It's no surprise that they have been called "the orphans of the universe." The Kurds are the largest ethnic group in the world without their own country. Centuries of living surrounded by enemies has given rise to the proverb, "The Kurds have no friends."

Their history is not all inglorious, however. Kurds consider themselves descendents of the Medes mentioned in the Old Testament. Famous Kurds include King Darius, prominent in the book of Daniel, and Saladin, who retook Jerusalem from the Crusaders in 1187. However, from the fall of the Median Empire in 550 BC, the Kurds have had their original territory absorbed by other empires and countries. Estimates vary, but there could be as many as 25 to 30 million Kurds in Kurdistan, a name that refers to a rugged mountainous area covering southeast Turkey, northeast Syria, northern Iraq and west Iran.

Over half of all Kurds live in Turkey, where the government has refused to recognize them as a separate ethnic group, instead referring to them as Mountain Turks. Until recently it was illegal to speak Kurdish in public. Iraq has been even more inhospitable, destroying Kurdish villages, assaulting them with chemical weapons and forcing them into detention camps. Saddam Hussein's brutal attacks in 1991 finally roused the world's indignation. As a result, the United Nations established a safety zone within Iraq where theoretically Kurds could live unmolested. In many countries, however, Kurds still endure oppression. Consequently, they continue to flee to Europe, North America and Australia in search of a better future.


CULTURE


The Arts

Kurds are great lovers of music, poetry and dance. Their music ranges from the distinctly passionate to profoundly melancholic. A set of songs called gorani are incorporated into a wide range of activities. Festive goranis, used in wedding and holiday celebrations, have strong rhythms accompanied by clapping and dancing. Women sing woman goranis as they go about their everyday chores, such as milking and carrying water. Other goranis are specifically denoted for children, funerals and war. Kurdish musicians play the zornah (flute), dohol (drum) and the tanbur, a lute-like instrument considered sacred. Dances are regionally distinctive, and often performed by men and women together. Kurdish folk tales and poetry focus particularly on love of country, heroism and romance.


Language

Kurdish is an Indo-Iranian language related to Persian. It contains a large number of dialects, limiting communication between the various groups. Most Kurds in Iran and Iraq speak the Sorani dialect and use the Arabic script. However, the more numerous Turkish Kurds speak the Kermanji dialect and write with the Roman script.


Dress

Kurdish clothing is impressively colourful! Although many younger Kurds are adopting western styles, traditional dress for men include loose trousers with a shirt and jacket, cummerbund and skull cap covered by a turban. Women wear baggy trousers under long, bright dresses that feature brocade of silver and gold threads. Fancy vests and headscarves complete the costume.


Diet

Kurdish cuisine has it's own distinct flavours due to the combination of spices used in the preparation. A typical Kurdish diet centres around bread, dairy products, vegetables, dates, meat and tea. Popular vegetables include eggplant (aubergine), tomatoes, red beets, green beans, cucumbers and olives. Most of the traditional dishes incorporate either mutton, beef or chicken.


ECONOMY

While Kurdistan is rich in oil, coal, copper, gold and silver, the controlling governments are reluctant to exploit these resources lest development encourage Kurdish aspirations for autonomy. The largest oil reserves in the Middle East are found in Iraqi Kurdistan, yet sugar mills and cement factories have more significance for the Kurdish economy than does oil. Agriculture is a main source of cash income, with wheat, barley, rice, sugar beets, cotton and tobacco among the most important crops. Meat, dairy products and wool also provide income for Kurdistan's residents.

In Turkey, more than half of all Kurds engage in agricultural work, either farming or raising livestock. The remaining population work in the service sector or industry. Some small Kurdish businesses produce soap, carpets, crafts, textiles, and cement.


SOCIETY

The Kurds are a tribal people, and Kurdistan has almost 800 separate tribes. Within the tribal unit, the family is all-important. Grandfathers, fathers, and eldest brothers are accorded the highest respect and consulted for decisions and advice. Women fall under the authority and protection of the men, who make decisions for them. A woman's reputation is strictly guarded, so modest dress and high moral standards are crucial. The same standards do not apply to men, however. Most marriages are arranged and it is not unusual for first cousins to marry. Kurds treasure family loyalty and honour, with the well being of the group emphasized over individual preference.

Kurds have an extremely high rate of illiteracy, which has hindered their communication at the national and international level. Parents often decide whether or not their children will attend school. Sons are more likely to receive an education than daughters, who may be kept at home to help with the chores. A Kurdish proverb states "Ignorance is sweet for the soul," indicating that in the past education had a low priority.


RELIGIOUS LIFE

Ancient Kurds practiced the religion of Yazdanism, or "Cult of the Angels," and later Zoroastrianism. Before the birth of Christ many converted to Judaism. Kurds present in Jerusalem at the day of Pentecost took Christianity back to their homeland, and Kurdistan was predominately Christian when the Arabs brought Islam to the region in the 7th century. By the 15th century, the vast majority of Kurds had converted to Islam. Today most are Sunni Muslims, though some small communities, the 'Yezidi,' still hold to a form of Yazdanism. While Kurds might vehemently affirm their Muslim identity, many do not practice the tenets of Islam and many Kurds are members of mystical Suffi sects.


Contact with Christianity

Only a few missionaries, pastors, or evangelists minister exclusively to the Kurds. Studies estimate that only one Kurd in 200,000 has ever heard the gospel. The New Testament exists in the Kurmanji dialect, as does the Jesus Film, and translation of the Old Testament is underway. Only the Gospels have been translated into Sorani, but the Jesus film is also available in this dialect. Unfortunately, there are no scripture portions translated into Herki, used by some of the Kurds in Iraq, Dimili spoken by groups in Turkey, nor the Shikaki dialect. Due to the high percentage of illiteracy, there is a great need for Scripture audio cassettes as well as the production of the Jesus Film in these other Kurdish dialects.


PLEASE PRAY:

• For God to raise up more missionaries to go to the Kurds.
• For God to raise up Kurdish evangelists to reach their own people.
• For translation of the Jesus film into other Kurdish dialects that don't yet have it.
• For the production of more Christian radio programmes.
• For translation of the scriptures into the various Kurdish dialects.

© International Teams and People International 2003.