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As Strong as the Mountains. History and Ethnic Identity Language Oral Traditions Relationships Core Values Urbanization. The Kurdish People. Largest ethnic population without a homeland 30 to 40 million people spread out over Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria. History and Ethnic Identity.
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As Strong as the Mountains History and Ethnic Identity Language Oral Traditions Relationships Core Values Urbanization
The Kurdish People • Largest ethnic population without a homeland • 30 to 40 million people spread out over Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria.
History and Ethnic Identity When dealing with ethic crisis… • Blood – • Belief – • Faith – • Family – Are vitally important!!!
What historical culture are the Kurds associated with? • Why are the Kurds unaware of their deep history? • How is this changing?
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?
Ethnic Hegemony • The Islamization Process • Yezidism > • Judaism > • Christianity > • Islam … • Conversion to Islam was a slow process…Why?
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?
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
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?
Kemalism • Ataturk • 1924 – Being Kurdish becomes harder… • Turkey bans all Kurdish schools, associations, publications, and religious training schools.
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…
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
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?
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…
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…
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
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
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…
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?
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?
Geophysical Discrimination • How is Racism in Turkey different than Racism in the USA? • How can discrimination be geophysical? • How does this work in Turkey?
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?
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
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”
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
Enculturation • The passing of culture between generation • Traditionally done by Kurdish re spi,(literal translation = white beard) • Epic poems • Narratives • Folktales
All oral tradition includes a “quest for meaning” • What do you think this means? • Why is this important for marginalized ethnic groups?
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
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?
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?
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
Family Structure • Patriarchal • Patrilineal • Patrilocal • Obviously male dominated society
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
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?
Dawet • Ritual associated most commonly with marriage • What is it?
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?
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?