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As Strong as the Mountains

A Kurdish Cultural Journey

Robert L. Brenneman

Robert Brenneman provides a razor-sharp awareness of the Kurds’ roots in the Middle East as well as their massive urban migration and the resulting cultural upheaval. Based on long-term research, this richly layered ethnography takes readers on a journey from the mountains of Ararat, the alleged resting place of Noah’s Ark, to urban environments in a megalopolis like Istanbul, Turkey. Brenneman, who lived among the Kurds in both Iraq and Turkey, conducted fieldwork in such places as refugee camps, destroyed mountain villages, and tea gardens in Istanbul. He examines core and changing aspects of Kurdish culture, including human rights, ethnic identity, women’s roles, family and community, religious practices, and the transition from oral tradition to literacy.

In addition to providing insight into the worldview of the Kurdish people from antiquities to current events, the author points to key lessons that can be drawn from the ongoing dilemmas they face.

$13.95 list, 137 pages

10-digit ISBN: 1-57766-477-9

13-digit ISBN: 978-1-57766-477-2

© 2007

“Great for undergraduate classrooms. I particularly like the discussion questions.”  — Cynthia Smith, Ohio State University

“I chose this text because it addresses several contemporary issues in a region of the world our students need to understand.”  — Rose-Marie Chierici, SUNY Geneseo

“With clear prose and a depth of understanding of Kurds, Kurdistan, and the Middle East, the author provides an engaging introduction to the dynamics of social life for the Kurds of Turkey and Iraq. The discussions of kinship, proverbs, and change are handled particularly well. The book provides a strong sense of real people confronting challenges in their homeland and diaspora.”   — Uzi Baram, New College of Florida

“Excellent coverage. Combining history, ethnicity, politics, and culture, it would be a great, and inexpensive, addition to a course on Peoples & Cultures of the Middle East.”  — Don Conway-Long, Webster University

Table of Contents

Introduction: Mountain Scenario

1. Discovering the Kurds

My Journey with the Kurds / Understanding Culture / Methodology of the Research / Difficulties in Doing Research among the Kurds

2. History and Ethnic Identity

The Suppression of Kurdish History / Ancient History until the Ottoman Empire / The Islamization of the Kurds / Kurdish Identity during the Ottoman Empire / The Transition from Empire to Nation-State / The Legacy of Atatürk / The Role of Turgut Özal / The Role of the PKK / Developments in Iraq since the Treaty of Sevres / The U.S. Betrayal of Mustafa Barzani / The First Gulf War and Its Aftermath / Internal Factions among the Kurds

3. Language and Ethnic Identity

The Development of Kurdish in Iraqi Kurdistan / Developments in Turkey / How Kurdish Are Turkish Kurds?

4. From Storytelling to Television: The Decline of Oral Tradition

Indigenous Knowledge and Oral Tradition / Genres of Oral Tradition / Myths, Legends, and Folktales / Proverbs / Functions of Oral Tradition / Effects of Literacy on the Oral Transmission of Culture / Television and Oral Tradition

5. Relationships, Roles, and Traditions

Family and Enculturating the Next Generation / Sex and Marriage / Gender Issues / Tribal Structure and Leadership

6. Core Values and Religious Rituals

The Hospitality-Generosity Syndrome / The Honor-Dignity Syndrome / The Courage-Bravery Syndrome / Other Important Values / Attitudes toward Work / Religious Values and Rituals

7. Rapid Urbanization and Culture Change

Displaced Kurds / Imagined Communities in Urban Regions / Urbanization and Traditional Values / Asabiyya / Urbainzation and Anomie / Conclusion

Appendix A: Worldwide Population of the Kurdish People

Appendix B: Glossary of Foreign Words

Appendix C: Languages and Dialects among the Kurds