Kurds+-+FA11

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 *  Created by Grant, Derrick, and Josh

//** __Aspects of Kurdish Culture__ **// 

//__Language:__ //  The Kurdish Language is spoken and used by over twenty million Kurdish people spread throughout Europe. Their language is a part of the Irano-Aryan languages in that area of the world. Additionally, their language is found mainly in Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria, as well as other countries where the Kurds are mainly found. The Kurdish Language has never become unified together, and because of this there are separate versions of the language. One such example is Kurmanji, the biggest sub-language. The Kurds, however, are not limited to their own language. They have gradually received the ability to express themselves in other languages, including Arabic and Persian. The start of the Kurdish language is hard to date.

//__Beliefs: __//  The majority of people in the Kurdish culture are Islamic. Within that religion, most are a form of Muslim called Sunni. There are other sub-religions of Islam, including Shia and Sufi. With these religions, it is common for the Muslim Kurds to have mystical practices and participate in religious orders. A slightly larger Muslim minority is the Alevi group, mostly near Turkey. The next most dominant religion is Christianity, as well as Judaism. Both of these religions are relatively small, but there are around 200,000 Jews in Israel. Two other very small minority religions are Ahl-i-Haqq and Yazidis. Each of these different religions have different beliefs, so it is assumed that the Kurds are religiously diverse. In an article by G. R. Driver, he goes so far as to say some people believe the Kurds to be idolatrous, worshipping multiple different idols or gods. They do not mean this favorably. As a whole, most Kurds are part of a religion, and all these religions have at least one thing in common: worshipping a god.

//__Behaviors:__ //  The Kurdish have some behaviors that define their culture. A big one that relates to literature is that their intellectuals sought refuge in Western countries. These people are doing much to promote their language, and have released over 200 titles in their language. This behavior shows they are devoted to literature. Along with their language, the Kurds at one point in time lived a very traditional and simple life. This lifestyle revolved around goat and sheep herding though out the plains. They were then forced out of their traditional lifestyle and settled for farming. Another tradition that the Kurds carry is their performances at the night gatherings that they hold. This could include storytelling, minstrel or dancing. A minstrel is a medieval European band who performed songs about many different places or about major or historical events. In contrast to many neighboring Muslim populations, Kurdish women are not secluded and do not wear the face veil. Kurdish men and women participate in mixed-gender dancing during feasts, weddings and other social celebrations. Kurdish culture and their behaviors are more similar to that of eastern Europe than to the Middle East.

__Values:__  The Kurds have relatively simple lifestyles, and they are very self-sufficient. There is one thing that has come up multiple times with them, however. They are always fighting with other countries. Because of this, I would say that one of the things they value is freedom and their right to make their own choices. This is the reason they are fighting now, and have been fighting throughout history. They also seem to value their differences, even within their own culture. There are multiple languages and religions used within their culture, and they can still all be a part of it. This shows that diversity is something they value. There are some issues of fighting within this culture, but they worked through it, seeing the need for sharing. Finally, they also value the idea of nationalism. They have tried multiple times to establish a Kurdish state, without success. This is mainly due to the greed for oil of Europeans and Americans. They wanted the oil for themselves thus not allowing the Kurds to create the country.

//**__Cultural Change__ **//

 The Kurds are beginning to move towards technology. They are no longer oppressed and have stuck to their beliefs the entire entire time. Americans helped move them along technology-wise by introducing them to new technology like 3G cellular service, wi-fi, and even bringing about telecoms, putting them ahead of the rest of the Middle Eastern people. If the Americans hadn’t helped, it would have been a much longer time until they would have even heard of 3G and Internet access. Also, their passion for freedom led to much cultural change by rebelling against the very oppressive Saddam Hussein. He targeted them and if it weren’t for American forces, their numbers would have been a lot smaller. They also are striving to become more intellectual, which has led to more change and advances in art, technology, music, and more. They are beginning to pull ahead of their fellow Middle Eastern countrymen.

//__Technology:__ //  Technology has played a very important role in the cultural change of the Kurds. The Kurdish region has actually had technology like cell phones and Internet for more time than the rest of Iraq. As recently as this year, new developments have surfaced for the Kurds, such as 3G and faster wi-fi. The 3G was brought over by the Americans when they came to topple Hussein. People in the Kurdish region are not too different from the rest of the world, in that they use things like Facebook and email. These things can also open up the culture to new ideas and things. The Kurds are so much further in the area of technology for their culture then the others because they have had these capabilities for much longer. This has also caused their culture to evolve more rapidly.

//__Commercialization:__ // <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> The Kurdish in Iraq have very strong opinions of oil exporting. Because of their location, this is the main source of commercialization for this region. They are sitting on an immense amount of oil, and their exporting of it has opened them up to other things. It has been their main source of revenue, bringing in a lot of money annually. However, they have been seeking more control over their oil, which could affect commercialization in the future. They also have oil deals with many companies and places, which is giving them interaction with others around the world and exposing them to new culture.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline;">__//Travel//:__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> The Kurds were forced to move because Europeans and Americans found oil there. They were greedy, forcing them out and denying their request for their own country. Due to the massive oil industry, larger foreign companies are being attracted, bringing in more revenue. Therefore, foreign country involvement has begun to affect parts of the Kurdish culture and technology. Additionally, an influx of money came in, allowing them to invest in new things. Travel has affected their culture because they were exposed to new cultures as other people came in to be a part of the oil exporting.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Citations:__ **

__<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">PRIMARY SOURCES: __

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Akins, James. Interview by Greg Barker. Frontline. PBS. n.a, Arlington: 25 Jan. 2000. Television.

//<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This interview is from a veteran who was around the Kurdish culture for some time. He provides some insight into their views of a highly controlled government. It is dated, but has pertinent information to the Kurdish culture. //

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Abdul-Rahman, Sami. Interview by Greg Barker. Frontline. PBS. n.a, Arlington: 25 Jan. 2000. Television.

//<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This interview is important because it explores the way the Kurdish felt about Saddam Hussein and dictatorship. It is old, but it addresses some important parts of the Kurdish culture. //

This link is to the interviews: []

__<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">PRINT SOURCE: __

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Driver, G. R.. Bulletin of the School of Oriental Studies, University of London. n.a: Cambridge University Press, 1922. Print.

//<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This document was very important to the belief aspect of this culture because it identifies some of the religions of the Kurds. It also presents the idea of the Kurds being idolatrous, which is an interesting point, and one worth noting. //

This link is to the book excerpt we used: []

__<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">OTHER SOURCES: __

The links are in the sources below; all are hyperlinked.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Abdulla, Namo. "Mobile technology, broadband flourish in Iraq Kurdish zone | Reuters." Business & Financial News, Breaking US & International News | Reuters.com. N.p., 16 June 2011. Web. 30 Aug. 2011. <[|www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/16/us-iraq-kurdistan-telecoms-idUSTRE75F21X20110616]>.

//<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This source was very important in addressing cultural change relating to technology. It was also very recent, so it was good information. //

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Blau, Joyce. "The Kurdish Language and Literature." Institut kurde de Paris. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Aug. 2011. <[]>.

//<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This article was important because it provided quite a bit of information about the Kurdish language and sub-languages. It also gave some important statistics and talked about a couple Kurdish Values. //

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jamili, Kamal Najmaddin. "Kurd." Welcome to Kurdistan. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Aug. 2011. <[]>.

//<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This article provided quite a bit of information about Kurdish behaviors and traditions. It helped to add information as well as clarification about a couple other things. //

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"Kurdish people - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Aug. 2011. <[]>.

//<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This page was important because it provided some more detailed background (and more understandable information) on the religions presented in the other book. It also gave some statistics and helped with general information. //

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Salaheddin, Sinan. "Business & Technology | Iraqi Kurds push for recognition of oil deals | Seattle Times Newspaper." The Seattle Times | Seattle Times Newspaper. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Aug. 2011. <[]>.

//<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This article helps to explain the oil industry in Kurdistan. It explains about their method and views on exporting, and talks about who they deal with. //

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thompson, Christopher. "Kurdistan oil hopes rise with new ventures - FT.com." World business, finance, and political news from the Financial Times - FT.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Aug. 2011. <[]>.

//<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This article was important in addressing the reasons for the Kurds to travel. It talks about other countries coming to Kurds as well, which exposes them to the new culture. //

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Washington Post. "Washingtonpost.com: Terrorism Report ." The Washington Post: National, World & D.C. Area News and Headlines - The Washington Post. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Aug. 2011. <[]>.

//<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This site provided a lot of information on the Kurds in general. It also addressed some specific statistics and talked about religion, among other things. //