This series of blog is
outcome of my visits to Yazidi communities in three countries, Armenia, Georgia
and Iraq. The idea of writing something
about Yazidi people came up while I was performing my European Voluntering
Service (EVS) in Armenian capital Yerevan. As a Kurd, I was familiar with
Yazidis, heard their stories from elderlies of my family. All I knew was they
are Kurdish speaker community, have their own religion.
When I went deeper
with Yazidis I found that their idendity is not as simple as this. First shock
I faced was hearing from some Yazidis that ‘’we are not Kurds’’. I was aware
that they are angry to other Kurds through history but could never expect to
hear ‘’Yazidis are not Kurds’’. Since countries occupied Kurdish land are
muslims and muslim Kurds are best folks of these countries, non-Muslim Kurds
known as most patriotic Kurds and led tens of Kurdish uprisings. Apperently
things went in a different way about Yazidis after 2014.
Just to clarify about the
name issue, it is originally Êzidî in Kurdish alphabet created in 1932 which is
being used by both Yazidis and entire Kurds.
Unlike what international media outlets types (Yazidi) we don't have Y
sound in original pronunciation. But to make things easy, I will keep typing as
Yazidis in the paper.
Are Yazidis Kurds?
“Yes, we are Kurdish” said the first Yazidi man told me in
Lalish[1].
The old lady sits next to him added “Our Muslim Kurdish neighbours come over to our weddings, funerals, so do we.” She
complained about KRG government. Almost all Yazidis I talked were upset that
they are not being hired and facing discrimination because of their religion.
According to some Yazidis I talked, the 50% of Yazidis describe
themselves as Kurd. They also claimed
that “those Yazidis say we are Kurd because they are feared.” But I was
never given an explanation what they are fearing of. “Any Yazidi call himself
as Kurd is ignoramus” a Yazidi leader in Georgia has told me. He was very
libelous towards to Yazidis who perceive themselves as Kurds. Another Yazidi
leader in Armenia has also insulted to his cognates who believe they are
Kurdish.
Actually the Yazidis I discussed in three countries have
accepted that the assertion of “Yazidis are not Kurd” is something new. “All
Kurds were Yazidi in past. They (Kurds) are Yazidis who converted to Islam”
they argue. Interestingly the image of Kurd is equal to Islam. It is really
hard to convince them about existence of
Jewish, Christian and even atheist Kurds. This is apprehensible when you know
Yazidi massacred for their faith rather than ethnicity. [2]
As some Yazidis confirmed, they have a symphaty for PKK
while they are not very positive towards Barzani’s KDP. Basically Yazidis hold
responsible KDP and Barzani for run away in Augost 2014 when ISIS started
attacks to Yazidis. PKK is saver of many Yazidi girls who kidnaped to make as
sex slaves by ISIS. I was surprised when
I didn’t see anything to mark PKK’s fight agains ISIS in Yazidi temples in
Armenia, Georgia and Iraq. Apperently even they love PKK, they don’t want
to get involved fight between PKK and
countries fight againt PKK, Turkey and Iran.
Yazidis mostly acknowledge that their language is Kurmanci
which largest dialect of Kurdish – they avoid to refer it is Kurdish though. A Yazidi in Armenia told
me “We are Kurmanc but not Kurd” which is like a Chinese says “I am Mandarin
but not Chinese”. Though some Yazidis in
Armenia refuse that they speak Kurmanji but assert that they speak “Ezidki”.
When I ask the different between Kurdish and “Ezidki” I didn’t receive a proper
answer. Any Kurdish speaker would find this assert very ridiculous.
A well
educated Yazidi leader in Georgia who is author of several books and speaks
more than two languages told me that even they don’t perceive themselves as
Kurdish, they acknowledge that their language is Kurmanci. However, he thinks
“speaking Kurmanci doesn’t mean they are Kurdish”. Even I am not agree to this
assert, I can say it makes much more than sense than to say “it is not
Kurmanci”. As a Kurdish speaker I can confirm that the language the Yazidis
speak is nothing but Kurmanci(Kurdish) I did understand all words except some
Russians words – as result of living in a post-Soviet country.
It appears that some Yazidi leaders have taken decision of
launch into a ‘’Nation Building’’ process. No doubt that ferman[3]
in 2014 has significant role to take this decission. In post- ferman, many
Yazidis lost their devotion to other Kurds. This must be inspirational for the Nation
Builder Yazidis to prompt to separate themselves from other Kurds.
Since they are very tiny community,even they have spreaded out in many
countries, they easily can be mobilized for this kind of ideas.
A Yazidi told me that the idea of ‘’Yazidis are not
Kurds’’ firstly banded about in Saddam era. Probably a divide and rule policy
attempt by Saddam towards Kurds. It strikes me that even Yazidis accept that
the ideas of ‘’yazidi nation and ezidki language’’ is something new. After a
simple youtube search you can find videos of Yazidis who defend cause of
Kurdistan. [4] When I
ask about those documantaries ‘’we have no idea about it’’ they replied. The
word Kurd
is more a religion than an ethnicity.
It would be fair to say Yazidis have bemusements about
idea of Yazidi Nation.
[1]
Spiritual city of Yazidis, in Kurdistan regional goverment.
[2] Kurdish
Yazidis in Yerevan – 2006 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_Gj2jaaVug&t=216s
[3]
Massacre, genocide in Kurdish language. Yazidis and entire Kurds use this word
to name massacres they faced in history. Illustrious Kurdish singer Şivan
Perwer calls Halabja massacre as ferman
in his song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAIbMvtQ-94)
Yazidis
acknowledge ISIS attacks in Augost 2014 as 73rd ferman in the history. This atatck
will be referred as Ferman or 73rd Ferman in the text after now on.
[4] Kurdên
Êzidî li Gûrcistanê-1995 – (KR) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pasDNgz6IbE
