As Strong as the Mountains

1. As Strong as the Mountains History and Ethnic Identity Language Oral Traditions Relationships Core Values Urbanization

8. The Kurdish People • Largest ethnic population without a homeland • 30 to 40 million people spread out over Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria.

9. History and Ethnic Identity When dealing with ethic crisis… • Blood – • Belief – • Faith – • Family – Are vitally important!!!

15. What historical culture are the Kurds associated with? • Why are the Kurds unaware of their deep history? • How is this changing?

16. Medes • Possible birthplace of agriculture in the region • Wheat Barley, Lentils, grapes…sheep, pigs, dogs • 12,000 BCE? • Iranization? • What does this mean? • Can we brainstorm some other examples of this process?

17. Ethnic Hegemony • The Islamization Process • Yezidism > • Judaism > • Christianity > • Islam … • Conversion to Islam was a slow process…Why?

18. Ottoman Rule • ummah – Islamic community • The millet system • Non-Muslim ethnic groups considered minorities • Religious over ethnic? • How did these two aspects of the Ottoman ruling style impact the development of a Kurdish ethnic identity?

19. Post Ottoman… • Sykes-Picot Agreement • Zones of Influence… • Post WWI artificial division of Ottoman Empire into European control… • Turkish war of independence…Kurds side with Turks as the Nation-State emerges

20. Turkish State • Why were the Kurds denied a true part of the Turkish State? • How did the Turks describe the Kurds at this time, and really today as well? • Why did they do this? • Consider what a nation-state is…Why would the Turks do this?

21. Kemalism • Ataturk • 1924 – Being Kurdish becomes harder… • Turkey bans all Kurdish schools, associations, publications, and religious training schools.

22. Turgut Ozal • Turkish political leader • Of Kurdish descent • Lifted ban on Kurdish language except in broadcasts, publications, and education… • However, also developed the Village Guard and Emergency Rule systems • Which contributed to the growth of the PPK…

23. The rise of the PKK • Partiya Karkeren Kurdistan – the Kurdish Workers Party • Marxist-Leninist socialist movement • Demanded loyalty over tribe, family, or religion • Allowed woman to fight alongside men

26. PKK and the Village Guard • Colonial method of repressing ethnic groups… • Village Guard recruited from anti-PPK villages • Signing on to the guard usually meant your village was saved… • Why would the Turkish government recruit Kurds into its localized militias? • What makes militias useful? Why?

27. Here is the rub for non-combatants… • PKK troops come to your village, demand recruits, food, water, etc. • Later the Village Guard or Military come and accuse you of adding the rebels and destroy your village…

28. Iraqi Kurds • Despite some periods of disruption, by and large the Kurds of Iraqi have suffered less repression than those of Turkey. • By 1970, the Iraqi government had granted the Kurds linguistic and cultural rights…

29. However, the 1970s would end up being one of the harshest periods for Kurdish people in Iraq… • By 1976 200,000 Kurds suffered forced relocation

30. The 1980s would see the rise of the Islamic Republic in Iran, and the consolidation of power by Saddam in Iraqi. • These changes meant suffering for the Iraqi Kurds, who suffered through multiple offensives against them throughout this decade

31. The First Gulf War • After a promise of assistance following the Kuwait offensive, the US all but abandoned Kurds who revolted against Saddam. • Geopolitical arrangements at the time allowed the Kurds to be once again left behind…

32. Language and Ethnic Identity • How was the Kurdish language treated in Turkey? • In Iraqi? • Why do you think Kurdish was allowed to be spoken in Iraqi but not Turkey?

33. Language • Why do the Turks deny the Kurds a language? • How is the language suppressed? • Why is language different in the village verse the city?

34. Geophysical Discrimination • How is Racism in Turkey different than Racism in the USA? • How can discrimination be geophysical? • How does this work in Turkey?

35. Kurdish Turks/Turkish Kurds • What is dual about Kurdish Identity in Turkey? • What are the main characteristics that separate Kurds from Turks or Iraqis? • Do these differences serve to unite or divide the Kurds?

36. Oral Traditions • Within an oral tradition, honor is given to those with age, retention, and story telling skills • Within a literate tradition, honor is given to youth with skills in readings, writing, and arguing in the new language

37. Indigenous Knowledge • Kurds are descents of the Medes, who were an indigenous Middle Eastern complex society. • “A collective understanding of a particular culture group about how the world works”

38. Oral Tradition • Legends -- often about a time in human history (heroes and the like) • Myths -- often about a time before human history (a sacred narrative explaining how the world and humankind came to be in their present form) • Folklore -- often ties the practical and the esoteric into one narrative package • Songs • Proverbs • Poetry

39. Enculturation • The passing of culture between generation • Traditionally done by Kurdish re spi,(literal translation = white beard) • Epic poems • Narratives • Folktales

40. All oral tradition includes a “quest for meaning” • What do you think this means? • Why is this important for marginalized ethnic groups?

41. Tales of Creation • The story of Kawa • Brain eater • Compassionate King • The birth of the Kurdish People • King Solomon -- his jinn • Jinn and Sex with Europeans = Kurds

42. How are folktales used to bond people? • How are folktales used to strengthen warriors? • How are folktales related to the differences in Kurdayati between Iraqi and Turkish Kurds?

43. Literacy and Television • Both literacy and television have caused oral tradition among the Kurds to decline… • Why? • Do you think there are ways to change this? • What strategies could be used?

44. Relationships • The importance of tracing your heritage to show your affiliation with a particular ethnic group • Understand how Kin-Ordered mode of production helps open doors to resources

45. Family Structure • Patriarchal • Patrilineal • Patrilocal • Obviously male dominated society

46. Marriage • Endogamous • Ideal marriage is within tribal structure…when a son marries his father’s brother’s daughter (first cousin) • Polygynous • Within Islamic law, a man may have up to four wives

47. Marriage • So what is the ideal marriage arrangement in Kurdish Culture? • Which country is this more prominent in? • Why would some Kurds marry a Western bride?

48. Dawet • Ritual associated most commonly with marriage • What is it?

49. Gender Rolls • Public and Private spaces • Which gender dominates public (out of home) spaces? • Which gender dominates private ( in home) spaces? • What is the argument for this arrangement?

50. Attire • Hijab, abbiya, burka • In northern Iraq, abbiyas are worn by married woman • Why are Kurdish village woman at a higher risk level than Kurdish city woman?