than in the West. Only among the Kurds, a woman achieves equality not for the sake of her own protection from internal patriarchal norms, but for the sake of protection from external oppressors, for the well-being of her family and a free sky for her children, giving all of herself to the Kurdish people and the idea of gaining an Independent Kurdistan.
Kurdish culture
An integral part of the culture of any nation is a special wisdom passed on to descendants through songs, fairy tales, legends and fables. There are thousands of them in the world. Each region is characterized by special heroes and plots that reflect the life and customs of their ancestors. It is through folklore that certain traits are brought up in children that are inherent only to this ethnic group. They do not allow unique peoples to disappear, to dissolve in the many-sided stream of other cultures that occupy a dominant position in certain regions. Folklore is the most ancient and most striking factor that allows us to understand the values of the people, their attitude to relatives and strangers, to family and friends, to work and rest.
For the Kurds, the preservation of their own culture is not only a matter of ethnic uniqueness, but also a good reason for highlighting their own statehood. In addition to their large numbers, about 50 million people, the Kurds stand out sharply among the peoples surrounding them with traditions and norms of behavior, morality and moral principles that are different from Muslim ones.
There are many legends about the origin of the Kurds, a nomadic people living without a single ruler and state. For example, one of them says that the Kurds are the descendants of the concubines of King Solomon and the demon Jasad, who were expelled into the mountains as unwanted, unnecessary people. In harsh mountainous conditions, they were helped to survive by fortitude, love of freedom and unwillingness to obey anyone. These features are unique to the Kurds, making the folk epic different from others. Each of the legends is designed to unite the Kurdish nation, which is in a state of permanent struggle, both with neighboring peoples and between their own tribes. They are filled with deep morality and meaning, which is not easy to understand even for adults.
Another unique feature is the almost complete absence of the influence of Islamic traditions on folklore. In Persian, Arabic and Turkish fairy tales, Muslim morality, everyday traditions and norms of behavior often slip through. Kurdish fairy tales, on the other hand, retained the isolation of their ancient foundations, putting at the head the desire for freedom and the versatility of the human soul. The heroes of Kurdish fairy tales achieve their goals not with spirituality and enlightenment, but with cunning and agility. The main character does not always strive for the Almighty, doing good deeds and enlightening other people. Perhaps some people may consider deceit and slyness as negative traits, because it is forbidden in society. However, it is precisely with a flexible mind and the ability to choose the right words at the right time that one can survive in harsh mountain conditions. Thousands of years ago, when folklore was just being formed, the most important issue was the question of survival. From an early age, children were taught to avoid direct collisions with mountain predators, to elude the numerous robbers who were looking for food by robbing settlements, to keep livestock on pastures by any means, because it was one of the main sources of food. The easiest way to convey this knowledge was through fairy tales, therefore the most ancient and wisest of them have such a duality of morality. Such tales need to continue to be passed on to posterity, because they will help preserve the national identity of the Kurds. Perhaps it was they who did not allow Islam to take a dominant position in Kurdish culture, and thanks to them today Kurdish society is distinguished by a tolerant attitude both in gender terms and in religious and interracial terms.
No wonder there is an opinion that a people that has lost its culture can no longer be considered a unique people. The Kurds, despite the powerful pressure, have been defending their identity for centuries, resisting the imposition of foreign values and traditions. This shows the strength and steadfastness that is also manifested in modern Kurds, in their stubborn desire to gain independence. Their uniqueness lies in folk art, because it is truly unique, which undoubtedly gives the Kurdish ethnos grounds to declare itself, to show that not only numbers are the basis for the formation of their own state. Difference from other peoples not only in the Middle East, but throughout the world is a very good reason that the entire world community must reckon with, even for the sake of their desires and principles.
Natalya Persiyanova — MSLU student and RiaTAZA intern
