KURMANJI A Kurdish village, Palangan, Kurdistan Flickr / Ninara DLIFLC DEFENSE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CENTER 2018 CULTURAL ORIENTATION | KURMANJI TABLE OF CONTENTS Profile Introduction ................................................................................................................... 5 Government .................................................................................................................. 6 Iraqi Kurdistan ......................................................................................................7 Iran .........................................................................................................................8 Syria .......................................................................................................................8 Turkey ....................................................................................................................9 Geography ................................................................................................................... 9 Bodies of Water ...........................................................................................................10 Lake Van .............................................................................................................10 Climate ..........................................................................................................................11 History ...........................................................................................................................11 Turkey ..................................................................................................................12 Syria .....................................................................................................................12 Iran ....................................................................................................................... 13 Iraq ....................................................................................................................... 14 Economy ......................................................................................................................14 Ethnic Groups and Languages .................................................................................15 Yazidis .................................................................................................................15 Assyrians .............................................................................................................16 Turkmen ..............................................................................................................16 Arabs and Turks ................................................................................................. 17 Endnotes for Chapter 1: Profile ................................................................................18 Assessment ................................................................................................................ 23 Religion Introduction ................................................................................................................. 24 Major Religions ......................................................................................................... 25 Islam ....................................................................................................................25 Alevism ................................................................................................................26 Yazidism ..............................................................................................................27 Christianity and Judaism .................................................................................27 Yarsanism (Aliheq) ............................................................................................28 Religion and the Government .................................................................................. 28 Turkey ..................................................................................................................28 Iraq .......................................................................................................................29 Iran ......................................................................................................................30 Syria .....................................................................................................................31 2 CULTURAL ORIENTATION | KURMANJI Religion in Daily Life .................................................................................................. 32 Religious Holidays ..................................................................................................... 32 Alevism ................................................................................................................32 Orthodox Christianity ........................................................................................33 Islam ....................................................................................................................33 Places of Worship ...................................................................................................... 34 Mosque ................................................................................................................34 Cemevi (Cemxane) ............................................................................................34 Other Places of Worship...................................................................................35 Endnotes for Chapter 2: Religion ............................................................................ 36 Assessment ................................................................................................................ 39 Traditions Introduction ................................................................................................................. 40 Gender Issues ............................................................................................................41 Cuisine ......................................................................................................................... 42 Secular Holidays ........................................................................................................ 42 Newroz.................................................................................................................43 Traditional Clothing .................................................................................................... 43 The Arts and Media ................................................................................................... 44 Other Art Forms ......................................................................................................... 45 Film ......................................................................................................................46 Weaving ...............................................................................................................46 Dos and Don’ts ............................................................................................................47 Dos .......................................................................................................................47 Don’ts ................................................................................................................. 47 Endnotes for Chapter 3: Traditions ......................................................................... 48 Assessment ................................................................................................................ 50 Urban Life Introduction ..................................................................................................................51 Urban Environment .................................................................................................. 52 Healthcare .................................................................................................................. 53 Education .................................................................................................................... 54 Employment ................................................................................................................ 54 Urban Economy ......................................................................................................... 55 Commerce .................................................................................................................. 56 Transportation ............................................................................................................ 56 Crime ........................................................................................................................... 57 3 CULTURAL ORIENTATION | KURMANJI Endnotes for Chapter 4: Urban Life ........................................................................ 59 Assessment ................................................................................................................ 62 Rural Life Introduction ................................................................................................................. 63 Rural Economy ........................................................................................................... 64 Rural Transportation .................................................................................................. 65 Healthcare ..................................................................................................................