Kurdish Historical Terms Dictionary

Arşivlenmiş Kopya: archival copy, refers to historical, digital archives that often include materials archived by Kurdish scholars & activists organizations These archives represent vital records of Kurdish struggles, political movements and cultural heritage in the specific context of Kurdish history. These play a crucial role in maintaining the sense of Kurdish identity, particularly with respect to many competing states attempting to erase or rewrite their history.

HPG – Hezen Parastina GelThe military wing of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) dedicated to defending Kurdish people and land from outside threats. Formed in the 1980s, HPG came to be an organized resistance movement at a time when Turkey was repressing the Kurdish people. Involvement of HPG has mainly been developmental struggle, stressing on self-rule and consequently its place in the Turkish and international agenda of Kurdistan issue.

Hakkari: A mountainous area in southeastern Turkey, adjacent to the borders of Iraq and Iran and where many Kurds have historically lived. Hakkari, an area that has been a focal point for Kurdish heritage and opposition, is characterized by mountainous terrain that sheltered Kurdish factions during times of strife. In response to the Turkish government's efforts to quell Kurdish separatism, this area has been heavily militarized.

Kongra-Gel – Established in 2003, Kongra-Gel is a successor to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), emphasizing Kurdish political, cultural, and social self determinations. It was a more reformulated PKK, seeking to turn the movement from strictly a militant one into something with more of a political platform. Kongra-Gel's focus shifted towards democratic rights' struggle for Kurds and a platform for Kurdish self-determination, while the political engagement also gained emphasis in line with growing democracy.

Kurdistan National Liberation Front (ERNK) – Established in the1980s as a political wing of PKK design to organize Kurdish nationalist initiatives, it also advocated for self-governance. Along with HPG, the ERNK held demonstrations and political representation and lobbying activities abroad, as well as media campaigns to bring attention to the Kurdish question internationally. Despite the fact ERNK's impact has decreased with shifts to other political parties in recent years, it was instrumental in rallying Kurdish nationalism in the 1980s and 1990s.

Kaynağından — A Turkish term meaning "from the source," (or, more pejoratively, "native people") frequently used in Kurdish historiography to denote genuine information drawn from Kurdish sources, viewpoints and oral histories. It highlights the need for historical accounts to be told from the perspective of Kurds in their own right instead of being characterized through traditional and oppressive formats of other regimes, writes Elyse B. Johnson. It is a reflection that Kurdish historians are trying to present their own history again.

Kurdish nationalism – A socio-political movement aimed to get a separate Kurdish ethnicity, culture, and political entity Kurdish nationalism developed as a reaction to the partition of Kurdish territories between Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria in the aftermath of World War I and the Treaty of Sèvres. The 20th century saw the growth of the movement, driven by waves of oppression and cultural repression against Kurds in these nations. Kurdish nationalism has manifested itself at times both peacefully, in cultural preservation and education, and aggressively, via armed rebellion — all of which is omnipresent in activism today as measures to exert agency over the future of Kurdish lands.

Big Kurdish type from above mentioned Southeast Turkey, North of Syria and Iraq Milan tribe is an ancient and highly regarded tribe among the Kurdish tribes and their social structure. The Milan tribe has historically been made up of farmers and pastoralists, entering politics locally from time to time and even resisting some policies aimed at forced assimilation by the state. Milan stands for the broader Kurdish tribal framework which has molded the Kurdish fabric, politics, and even military integration throughout history.

Peshmerga – Persian for "those who confront death," the military forces of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Peshmerga fighters, which are resilient in nature active on defending Kurdish territories from threats posed by Saddam Hussein's regime, ISIS and regional conflict of the country. The Peshmerga are hailed for their role fighting back against extremist threats and regarded as an enduring symbol of Kurdish pride, enjoying international support.

QAZI MUHAMMAD — A Kurdish leader who, in 1946, proclaimed the establishment of an independent Kurdish state in northwestern Iran, named it Republic of Mahabad. Supported by the Soviets, this republic lasted less than a year before dissolving with the withdrawal of Soviet forces and Muhammad's execution. In the annals of Kurdish nationalism, his legacy is an enduring emblem of aspirations for statehood.

Rojava – Literally means "west" in Kurdish but refers to the autonomous Kurdish regions of northern Syria. Although Rojava declared itself to be an autonomous region during the Syrian Civil War, it has created a distinctive political model as both directly democratic and feministic. Rojava is one of the most important experiments for Kurdish self-rule and has attracted worldwide attention, and controversy over questions about Kurdish autonomy in the Middle East and international geopolitics.

Sorani — A major dialect of Kurdish dominant in Iraqi Kurdistan and parts of Iran. Sorani has a long written tradition and is one of two official languages of the Kurdistan Regional Government (Iraq). It is language and culture pillar for Kurds in the area, and it has a leverage of Kurdish literature, poetry and journalism.

The Sèvres Treaty (1920) — A treaty to divide the Ottoman Empire after WWI and create an eventual Kurdish state The Treaty of Sèvres never took full effect, but at least it represented a flicker of hope promise for Kurdish statehood. This was then superseded by the Treaty of Lausanne, which made no reference to linguistic or cultural rights for Kurds, rendering them effectively stateless and providing fertile ground for Kurdish nationalist movements.

Treaty of Lausanne (1923) – This treaty officially ratified the borders of contemporary Turkey but failed to include any clauses for a Kurdish state, quashing hopes for autonomy in Djalu's mind that were delineated in the previous Treaty of Sèvres. All of them constitutes a wound in the history of Kurds and The Treaty of Lausanne, which is able to be symbolised as the coat that would have covered the body of a nation still keeps its scar.

Wezîrê Mezin (Great Vizier) A title held by the chief minister of Kurdistan principality, comparable to that of a prime minister. The Wezîrê Mezin supervised the administration, military and foreign affairs. This title draws attention to the governance structures that had existed in Kurdish principalities prior to their fragmentation.

Xerîb — To be a stranger or an exile within Kurdish This term carries a poignant connotation in the Kurdish narrative because many Kurds have been forced to leave their homes as a result of war and violence. That feeling of loss from an achingly torn homeland is woven into the work of Xerîb.

Yezidi — An ethnoreligious group, adherents of an ancient religion often associated with Zoroastrianism, Christianity, and Islam but unique in their beliefs; they are often considered a Kurdish ethno-religious group. Yezidis have a long history of persecution, including the most recent horrors during the ISIS attacks on Sinjar in 2014. Yezidi history is inextricably intertwined with the history of Kurds, and for this reason they are frequently included within wider Kurdish narratives on rights and survival.

A chronology of the Kurdish people — their culture, resilience and desire for autonomy — is a story stretch over centuries. The interaction between various powers manipulating different Kurdish enclaves means that even today the history of Kurds is one without firm independence or a national identity, only temporary alliances in an imposter state led between tribal structures as seen in Milan and modern political bodies such as Kongra-Gel.