Until recently, much of the world really knew very little about the Kurdish people. I was one of them. Perhaps that was because the Kurdish have not had a universally recognised country with boundaries called Kurdistan; but to the Kurdish, Kurdistan is very real indeed. This map of the Kurdish people shows where they are mostly located, and what is called 'Kurdistan':
Map of Kurdistan ----------------- Flag of Kurdistan
I won't tell you much about Kurdistan, but on the grounds that pictures are worth a thousand words, here is a gallery of photos that is not to be missed: http://www.saradistribution.com/galeri.htm . You will be amazed at the beauty of the ruins, the land, and mostly the people. They are a very old people, perhaps among the oldest in the world, and certainly among the most neglected.
Politically they are more important then the average American realises because they are a tolerant and fiercely democratic people in one of the most intolerant neighborhoods in the world.
You can find some exciting Kurdish music here: http://www.kurdland.com/main/music/default.asp
I never realised that there were also Jewish Kurds, and tomorrow I hope to do a story about them.
2 comments:
A magnificent and ancient civilization. The world should insist that they be given their own country, in order that their culture, art and wisdom can enrich us all.
Thanks for the post on Kurdistan, Juanita. Kurds are definitely forgotten unless they happen to serve other political interests.
Now is the time for Kurds to determine the future of Kurdistan without outside manipulations, especially since very few see the current situation from a Kurdish perspective. It's time for Kurds to consider the interests of Kurdistan and place these interests before everything else.
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