Where did Kurdistan come from? The ultimate Kurdish Question

By Memed Xaznedar:

As a British born and raised Kurd I have come to realise the greatest struggle, especially for those in the Diaspora, is the one within ourselves. The greatest battle we fight in our quest for freedom is the war inside ourselves about who we are and where we come from. ‘The Kurdish Question’ is a phrase frequently thrown about when talking about Kurdish majorities in different occupied regions, but do we know what the question actually is, let alone the answer? It could have something to do with religion, politics, culture, traditions and so on. But, before we can even ask the question, we – as the Kurdish people – need to educate ourselves on our history.

We need to understand where we came from, the events in history which have led Kurdistan to be where it is now. We need to understand who we are as people, in society and as a nation. Without understanding our background, how can we ask any questions? Or even begin to answer them. As Ireland’s legendary twice president, Garret FitzGerald, once said: “You need to understand your own history and the history of the country you’re dealing with. History often provides the obstacles to a solution, and therefore it has to be understood in the first instance. You must understand the obstacle before you can get rid of it”.

I have been very fortunate to meet the likes of Ciwan Haco and Naser Rezazi, two of the legendary Kurdish artists of our time. Ciwan Haco being from Rojava and Naser Rezazi from Rojhelati Kurdistan, it was interesting to hear their views on this point, especially as they have experienced life and encountered Kurds in Kurdistan and in the diaspora. In both instances of meeting them I have asked the question: “What is wrong with Kurds?” Sounds like a very simple question. Well it is. Besides the fact that I was a very young boy, I was also all too eager to understand the Kurdish people before I started asking subsequent questions. Maybe this was coincidence, or maybe it was fate. Call it whatever you like but both their answers answered the large question mark I had in my head about why it is that Kurds are the way they are. The well-respected Kurdish artists simple reply to my question was: “They just don’t ask your question enough”.

Years later, I had the opportunity to discuss my ideas with an upcoming, leading Kurdish artist; their response was disappointing to say the least. The response I received from this artist compared to that I received from Ciwan and Naser, classic legends of Kurdish music, just goes to prove my point. They made me feel belittled and undermined just by asking them such a question. I must point out that it was interesting to see that this artist was born into a very wealthy family and made sure everyone around them knew who they were. Then I remembered Ciwan and Naser’s stories of their upbringing. They came from impoverished families, had tough childhoods and sacrificed a lot for their people and their long, hard struggle. Those who fail to understand that the history of Kurdistan is not one of gold and glory, fail to understand where they came from, ultimately failing to understand themselves.

A close friend of mine told me the story of  Naser Rezazi’s marriage to his late wife, Marzia, which had me in stitches. Tragic comedy one could say, but that is what being Kurdish is all about. Even surrounded by tragedy, we always have a good story to tell. As my English teacher back in school always said, Kurds are great story tellers and with that he had me up in front of the class almost every week, to tell a mythical story from Kurdish history. The obvious stories were the well-known tales like Mem U Zin but, after a while, I was running out of stories. Reluctant and hesitant, I asked my mother to tell me stories passed down to her from my grandmother. My English teacher was so overwhelmed and touched by some of these personal stories, he had me write one in particular for my GCSE English essay and he kept the rough copy. To this day, he still reads my story to his students.

So as I sit here, trying to understand my people, I realise one simple fact. Most people have a ‘class’ problem. The effect it has on Kurdish people is far greater than on many other groups. There is nothing wrong with being wealthy, far from it. There is nothing wrong with being highly educated, again, far from it. However, when people start to allow these factors to define each other, then it becomes an issue in our society. Bank accounts and degrees are used to define the status of a person. Whether a poor Kurd or a wealthy Kurd, highly educated or not, we come from the same rich history, the same traditions and the same beautifully enriched culture. So why is it that we are all taking different routes in our lives, with different priorities in relation to helping the continuous struggle of our people? Shouldn’t we all be united in our ambitions and goals for Kurdistan? Shouldn’t our questions all be the same? Shouldn’t we all be demanding the same thing? Unity, Equality, Freedom and Peace, most of all Peace.

I’m afraid the lack of knowledge of our history deters our paths. Many Kurds have been exiled to Europe. In Germany, Kurds are in the third generation. I have family in Europe and, as much as the youth are proud to be Kurdish, their lack of understanding of that simple concept is astounding. Yes, you’ve guessed it, party slogans is as far as their knowledge goes. My last visit to Germany, earlier this year, was a real eye-opener. The contrast between youth and the older generation is far greater than an initial observation suggests. Starting off with the youth in my family, I asked them all to tell me something about Kurdish history. The responses were few and far between. If it wasn’t a particular party, it would be an old singer. How can this bunch of proud young Kurdish children, answer or help ‘The Kurdish Question’ without knowing the history of it, without understanding their own history and where they come from? This will be the generation to continue the struggle. It is more important than ever not to lose sight of where we came from because we are all too focused on where we are going. My brother once said something that sums up this entire article: “If you don’t know where you come from, you don’t know where you will end up”.

Copyright © 2012 Kurdistantribune.com

8 Responses to Where did Kurdistan come from? The ultimate Kurdish Question
  1. Dr.N. Hawramany
    May 31, 2012 | 08:54

    The history of Kurds has always been a history of betrayal, greed, serving other nations and feeling inferior to other nations.
    Sheikh(King) Mahmood Alhafeed fought the British forces in Iraq because he wanted to defend and reestablish the Islamic Ottoman(Turkish) Empire. The Kurds agreed to be part of Arab Iraq and serving an Arab King coming from Arabic desert in 1923. Mr Talabani fought fellow Peshmergas in 1966 on the side of Iraqi Arab army, Mr Barzani called the very Saddam Hussein troops to Hawler to massacre fellow Kurds in 1966 when his own dynasty was threatened.
    All sufferings and lives of the victims of Anfall and Halabja chemical Gas attacks seems to be in vain, the ver perpetrators of Anfall are not executed because Kurdish leaders object to that, the pilot who bombed Halabja was treated like a hero in Slemani and was sent to live in prosperity in England.
    The Kurdish leaders have sabotaged their histoic alliance with Iraqi Shiites because of ex-Baathist and Arab chauvinists like AlHashimi and Al-Al-Iraqia which represent the same mentality that created Anfall and Halabja genocides.Iraqi Kurdistan is slowly turning culturally and economically into a Turkish province due to the intimate interests of Kurdish leaders with Turkey.
    Which nation that respects itself will do such things!.
    Why is this plundering of Kurdistan`s oil wealth to the sole interests of the two ruling dynasties, when many Kurds are living miserable lives.
    It seems that Kurds enjoy being subservient to other nations.They are ready to do any thing for the sake of filling their deep pockets with Dollars.
    These facts should be known to younger Kurdish generations.
    Those nations that does not learn from history, tend to repeat its mistakes again and again.

  2. alan
    May 31, 2012 | 16:03

    Dear auther :

    yes indeed this might be the case with the kurds in diaspora , but have you been to south kurdistan at all ? they teach Kurdish history at schools and there are many young nationalists in diaspora , there is the “roj bash” forum which has a lot of young knowledgeable and nationalist Kurds around the world feel free to join for free and its the only Kurdish forum 😀

    http://rojbash.info/forums/index.php?sid=2d6a667f8ef886eda8a34295f6ce202e

  3. Hamma Mirwaisi
    June 1, 2012 | 03:52

    You wrote great article. Majority of Kurdish people are not book readers like European and American. They are story tellers for sure.

    As a Kurd I realize, there must be reason for our people have been without independent country since the collapse of Median Empire.

    I quit all my work and set down to do research about our people’s past. I found many reason for our people failed attempted one after the other.

    I wrote history based on truth without depending on one source alone.

    The book is called “Return of the Medes” which is in English you can read to know our true history. It is already translated into Kurdish Sorrani and published few weeks ago in Kurdistan, the Persian translation of the book are in process to be published hopefully before the end of this year.

    You can find the book in Amazoan.UK
    I hope many young people like you will read the book and depart from old method for Kurdistan liberation.

  4. Iconoclast
    June 10, 2012 | 13:41

    At the March 1911 Halabja commemoration at the UN in Geneva, I was invited to reflect on my 20 years of experience
    with Kurdish leaders, history and prospects. I put it under the heading “Respect for the Dead, Respect for the Living”
    (www.solami.com/youth.htm#respect). I mention this because Memed Xaznedar’s core concern, his persistant invitation
    for all of us to go back to the question of our origin, strikes me as fundamental – just like: “recognition of an error is the first step for uncovering the truth.” So I encourage all the uncertain, bewildered and disoriented to search for guidance first of all within themselves, then in their family and then in their people’s history. And I may be forgiven for repeating here some
    after-thoughts and comments on failed Kurdish initiatives, offered at that commemoration:
    “To be sure, some NGOs also got streetwise and even managed to organise a politically critical mass at the UN
    Security Council. However, in the case of the Iraqi minorities issues, it is particularly galling to note how the successors of Saddam shot themselves into their own feet in the wake of Saddam’s downfall. For when the powers that be finally were ready to reactivate the never-abrogated international minority protection and private property guarantees by way of
    mentioning the corresponding Iraqi Declaration of 1932 (…/UNGA.htm) in the Security Council Resolution 1546 of June 8,
    2004, it was the Kurdish Iraqi Foreign Minister who vetoed that godsend as “colonial stuff”, thus ignoring Iraq’s own history and interest in favor of some influential flat-earth US ignoramuses who never got over their dislike of anything linked to the League of Nations. Which, of course, need not be the end of the story, as other, less US-subservient, more enlightened and visionary leaders may yet take the helm. Meanwhile, there are crucial lessons to be drawn from what the Chairman
    explained, and from the concrete experiences I just outlined:
    1. The UN is a powerful political vehicle only for governments; unless you have done your homework and lined up the
    votes there, you might as well “piss at a lamp post” for getting any action done, as Seth Lipsky, the former editor of the Wall Street Journal, once reminded me. That is the reason, why even the over 1 million signatures collected in 2004 among the Mosul Vilayet inhabitants in favor of separation from Iraq didn’t make a dent anywhere and in fact couldn’t even be officially received by the UN.
    2. The first order of business for any community who wishes to be recognised and taken seriously by the international
    community is to get its own house in order, to know who they are and where they want to go, to respect each other, and to speak with one voice firmly, reasonably and reliably. Since 1992, the signatories of the Mosul Vilayet project have probably come closer to these objectives than others have come to theirs (…/a31.htm#CORUM).
    3. To identify and develop practical vehicles and pathways for allies abroad to support that proposed objective which best
    meets the common interest of all communities concerned. Thereby inspiration may be drawn from some simple but crucial
    psychological and historical facts, namely: That the shortest way is not necessarily the most practical. That many problems
    cannot be resolved inside the box – as best illustrated with the nine-star puzzle (…/puzzle.htm). That a man who wants a
    child cannot do it alone but must invest and associate himself with a woman. That by availing their good offices for helping
    to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli gridlock, the inhabitants of the Mosul Vilayet might also benefit enormously on the educational, administrative and political fronts (…/gridlock.htm). That Christians have the highest resonance factor among the Western allies – for which reason the congressional and the EP resolutions I spoke about are focussed on the Assyrians. And that on the way to an eventual Kurdistan, Kurds and their brethren in the Mosul Vilayet might make most individual and common progress by seeking to develop and strengthen their multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi-religious society through genuinely mutual respect based on a deliberate culture of dialogue, consensus-building and power- and
    fruit-sharing.”

  5. Iconoclast
    June 10, 2012 | 13:46

    At the March 1911 Halabja commemoration at the UN in Geneva, I was invited to reflect on my 20 years of experience with Kurdish leaders, history and prospects. I put it under the heading “Respect for the Dead, Respect for the Living” (www.solami.com/youth.htm#respect). I mention this because Memed Xaznedar’s core concern, his persistant invitation for all of us to go back to the question of our origin, strikes me as fundamental – just like: “recognition of an error is the first step for uncovering the truth.” So I encourage all the uncertain, bewildered and disoriented to search for guidance first of all within themselves, then in their family and then in their people’s history. And I may be forgiven for repeating here some after-thoughts and comments on failed Kurdish initiatives, offered at that commemoration:
    “To be sure, some NGOs also got streetwise and even managed to organise a politically critical mass at the UN Security Council. However, in the case of the Iraqi minorities issues, it is particularly galling to note how the successors of Saddam shot themselves into their own feet in the wake of Saddam’s downfall. For when the powers that be finally were ready to reactivate the never-abrogated international minority protection and private property guarantees by way of mentioning the corresponding Iraqi Declaration of 1932 (…/UNGA.htm) in the Security Council Resolution 1546 of June 8, 2004, it was the Kurdish Iraqi Foreign Minister who vetoed that godsend as “colonial stuff”, thus ignoring Iraq’s own history and interest in favor of some influential flat-earth US ignoramuses who never got over their dislike of anything linked to the League of Nations. Which, of course, need not be the end of the story, as other, less US-subservient, more enlightened and visionary leaders may yet take the helm. Meanwhile, there are crucial lessons to be drawn from what the Chairman explained, and from the concrete experiences I just outlined:
    1. The UN is a powerful political vehicle only for governments; unless you have done your homework and lined up the votes there, you might as well “piss at a lamp post” for getting any action done, as Seth Lipsky, the former editor of the Wall Street Journal, once reminded me. That is the reason, why even the over 1 million signatures collected in 2004 among the Mosul Vilayet inhabitants in favor of separation from Iraq didn’t make a dent anywhere and in fact couldn’t even be officially received by the UN.
    2. The first order of business for any community who wishes to be recognised and taken seriously by the international community is to get its own house in order, to know who they are and where they want to go, to respect each other, and to speak with one voice firmly, reasonably and reliably. Since 1992, the signatories of the Mosul Vilayet project have probably come closer to these objectives than others have come to theirs (…/a31.htm#CORUM).
    3. To identify and develop practical vehicles and pathways for allies abroad to support that proposed objective which best meets the common interest of all communities concerned. Thereby inspiration may be drawn from some simple but crucial psychological and historical facts, namely: That the shortest way is not necessarily the most practical. That many problems cannot be resolved inside the box – as best illustrated with the nine-star puzzle (…/puzzle.htm). That a man who wants a child cannot do it alone but must invest and associate himself with a woman. That by availing their good offices for helping to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli gridlock, the inhabitants of the Mosul Vilayet might also benefit enormously on the educational, administrative and political fronts (…/gridlock.htm). That Christians have the highest resonance factor among the Western allies – for which reason the congressional and the EP resolutions I spoke about are focussed on the Assyrians. And that on the way to an eventual Kurdistan, Kurds and their brethren in the Mosul Vilayet might make most individual and common progress by seeking to develop and strengthen their multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi-religious society through genuinely mutual respect based on a deliberate culture of dialogue, consensus-building and power- and fruit-sharing.”

  6. Memed
    March 26, 2013 | 15:42

    Dear heval, I’m aware it may be all good and well in south Kurdistan. But that doesn’t mean we should ignore the bad. South Kurdistan is a minority compared to Bakur. Thank you for the comment.

  7. […] Article can be found on Kurdistan Tribune […]

  8. kamal Osman
    April 22, 2015 | 11:06

    Well I have one thing to say is very simple,one Wise Man told one day of my life when I was 100 years old do you know what was it? He said” You will never and ever clap with one hand”and also told”Enemies always are Enemies never be a Friend.I don’t have any thing else to say.

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