Practice English Speaking&Listening with: KURDISTAN: Ground Zero of History – Cities and Historic Sites
KURDISH HERITAGE PRESENTS
KURDISTAN GROUND ZERO OF HISTORY
NORTH-KURDISTAN
CAPITAL CITY OF KURDISTAN
CITY WALLS – WORLD'S SECOND LARGEST – SINCE 2000 BCE
HOUSE OF DENGBÊJ DENGBÊJ IS THE ANCIENT KURDISH ART OF MUSICAL STORYTELLING
ST. MARY CHURCH – WORLD'S OLDEST CHURCH – SINCE 100
ST. GIRAGOS – LARGEST ARMENIAN CHURCH IN THE MIDDLE-EAST – SINCE 1371
FOUR-LEGGED MINARET – SINCE 1500
THE GREAT MOSQUE OF AMED – FIFTH HOLIEST SITE IN ISLAM – SINCE 639
HISTORIC INNER CASTLE – SINCE ± 2000 BCE
HESEN PASA & DELIÎLAN CARAVANSERAIS – SINCE 1575 & 1200
AMED WAS THE CAPITAL OF THE KURDISH MARWANID DYNASTY BETWEEN 983 - 1085
HISTORIC BASALT STONE HOUSES OF AMED
OVER 700 OF THESE HOUSES WERE DELIBERATELY DESTROYED BY THE TURKISH STATE BETWEEN 2016 - 2017
HEWSEL GARDENS & DEHDERÎ BRIDGE – SINCE 1000 BCE & 1065
TIGRIS RIVER
ÎSHAQ PAŞA PALACE – SINCE 1685 PIONEERED THE WORLD'S FIRST CENTRAL HEATING SYSTEM
BUILT OVER A PERIOD OF 99 YEARS BY A KURDISH FAMILY DYNASTY
TOMB OF EHMEDÊ XANÎ – 17TH CENTURY KURDISH POLYMATH
MOUNT AGIRÎ (ARARAT) – KURDISTAN'S HIGHEST PEAK – ELEVATION: 5,137 M
ZEUGMA CITY RUINS & ARTEFACTS FLOODED BY A TURKISH DAM IN 2000
CAPITAL OF THE KURDISH PRINCIPALITY OF BIDLÎS BETWEEN 1182 - 1847
BIDLÎS' MEDIEVAL OLD TOWN IS ONE OF THE BEST PRESERVED IN KURDISTAN
THE TURKISH STATE HAS LOOTED MOST ARTEFACTS FROM THE ANCIENT CASTLE, WHICH DATES TO 3000 BCE
BÎRECÎK CASTLE BUILT DURING SALADIN'S KURDISH AYYUBID DYNASTY
EUPHRATES RIVER
NORTHERN BALD IBIS (ENDANGERED BIRD SPECIES)
CAPITAL OF THE KURDISH EMIRATE OF BOTAN BETWEEN 1330 - 1855
BIRTHPLACE OF 12TH CENTURY KURDISH POLYMATH ÎSMAÎLÊ CIZÎRÎ CIZÎRÎ (AL-JAZARI) WAS THE INVENTOR OF ROBOTICS
♫ VAN ZAROKÊN MEDIYAN, HILDAN TOLA ARIYAN ♫ ♫ THE CHILDREN OF THE MEDES TOOK REVENGE FOR THE ARYANS ♫
♫ ALA AZADÎ HILDAN XOF KETÎYE DILÊ ROMIYAN ♫ ♫ THE FLAG OF FREEDOM WAS RAISED AND THROWN IN THE ROMANS' HEARTS ♫
♫ EZIM EZIM EZIM, EZIM CIZÎRA BOTAN ♫ ♫ I AM I AM I AM, I AM CIZÎRA BOTAN ♫
TOMB OF MEM AND ZIN – PROTAGONISTS OF A CLASSIC KURDISH LOVE TRAGEDY FROM 1692
TIGRIS RIVER
CAPITAL REGION OF THE KURDISH EMIRATE OF HEKARÎ BETWEEN 1387 - 1845
TRADITIONAL KURDISH COSTUMES AND FOLK DANCE
XENOPHON'S 'MARCH OF THE 10,000' IN 400 BCE TOOK PLACE IN THIS REGION IN 'ANABASIS', XENOPHON WRITES:
"WE SUFFERED WORSE THINGS IN THE SEVEN DAYS TRAVERSING THE LAND OF THE KURDS, THAN ALL THAT THE KING OF PERSIA COULD DO TO US IN TWO YEARS."
THE SACRED MUNZUR RIVER AND MOUNTAINS
DERSIM IS THE HEARTLAND OF ALEVI KURDS
THEY PRACTICE AN ANCIENT RELIGION RELATED TO THE KURDISH YARSAN FAITH
INNER SPIRITUALITY IS EMPHASIZED, THE MATERIAL IS REJECTED, NATURE IS SACRED, AND OPEN-HEARTED ACCEPTANCE OF OTHERS STANDS CENTRAL
ALEVI KURDS BELIEVE PARADISE IS THE LIFE THEY ARE LIVE NOW THEY BELIEVE HEAVEN AND HELL ARE HERE, ON THIS EARTH
DESPITE THEIR LOVING NATURE, ALEVI KURDS WERE VICTIMS OF A GENOCIDE OVER 40,000 WERE MURDERED BY ATATÜRK'S TURKEY IN 1938
PERTEK CASTLE – SINCE 700 BCE OLD PERTEK WAS FLOODED BY THE TURKISH STATE IN 1974
♫ MUNZUR DI ARDI, JIYAR U DIYARI, OMEDÊ XÊRI ♫ ♫ MUNZUR INVITED, HOLY PLACES, LOYAL FRIENDS ♫
♫ MAYINÊ QIMETI, FITI ÇAR NALI, ŞI DORMÊ BÊNDI ♫ ♫ GALLOP RIDE, GREY MARES, I HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED ♫
♫ CA VETI DARE, QULÊ BÊXÊRI, CAMATÊ ÊLI ♫ ♫ THERE THEY QUESTIONED THE SUSPECTED SERVANTS ♫
♫ DÊNDAR KOTI, ZÊWT DO PIRO, HERDÊ DÊWRESI ♫ ♫ THEY TOOK FROM THE HOLY EARTH, POOR, SURELY THEY PAID THEIR FINE ♫
♫ MA KERDI VILA, MIYAZ U QIRBANI ♫ ♫ WE ARE COMMITTED TO OUR SACRIFICES ♫
♫ PERSÊ MA BE PERS BO, ÇIKE MA SONDI WERDI ♫ ♫ OUR PROMISE IS A PROMISE, WE SWORE ♫
DÎVRÎGÎ GREAT MOSQUE AND HOSPITAL – BUILT IN 1228 THE REGION OF DÎVRÎGÎ IS MOSTLY INHABITED BY KOÇGIRÎ ALEVI KURDS
THE REGION WAS THE SCENE OF THE 1921 KURDISH KOÇGIRI REBELLION AGAINST THE FASCIST TURKISH STATE
ELEZÎZ WAS, ALONG WITH DERSIM AND ERZÎNGAN, A MAJOR SITE OF THE KURDISH REBELLION OF 1937 - 1938
DEMIRTAŞ, LEADER OF THE PRO-KURDISH HDP, IS A ZAZA KURD FROM ELEZÎZ
HEZAR LAKE & XÛX TOWN
ANCIENT XARPÊT – ESTABLISHED IN ± 2000 BCE
ERDÊXAN IS THE NORTHERN-MOST POINT OF KURDISTAN IN JUNE 2015, THE PROVINCE WAS WON BY THE PRO-KURDISH HDP
THE EASTERN EXPRESS
LAKE ÇILDAR
VARIOUS ANCIENT CASTLES, THE LAST ONE IS 'SEYTAN CASTLE' IT TRANSLATES TO 'SATAN'S CASTLE' AND IS OVER 2500 YEARS OLD
♫ KELA MEME DARIŞANÊ MÎRE MINO ♫ ♫ THE CASTLE OF MEME LAYS HIGH THEY SAY MY EMIR ♫
MALABADÊ BRIDGE – SINCE 1147 LONGEST SPANNED STONE ARCH BRIDGE IN THE WORLD
ANCIENT MAN-MADE HASUN CAVES
ZEMBIL FIROŞ TOWER STANDS CENTRAL IN A CLASSIC LOVE TRAGEDY BETWEEN A KURDISH-ARMENIAN COUPLE
THE GREAT MOSQUE OF SALADIN THE KURD – SINCE 1185
HASANKEYF (HESKÎF) IS OVER 12000 YEARS OLD AND IS LOCATED IN THE HEART OF MESOPOTAMIA IN NORTHERN-KURDISTAN
ITS HISTORY SPANS AT LEAST NINE MAJOR CIVILIZATIONS AND THERE ARE MONUMENTS BELONGING TO EVERY PERIOD – UNIQUE IN THE WORLD
IT IS THE ONLY CITY IN THE WORLD THAT MEETS NINE OF UNESCO'S TEN CRITERIA FOR INCLUSION ONE IS ENOUGH TO BECOME A UNESCO SITE, BUT HASANKEYF IS NOT
BESIDES THOUSANDS OF IMPORTANT MONUMENTS AND MAN-MADE CAVES, THERE ARE ALSO HUNDREDS OF UN-EXCAVATED ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES
DESPITE ITS IMMENSE HISTORIC AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL RICHNESS, UNMATCHED ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD, HASANKEYF WILL SOON BE LOST
THE TURKISH ILISU DAM WILL FLOOD 80% OF HASANKEYF, DESTROY THE AREA'S ECOLOGY IRRECOVERABLY, AND DISPLACE 80,000 NATIVE KURDS
THE ILISU DAM'S LIFE-SPAN IS ONLY 50 YEARS HASANKEYF WAS THE KURDISH AYYUBID DYNASTY'S LAST CAPITAL (1232 - 1524)
OLD MELETÎ IS RICH IN HISTORIC MONUMENTS, SUCH AS CITY WALLS AND CARAVANSERAIS
MELETÎ IS HOME TO A LARGE KURDISH ALEVI COMMUNITY
AHMET KAYA, A FAMED KURDISH ARTIST, WAS BORN IN MELETÎ
ANCIENT MELITEA – FIRST INHABITED 7000 YEARS AGO
THE HISTORY OF MÊRDÎN DATES BACK TO THE BRONZE AGE
THIS ANCIENT CITY WAS ORIGINALLY PART OF THE MITANNI KINGDOM THE MITANNI ARE AMONG THE ANCESTORS OF THE KURDS
MÊRDÎN IS AN ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS MOSAIC; IT IS HOME TO YAZIDI KURDS, MUSLIM KURDS, ASSYRIANS, AND ARABS
THE REGION IS FAMOUS FOR ITS UNIQUE LIMESTONE ARCHITECTURE AND MANY WELL PRESERVED CHURCHES AND MOSQUES
THE SONG PLAYING NOW IS 'DERA SORÊ', WHICH IS KURDISH FOR 'THE RED CHURCH' A SONG FIT FOR A REGION SO ABUNDANT IN ANCIENT CHURCHES AND MONASTERIES
DARA WAS FOUNDED AS AN EAST-ROMAN FORTRESS CITY IN 505 TODAY, IT IS A KURDISH VILLAGE NEAR THE WEST-KURDISTAN BORDER (NORTHERN-SYRIA)
THE ANCIENT CITY IS RICH IN MONUMENTS, SUCH AS IMMENSE CITY WALLS, CISTERNS, DUNGEONS, TEMPLES, AND MAN-MADE CAVES
DAYRULZAFARAN MONASTERY – ESTABLISHED IN 493 PREVIOUSLY THE SITE OF A TEMPLE DEDICATED TO SHAMASH, THE ASSYRIAN SUN-GOD
♫ DERA SORÊ MEZIN E / THE RED CHURCH IS GREAT ♫ FOUNDED IN 397, THIS MONASTERY IS THE OLDEST AND GREATEST IN MÊRDÎN
MURAD RIVER, HISTORIC MURAD BRIDGE, AND A KURDISH FOLK DANCE
CHURCH OF SAINT JACOB OF NISIBIS – ESTABLISHED IN 313
ARMENIAN CATHEDRAL OF QERS – BUILT BETWEEN 930 - 967
RUSSIAN-ERA HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE IN THE BALTIC STYLE – 1878 - 1918
QERS IS A PATRIOTIC KURDISH STRONGHOLD THE PROVINCE WAS WON BY THE HDP ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS
KATERINA HUNTING LODGE – BUILT BY CZAR NICHOLAS II IN 1896
ANI RUINS – ARMENIAN 'CITY OF 1001 CHURCHES' – SINCE 500
KURDS HAVE BEEN IN THIS REGION FOR OVER 1400 YEARS QERS & ANI WERE RULED BY THE KURDISH SHADDADID DYNASTY FROM 951 TO 1200
THE SHADDADIDS ALSO RULED OVER GANJA, NOWADAYS AZERBAIJAN THE FAMED SALADIN WAS BORN IN DVIN, AN ANCIENT CITY IN THIS REGION
RIHA IS ONE OF THE OLDEST CITIES IN THE WORLD, DATING BACK TO 9000 BCE THE PROPHET ABRAHAM WAS BORN IN THIS CITY
THE CITY WAS KNOWN AS EDESSA IN ANCIENT TIMES IT WAS CONQUERED BY THE KURDISH AYYUBIDS IN THE 12TH CENTURY
HOWEVER, KURDS HAVE BEEN IN THIS REGION FOR OVER 2000 YEARS IN 53 BCE, THIS CITY WAS THE SITE OF THE BATTLE OF CARRHAE
THE BATTLE WAS FOUGHT BETWEEN THE PARTHIANS AND ROMANS THE NUMERICAL SUPERIOR ROMAN ARMY, LEAD BY CRASSUS, WAS WIPED OUT
THE PARTHIANS ARE AMONG THE ANCESTORS OF THE KURDS THE KURDISH LANGUAGE IS A DIRECT DESCENDANT OF PARTHIAN
THE POOL OF SACRED FISH – FIRE ABRAHAM WAS THROWN INTO BY NIMROD SURROUNDING MOSQUE WAS BUILT BY THE KURDISH AYYUBIDS IN 1211
GIRÊ MIRAZAN – GÖBEKLI TEPE – SINCE 10,000 BCE GROUND ZERO OF HISTORY
RUINS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HARRAN – FOUNDED IN 800 SURVIVING STRUCTURES WERE BUILT BY THE KURDISH AYYUBID DYNASTY
MOUNT NEMRUT – SINCE 62 BCE
SEPTIMUS SEVERUS BRIDGE – SINCE 200
RUINS OF PERRHE – SINCE 163 BCE
RUINS OF KARAKUSH AND ARSAEMEIA (163 BCE - 72)
TOMB OF IBRAHÎM HEQI, 18TH CENTURY KURDISH POLYMATH
STATUE OF YILMAZ GUNEY, LEGENDARY KURDISH FILM DIRECTOR
STATUE OF ŞIVAN PERWER, KURDISH MUSICIAN
WAN FORTRESS & OLD WAN RUINS – SINCE 900 BCE
INSCRIPTION OF XERXES I – 486 BCE
ARMENIAN CATHEDRAL OF THE HOLY CROSS – AXTAMAR ISLAND – BUILT IN 915
MURADIYE FALLS
MOUNT SIPAN AND LAKE WAN
XOŞAB CASTLE – MEDIEVAL KURDISH CASTLE
♫ WANÊ GOLA WANÊ, WARÊ BAV Û KALANÊ ♫ ♫ WAN AND LAKE WAN, PLACE OF OUR FATHERS AND FOREFATHERS ♫
♫ BAJARÊ KEVNARÊ, KELA BERXWEDANÊ ♫ ♫ ANCIENT CITY, CASTLE OF RESISTANCE ♫
KURDISH AYYUBID TOMBSTONES OF XELAT (AHLAT) – 12TH CENTURY TURKEY FALSELY CLAIMS THEM AS SELJUK, YET NOT A SINGLE ONE IS TURKISH
THIS HISTORIC TOWN WAS FLOODED BY A TURKISH DAM IN THE 1990'S HUNDREDS OF MONUMENTS WERE LOST, THE ECOLOGY IRRECOVERABLY DAMAGED
THIS IS THE ONLY TOWN IN THE WORLD WHERE BLACK ROSES GROW ABDULLAH OCALAN, A CONTEMPORARY KURDISH POLITICIAN, GREW UP IN XELFETÎ
EAST-KURDISTAN
SINE IS THE CULTURAL CAPITAL OF EAST-KURDISTAN
THE KURDISH PRINCIPALITY OF ARDALAN (1169 - 1867) WAS CENTERED AROUND SINE
ARDALAN'S STATE RELIGION WAS THE ANCIENT KURDISH YARSAN FAITH
STATUE OF MESTÛRE ARDALAN
POETRY AND MUSIC STOOD STOOD CENTRAL IN ARDALAN
TODAY, SINE CONTINUES THIS LEGACY OF MUSICAL AND POETIC RICHNESS
MANY CONTEMPORARY KURDISH MUSICIANS ARE FROM SINE, LIKE THE KAMKARS
THE KAMKARS ARE A MUSICAL GROUP OF SEVEN BROTHERS, A SISTER, AND A DAUGHTER
THE PIECE YOU ARE LISTENING TO IS ONE OF A GREAT MANY COMPOSED BY THEM
THE GREAT MOSQUE OF SINE
SINE WAS DESIGNATED AS A UNESCO CREATIVE CITY IN 2019
NESAR SKI RESORT
BIJAR (BÎCAR) IS THE CARPET CAPITAL OF KURDISTAN
KURDISH BIJAR RUGS ARE FAMOUS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD
THEY ARE KNOWN AS THE 'IRON RUGS OF PERSIA' FOR THEIR DURABILITY
KURDISH BIJAR RUGS DECORATE MANY PALACES AND MANSIONS AROUND THE WORLD
HANDMADE RUGS ARE CHERISHED IN KURDISH CULTURE
HAWRAMAN IS A CULTURAL REGION THAT COVERS PARTS OF EAST-KURDISTAN AND SOUTH-KURDISTAN
DUE TO THE LACK OF FLAT LAND, A UNIQUE ARCHITECTURAL STYLE DEVELOPED THE ROOF OF EACH HOUSE SERVES AS THE YARD OF THE HOUSE ON TOP
THIS ANCIENT FORM OF KURDISH ARCHITECTURE IS VERY SOCIAL AND ECO-FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES ARE SELF-SUFFICIENT AND ANCIENT CUSTOMS HAVE BEEN PRESERVED
THE OLDEST PARCHMENTS (LAND SALE DOCUMENTS) WERE FOUND IN HAWRAMAN THEY DATE TO 88 BCE AND WERE WRITTEN IN PARTHIAN, LINGUISTIC ANCESTOR OF KURDISH
THE DIALECT SPOKEN BY HAWRAMI KURDS IS CALLED GORANI IT IS RELATED TO ZAZAKI, A KURDISH DIALECT SPOKEN IN NORTHERN-KURDISTAN
HAWRAMANÊ TEXT 'HAWRAMAN' IS DERIVED FROM 'AHURA' AND 'MAZDA'
'AHURA' IS AVESTAN (ANCIENT LANGUAGE) FOR 'GOD' 'TEXT' IS KURDISH FOR 'THRONE' OR 'CAPITAL'
'HAWRAMANÊ TEXT' THUS TRANSLATES TO 'THE CAPITAL OF GOD' KURDS BELIEVE HAWRAMAN WAS ONCE A SPLENDID AND HOLY CITY
THERE ARE MANY ANCIENT FIRE TEMPLES IN THIS REGION PEOPLE STILL PRACTICE PRE-ISLAMIC ZOROASTRIAN CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS
TWICE A YEAR, THE PEOPLE CELEBRATE THE WEDDING OF PIR SHALIYAR SHALIYAR WAS A KURDISH ZOROASTRIAN PRIEST WHO CURED A PRINCESS AND MARRIED HER
THIS SACRED CELEBRATION IS OVER 2000 YEARS OLD IT IS CELEBRATED EVERY YEAR IN FEBRUARY AND MAY
DANCE OF THE DERVISH
THE GOVERNOR'S CASTLE
SEIMAREH RUINS – ANCIENT SASSANIAN SUMMER CAPITAL THE CITY VALLEY IS CONSIDERED THE LARGEST GEOPARK IN THE WORLD
POSHT GHALEH FORTRESS – SINCE 224
GAVMISHAN BRIDGE – BUILT IN 400
ÎLAM IS ONE OF KURDISTAN'S MOST SPARSELY POPULATED PROVINCES DESPITE THIS, IT IS EXTREMELY RICH IN ANCIENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES
IT WAS ONCE PART OF THE ELAMITE EMPIRE, WHICH THRIVED 4700 YEARS AGO THIS CLIP DOES NOT JUSTIFY THE PROVINCE'S RICHNESS
THERE ARE OVER 100 HISTORIC CASTLES, OVER 250 ANCIENT ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES, 22 RUINS OF ANCIENT CITIES, FIRE TEMPLES, ANCIENT BRIDGES AND SO MUCH MORE
IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO SHOW EVERYTHING THIS FILM IS MERELY A SHORT INTRODUCTION TO KURDISTAN'S DIFFERENT REGIONS
KIRMAŞAN IS THE LARGEST CITY IN EAST-KURDISTAN KIRMAŞAN IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE CRADLES OF PREHISTORIC CULTURES
THE REGION WAS FIRST OCCUPIED BY PREHISTORIC PEOPLE 300,000 YEARS AGO KIRMAŞAN WAS AT THE CENTER OF MANY ANCIENT EMPIRES AND CIVILIZATIONS
IN 678 BCE, KIRMAŞAN BECAME PART OF THE MEDIAN EMPIRE THE MEDES ARE AMONG THE LINGUISTIC AND CULTURAL ANCESTORS OF THE KURDS
KIRMAŞAN WAS ALSO AN IMPORTANT CENTER OF THE MEDO-PERSIAN (ACHAEMENID), PARTHIAN, AND SASSANIAN EMPIRES
KIRMAŞAN IS STILL AN IMPORTANT CENTER OF KURDISH CULTURE AND IDENTITY KIRMAŞAN PROVINCE IS HOME TO MILLIONS OF YARSAN KURDS
YARSANISM IS AN ANCIENT KURDISH RELIGION WITH ROOTS IN MITHRAISM AND ZOROASTRIANISM – SIMILAR TO THE ALEVI FAITH PRACTICED IN NORTHERN-KURDISTAN
YARSANISM EXPLICITLY REJECTS CLASS, CASTE, AND RANK THE KURDISH TEMBÛR INSTRUMENT IS A SACRED SYMBOL OF THE YARSANS
MUSIC AND POETRY HAVE AN IMPORTANT PLACE IN THIS REGION CELEBRATED KURDISH ARTISTS SHAHRAM NAZERI AND KAYHAN KALHOR ARE FROM HERE
TEKYEH BIGLAR BEIGI CALLIGRAPHY MUSEUM & ZAGROS PALEOLITHIC MUSEUM
TEKYEH MOAVEN AL-MOLK – 1903 MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY & CLOTHES AND JEWELRY MUSEUM
KIRMAŞAN WAS THE CAPITAL OF THE KURDISH HASANUYID, ANNAZID, AND HAZARASPID DYNASTIES BETWEEN 961 - 1424
TEMPLE OF ANAHÎTA – BUILT IN 404 BCE DEDICATED TO THE FEMALE GUARDIAN ANGEL OF WATERS
SACRED MOUNT BÊSTÛN & SHAH ABBASSI CARAVANSERAI – 16H CENTURY THE CARAVANSERAI IS ONE OF THE LARGEST IN THE WORLD
THE FAMOUS 12TH CENTURY TRAGIC ROMANCE 'SHIRIN AND FARHAD' TAKES PLACE HERE IT IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL LOVE STORIES EVER WRITTEN
IT PREDATES 'ROMEO & JULIET' BY 415 YEARS AND WAS WRITTEN BY NIZAMI GANJAVI GANJAVI WROTE ABOUT HIS KURDISH ANCESTRY, YET PERSIANS AND AZERI'S FALSELY CLAIM HIM
BÊSTÛN INSCRIPTION – 522 BCE - 486 BCE WORLD'S LARGEST HISTORIC INSCRIPTION – 1119 LINES IN THREE ANCIENT LANGUAGES
TAXÊ WASAN (TAQ-E BOSTAN) SASSANIAN ROCK RELIEF – SINCE ± 300
KURDISH FOLK DANCE
ARMENIAN MONASTERY OF SAINT THADDEUS – 7TH, 14TH AND 19TH CENTURY
MEHABAD WAS THE CENTER OF THE KURDISH EMIRATE OF MUKRIYAN FROM THE END OF THE 15TH CENTURY TO THE END OF THE 19TH CENTURY
THIS EMIRATE RULED THE REGION SOUTH AND WEST OF LAKE ÛRMIYE EARLIER, IT WAS RULED BY THE KURDISH HADHABANI CONFEDERACY
MEHABAD WAS THE CENTER OF THE REPUBLIC OF MEHABAD (1946) THIS SHORT-LIVED INDEPENDENT KURDISH STATE IS STILL A SOURCE OF HOPE FOR KURDS
FAGHRAGHA ROCK TOMB – SIXTH CENTURY BCE
LAKE ZRÊBAR FRESH WATER LAKE KNOWN FOR ITS PRISTINE NATURE
THRONE OF SOLOMON – CITADEL AND FIRE TEMPLE – SECOND CENTURY
SECOND LARGEST CITY IN EAST-KURDISTAN – SINCE ~2000 BCE ÛRMIYE HAS AN IMPORTANT PLACE IN KURDISH HISTORY
MANY KURDISH UPRISINGS HAVE THEIR ROOTS HERE, MOST NOTABLY THE LEGENDARY BATTLE OF DIMDIM OF 1609 - 1610
THIS BATTLE WAS LEAD BY EMÎR XAN LEPZÊRÎN (KHAN WITH THE GOLDEN HAND) 10,000 KURDS FOUGHT OFF A MODERN PERSIAN ARMY OF 50,000 FOR ONE YEAR
THE UPRISING FAILED AND DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE WAS INITIATED BY THE PERSIANS KURDS WERE REMOVED FROM ÛRMIYE, WHILE AZERIS WERE SETTLED HERE
BETWEEN 1918 AND 1922, ÛRMIYE WAS AGAIN THE SITE OF AN IMPORTANT KURDISH REVOLT, LEAD BY SIMKO ŞIKAK
ÛRMIYE WAS ALSO THE BIRTHPLACE OF DR. QASIMLO, THE LEADER OF THE 1979 KURDISH UPRISING IN EAST-KURDISTAN
ÛRMIYE IS THE ANCESTRAL LAND OF KURDS, NOT OF THOSE WHO WERE FORCIBLY SETTLED HERE A FEW CENTURIES AGO
FALAK-OL-AFLAK CASTLE – SASSANIAN FORTRESS – SECOND CENTURY
EVEN THOUGH XURRAMAWE IS PART OF LORESTAN, MOST OF ITS INHABITANTS ARE LAK AND FEYLI KURDS
IRAN'S ZAND DYNASTY WAS FOUNDED BY KERÎM XAN, LEADER OF THE ZAND BRANCH OF THE KURDISH LAK TRIBE
IRAN IS ACTIVELY TRYING TO DE-KURDIFY THE KURDISH ORIGINS OF THE ZAND DYNASTY FOR THEY HAD A MAJOR IMPACT ON PERSIAN ART AND ARCHITECTURE
SOUTH- AND WEST-KURDISTAN
ERBIL IS THE CAPITAL OF SOUTH-KURDISTAN AND IS THE OLDEST CONTINUOUSLY INHABITED CITY IN THE WORLD
THE ERBIL CITADEL HAS BEEN OCCUPIED UNINTERRUPTEDLY FOR OVER 7000 YEARS AND CONTINUES TO DOMINATE THE OLD TOWN'S SKYLINE
THE FAMOUS BATTLE OF GAUGAMELA IN 331 BCE WAS FOUGHT AT THE OUTSKIRTS OF ERBIL
IT WAS THE DECESIVE BATTLE OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT'S INVASION OF THE ACHAEMENID EMPIRE
CHOLI MINARET – BUILT IN 1128
ERBIL HAS EXPERIENCED MANY PERIODS OF GROWTH AND REGRESSION 'CHOLI MINARET' MEANS 'THE MINARET IN THE EMPTINESS / OUTSKIRTS'
IT WAS NOT ALWAYS A MINARET IN THE EMPTINESS; IT WAS ONCE PART OF A MUCH LARGER OLD TOWN AREA
ERBIL HAS BEEN DESTROYED AND REBUILT MANY TIMES OVER TODAY, THE MINARET IS ONCE AGAIN PART OF THE CITY'S INNER CORE
ERBIL HAS GROWN RAPIDLY IN THE PAST DECADE AND HAS BECOME A CITY WITH STARK CONTRASTS; A CITY WHERE MODERN MEETS ANCIENT – REAL ANCIENT
SUMERIANS, AKKADIANS, GUTIANS, ASSYRIANS, MEDES, ACHAEMENIDS, MACEDONIANS, PARTHIANS, SASSANIANS, ROMANS, MONGOLS, AYYUBIDS... THEY HAVE ALL BEEN IN ERBIL
WHAT WILL THIS ETERNAL CITY LOOK LIKE IN ANOTHER 7000 YEARS? WILL THE CITADEL STILL BE STANDING IN 9020?
GELÎYÊ KOLÎTA
FELAW LAKE
MOUNT SAKRAN & MOUNT HACÎ OMERAN
AKRÊ IS AN ANCIENT CITY IN SOUTH-KURDISTAN IT IS CONSIDERED THE CAPITAL OF NEWROZ, THE KURDISH NEW YEAR
NEWROZ HAS ITS ROOTS IN ZOROASTRIANISM AND IS A CELEBRATION OF THE ARRIVAL OF SPRING
NEWROZ IS CELEBRATED ON MARCH 19, 20, AND 21 THE FIRE REPRESENTS LIGHT, GOODNESS AND PURIFICATION
AKRÊ IS THE SCENE OF AN ANCIENT KURDISH MYTH ONCE UPON A TIME, IT WAS RULED BY ZUHAK, AN EVIL ASSYRIAN KING
ZUHAK HAD SERPENTS GROWING FROM HIS SHOULDERS AND DEMANDED TWO CHILDREN BE SACRIFICED TO THEM EVERY DAY
ONE DAY, KAWA THE BLACKSMITH DECIDED TO END HIS RULE HE BEHEADED THE KING AND HIS SERPENTS AND LIT A BONFIRE TO SIGNAL HIS VICTORY
FIRES WERE LIT ON MOUNTAIN TOPS ACROSS KURDISTAN TO SPREAD THE MESSAGE THE KURDS HAVE CELEBRATED NEWROZ EVER SINCE
THE TOMB OF THE PROPHET NAHUM
RABBAN HORMIZD MONASTERY – SINCE 640
MAR MATTAI MONASTERY – SINCE 363
AMÊDÎ WAS THE CAPITAL OF THE KURDISH EMIRATE OF BADÎNAN (1376 - 1843) THE CITY HAS BEEN INHABITED FOR AT LEAST 6000 YEARS
AMÊDÎ WAS THE SEAT OF THE MAGI MAGI WERE THE ZOROASTRIAN PRIEST CLASS OF THE MEDIAN EMPIRE
AMEDÎ WAS HOME OF THE BIBLICAL MAGI – ALSO KNOWN AS THE 'THREE WISE MEN' WHO MADE PILGRIMAGE TO BETHLEHEM TO SEE JESUS CHRIST SHORTLY AFTER HIS BIRTH
THE 'THREE WISE MEN' ARE CELEBRATED IN WESTERN CHRISTIANITY DURING 'EPIPHANY' ALSO KNOWN AS 'THREE KINGS DAY' AND 'EL DÍA DE LOS REYES'
AMÊDÎ WAS THE BIRTHPLACE OF DAVID LEROY, A PSUEDO-MESSIAH WHO LEAD A MAJOR REVOLT IN THE 12TH CENTURY AND PROCLAIMED HIMSELF 'KING OF JEWS'
AMÊDÎ IS ALSO THE RESTING PLACE OF ASENAT BARZANÎ (1590 - 1670), A RENOWNED KURDISH-JEWISH WOMAN AND THE FIRST FEMALE RABBI IN HISTORY
BARZAN IS THE ANCESTRAL HOME OF THE BARZANÎ FAMILY THE BARZANÎ'S HAVE BEEN AT THE HEAD OF MAJOR KURDISH REVOLTS
MOST NOTABLY THOSE OF 1931 - 1932, 1943 - 1945, AND THE FIRST- AND SECOND KURDISH-IRAQI WARS (1961 - 1975)
EHMED BARZANÎ PIONEERED SOCIAL REFORMS AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY
THE NATURE AND WILDLIFE OF BARZAN STILL THRIVES BECAUSE OF THOSE REFORMS
NEAR DERBENDÎXAN IS 'QALATGA DARBAND', WHICH IS KURDISH FOR 'CASTLE OF THE MOUNTAIN PASS'
IT IS A MASSIVE PARTHIAN-ERA COMPLEX OF WALLS AND FORTIFICATIONS, STILL WAITING TO BE FULLY EXCAVATED
THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF KURDISTAN
DERALOK
MALTAI ROCK RELIEFS – 704 BCE
JERWAN AQUEDUCT – WORLD'S OLDEST AQUEDUCT – SINCE ± 703 BCE IT PREDATES ANY ROMAN AQUEDUCT BY AT LEAST 500 YEARS
EFRÎN IS THE WESTERN-MOST REGION OF KURDISTAN IT HAS BEEN A KURDISH-MAJORITY REGION FOR OVER 1200 YEARS
EFRÎN WAS, TOGETHER WITH THE KURDISH CITIES OF DÎLOK (ANTEP) AND KILÎS, PART OF THE KURDISH EMIRATE OF KÎLIS (11TH - 19TH CENTURY)
THIS EMIRATE WAS OF KURDISH YAZIDI ORIGINS LEBANON'S JUMBLATT FAMILY HAS KURDISH ROOTS AND ARE FROM THIS REGION
THEIR ORIGINAL NAME WAS 'CANPOLAD', KURDISH FOR 'STEEL-BODIED' TODAY, THEY ARE THE LEADERS OF LEBANON'S DRUZE COMMUNITY
EFRÎN IS CURRENTLY (2020) UNDER TURKISH-JIHADIST OCCUPATION THE TURKISH STATE IS ACTIVELY CHANGING EFRÎN'S KURDISH REALITY
KURDS ARE ROBBED, KIDNAPPED, AND EXECUTED BY THE TURKISH MILITARY AND THEIR JIHADIST ALLIES
JIHADISTS ARE TAKING KURDISH PROPERTY WHILE THE TURKISH STATE ACTIVELY TURKIFIES THE AREA AND DESTROYS ANCIENT MONUMENTS
ROMAN BRIDGES
BYZANTINE-ERA 'DEAD CITIES' – 700 ANCIENT SETTLEMENTS MANY WERE DAMAGED AND DESTROYED BY THE TURKISH ARMY & JIHADISTS
AIN DARA ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE – BUILT 3300 YEARS AGO DESTROYED BY THE TURKISH STATE ON JANUARY 27, 2018
MONUMENT TO THE VICTIMS OF THE MARCH 16, 1988 POISON GAS ATTACK
ON THAT DAY, IRAQI WARPLANES BOMBED HELEBCE (HALABJA) WITH WESTERN-SUPPLIED CHEMICAL WEAPONS, KILLING OVER 5,000 KURDS
THE POISON GAS ATTACK WAS PART OF THE LARGER ANFAL GENOCIDE OVER 182,000 KURDS WERE MURDERED BY SADDAM'S BA'ATH REGIME BETWEEN 1986 - 1989
SHERWANA CASTLE
THE OLDEST PART OF KERKÛK IS ITS ANCIENT CITADEL, WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY BUILT BY THE GUTIANS OVER 4000 YEARS AGO
THE GUTIANS ARE AMONG THE ANCESTORS OF THE KURDS SADDAM'S REGIME DEMOLISHED KERKÛK'S HISTORIC CITADEL IN THE 1990'S
KERKÛK IS A MAJORITY KURDISH CITY, BUT WAS HEAVILY ARABIZED AND TURKIFIED AFTER THE DISCOVERY OF MASSIVE OIL AND GAS RESERVES
DESPITE ITS IMMENSE WEALTH, KERKÛK IS ONE OF KURDISTAN'S MOST IMPOVERISHED CITIES FOR WARS HAVE PREVENTED DEVELOPMENT
KOBANÊ IS A SMALL TOWN THAT MOST KURDS, LET ALONE THE REST OF THE WORLD, HAD NOT HEARD OF UNTIL 2014
ON 15 SEPTEMBER 2014, TURKISH-BACKED ISIS TERRORISTS BESIEGED THIS SMALL TOWN – THE SIEGE WOULD LAST FOR SIX MONTHS
2,000 KURDISH MEN AND WOMEN FOUGHT OFF OVER 10,000 HEAVILY ARMED ISIS TERRORISTS
JUST THREE WEEKS AFTER THE SIEGE STARTED, ERDOGAN HOPEFULLY PROCLAIMED: 'KOBANÊ IS ABOUT TO FALL'
BUT KOBANÊ DID NOT FALL KOBANÊ INSTEAD BECAME ISIS' STALINGRAD, THEIR GRAVEYARD
KOBANÊ WAS LIBERATED ON MARCH 15, 2015 OVER 700 KURDISH MEN AND WOMEN MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE
THEIR LEGACY WILL LIVE ON FOREVER: THE EPIC OF KOBANÊ A LEGEND FOR THE AGES
KOBANÊ: KELA KURDAN KOBANÊ: CASTLE OF THE KURDS
♫ DILÊ MIN, DILÊ MIN LIYANE DIRÊDE ♫ ♫ MY HEART, MY HEART ACHES FOR JOY ♫
♫ KOBANÊ XEMLA XWE GIRÊDE ♫ ♫ CONCERN YOURSELF ABOUT KOBANÊ ♫
♫ BEJIN BI KIRAS Û XEFTANÊ ♫ ♫ IN YOUR KIRAS AND XEFTANÊ (TRADITIONAL KURDISH DRESS) ♫
♫ ENÎ ŞERA KESREWANÊ ♫ ♫ FORWARD TO THE BATTLEFIELD ♫
♫ DILÊ MIN, DILÊ MIN LIYANE DIRÊDE ♫ ♫ MY HEART, MY HEART ACHES FOR JOY ♫
♫ KOBANÊ, LI KOBANÊ ŞER Û CENGE ♫ ♫ KOBANÊ, THERE IS A WAR IN KOBANÊ ♫
♫ ŞER Û CENGE BERXWEDANE ♫ ♫ THERE IS A WAR AND RESISTANCE ♫
♫ ŞERÊ HEBÛNÊ Û NE BÛNÊ ♫ ♫ IT IS A WAR FOR EXISTENCE ♫
♫ TOLA ARÎNA MÎRXAN E ♫ ♫ IT IS ARIN MÎRXAN'S RETALIATION ♫
♫ KOBANÊ, LI KOBANÊ ŞER Û CENGE ♫ ♫ KOBANÊ, THERE IS A WAR IN KOBANÊ ♫
♫ BIJÎ BERXWEDANE YPG, BIJÎ BERXWEDANE YPJ ♫ ♫ LONG LIVE THE RESISTANCE OF THE YPG, LONG LIVE THE RESISTANCE OF THE YPJ ♫
KOYE IS A SMALL HISTORIC MARKET TOWN WHERE MANY 13TH CENTURY BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN PRESERVED
THIS IS A RARITY, FOR MOST CITIES IN SOUTH-KURDISTAN HAVE HEAVILY NEGLECTED THEIR HISTORICAL SITES, LOSING MANY
THE TOWN'S MAIN HISTORIC MONUMENTS ARE THE BAZAAR, CARAVANSERAI, GRAND MOSQUE, AND AN OTTOMAN-ERA FORTRESS
LALIŞA NÛRANÎ IS THE LOCATION OF THE HOLIEST YAZIDI TEMPLE YAZIDIS ARE EXPECTED TO MAKE A SIX-DAY PILGRIMAGE TO THIS TEMPLE
YAZIDISM IS A PRE-ABRAHAMIC MONOTHEISTIC KURDISH RELIGION IT IS OVER 4000 YEARS OLD AND STILL ACTIVELY PRACTICED BY KURDS
THE RELIGION IS BASED ON THE BELIEF OF ONE GOD WHO CREATED THE WORLD AND ENTRUSTED IT INTO THE CARE OF SEVEN ANGELS
THE MOST IMPORTANT OF THESE ANGELS IS TAWÛSÊ MELEK, TRANSLATED IN ENGLISH AS 'THE PEACOCK ANGEL'
YAZIDI KURDS HAVE BEEN PERSECUTED FOR CENTURIES YET, THEY HOLD ONTO THEIR RELIGION AND REFUSE TO LET GO
THE SUN IS CONSIDERED THE SACRED SOURCE OF LIFE WORSHIPERS TURN THEIR FACE TOWARDS IT DURING PRAYER
YAZIDIS HAVE SUFFERED 72 GENOCIDES BECAUSE OF THEIR FAITH THE MOST RECENT WAS COMMITTED BY TURKISH-BACKED ISIS TERRORISTS IN 2014
OVER 5,000 YAZIDI KURDS WERE MURDERED BY THE TERRORISTS THE YAZIDIS WERE SAVED DUE TO THE EFFORTS OF THE KURDISH YPG AND PKK FORCES
QAMIŞLO IS THE CAPITAL OF ROJAVA (WEST-KURDISTAN) IT IS ONE OF KURDISTAN'S YOUNGEST CITIES, FOUNDED IN THE 1920'S
QAMIŞLO IS AN IMPORTANT CENTER FOR KURDS, ASSYRIANS, AND ARMENIANS THE DIFFERENT ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES LIVE TOGETHER IN PEACE
IN 1991, RANIYE WAS THE FIRST CITY IN SOUTH-KURDISTAN TO RISE UP AGAINST SADDAM BECAUSE OF THIS, IT IS KNOWN AS 'DARWAZAI RAPARIN' – 'GATEWAY OF THE UPRISING'
RANIYE IS SURROUNDED BY THE KEWA RASH MOUNTAIN RANGE THE REGION IS KNOWN FOR ITS STUNNING SCENERY AND IS EXTREMELY FERTILE
RIWANDIZ IS KNOWN FOR ITS STUNNING LANDSCAPES AND IMPENETRABLE MOUNTAIN PASSES AND CANYONS
'RIWANDIZ' MEANS 'CASTLE OF THE NOMADS' FOR THIS ANCIENT KURDISH REGION HAS ALWAYS BEEN UNCONQUERABLE
RIWANDIZ WAS THE CAPITAL OF THE KURDISH EMIRATE OF SORAN (1399 - 1883) RIWANDIZ WAS THE SCENE OF THE BATTLE OF MOUNT HANDRIN (MAY 1966)
DURING THIS LEGENDARY BATTLE, KURDISH FORCES MANAGED TO WIPE OUT AN ENTIRE IRAQI ARMY, SENDING SHOCKWAVES THROUGHOUT THE ARAB WORLD
SLEMANI WAS FOUNDED ON 14 NOVEMBER 1784 AND DECLARED THE NEW CAPITAL OF THE KURDISH BABAN PRINCIPALITY (1649 - 1850)
THE NEW CITY GREW RAPIDLY, NUMBERING OVER 10,000 INHABITANTS JUST A FEW DECADES LATER
SLEMANI ATTRACTED INTELLECTUALS AND TRADESMEN FROM ALL OVER KURDISTAN BECAUSE OF THIS, IT QUICKLY BECAME A CULTURAL CAPITAL AND PATRIOTIC STRONGHOLD
EVEN THOUGH THE CITY IS YOUNG, THE SURROUNDING AREA SHOWS EVIDENCE OF THE WORLD'S FIRST AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES
THE REGION WAS AN IMPORTANT CENTER OF THE MEDES KEYXESREW (CYAXARES) HAS HIS TOMB IN THE CITY'S OUTSKIRTS
TOMB OF KEYXESREW – MEDE KING, VANQUISHER OF ASSYRIA – 585 BCE
AKKADIAN-ERA ROCK RELIEF POSSIBLY GUTIAN (KURDISH) – ± 2254 BCE
SLEMANI WAS THE CAPITAL OF THE KINGDOM OF KURDISTAN THIS SHORT-LIVED KURDISH STATE LASTED FROM 1922 TO 1924
THE CITY HAS BROUGHT FORTH MANY POETS, ARTISTS, MILITARY LEADERS, AND INTELLECTUALS SINCE ITS FOUNDATION
DESPITE ITS REPUTATION OF CULTURAL CAPITAL, LITTLE OF ITS HISTORY IS LEFT MOST OF SLEMANI'S OLD TOWN WAS DELIBERATELY DESTROYED IN RECENT YEARS
OF THE ORIGINAL 6300 HISTORIC BUILDINGS, LESS THAN 100 REMAIN THE PERPETRATORS ARE CAPITALIST NEWCOMERS AND CORRUPT OFFICIALS
ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM OF SLEMANI
TABLET V – EPIC OF GILGAMESH – ±1800 BCE
AMNA SURAKA – RED SECURITY BUILDING – SADDAM-ERA PRISON, TORTURE CENTER
SARCHINAR
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF SLEMANI
MOUNT GOIZHA
DUKAN
SINJAR IS THE LARGEST CITY INHABITED BY YAZIDI KURDS THE CITY'S HISTORY DATES BACK TO AT LEAST THE SECOND CENTURY
IN AUGUST 2014, THE CITY BECAME GLOBAL NEWS WHEN IT WAS ATTACKED BY ISIS TERRORISTS – OVER 5,000 YAZIDI KURDS WERE MURDERED
IT WAS LARGELY THANKS TO THE EFFORTS OF THE KURDISH YPG AND PKK FORCES THAT A LARGER MASSACRE WAS PREVENTED
SINJAR WAS FULLY LIBERATED ON NOVEMBER 15, 2015
♫ ŞINGAL TU WARÊ PIRR OL Û RENGÎ ♫ ♫ SHINGAL YOU ARE A HOMELAND OF RELIGIONS AND DIVERSITY ♫
♫ NÎŞAN KURDAN KEW Û ÇÎYA NE ♫ ♫ THE SYMBOLS OF THE KURDS ARE THE PARTRIDGE AND MOUNTAINS ♫
♫ TU KURDISTANÎ (3X), KURDISTANÎ ♫ ♫ YOU ARE KURDISTAN (3X), KURDISTAN ♫
♫ BÊY PIRSA DENGÎ ♫ ♫ EVEN WITHOUT A REFERENDUM ♫
♫ DAYÊ DELALA MINÊ, HELE BÊJE ÇAWANÎ ♫ ♫ LOVELY MOTHER OF MINE, JUST TELL ME HOW YOU ARE ♫
♫ DESTÊN BAVO MAÇ DIKIM, SILAV BO XUŞK Û BIRA ♫ ♫ I KISS FATHER’S HAND, GREETINGS TO MY SISTER AND BROTHER ♫
♫ DAYÊ DÛRBÛN DIJWAR E ♫ ♫ MOTHER HARDSHIP IS ENDLESS ♫
♫ DOZA WELÊT JI BÎRNAKIM ♫ ♫ I WON'T FORGET THE COUNTRY'S CAUSE ♫
♫ DIL DIXWAZE VEGERIM ♫ ♫ MY HEART WANTS TO RETURN ♫
♫ ÇI BIKIM NIKARIM ♫ ♫ WHAT CAN I DO, I CANNOT ♫
TURKISH SAVAGES LOYAL TO ATATÜRK POSE WITH KURDISH CHILDREN SHORTLY BEFORE THEIR EXECUTION
KURDISH LOCALS OF DERSIM ROUNDED UP BY THE TURKS PHOTO TAKEN SHORTLY BEFORE THEIR EXECUTION
TURKISH SAVAGES LOYAL TO ATATÜRK POSE, SMILING, WITH THE SEVERED HEAD OF A KURD
KURDISH CIVILIANS ARE EXECUTED BY AN IRANIAN FIRING SQUAD AFTER A QUICK SHOW TRIAL
♫ KURÊ MIN BES E VEGERE ♫ ♫ IT'S ENOUGH MY SON, RETURN ♫
♫ ÇAVÊN ME LI RÊ QETIYA ♫ ♫ MY EYES ARE EXHAUSTED ♫
♫ EZ PÎR BÛME BAVÊ TE KAL ♫ ♫ I'VE BECOME OLD, YOUR FATHER HAS BECOME OLD ♫
♫ TIRS Û TAL E JI BO ME JÎYAN ♫ ♫ THIS LIFE HAS BECOME SOUR AND BITTER ♫
♫ KURÊ MIN BES E VEGERE ♫ ♫ IT'S ENOUGH MY SON, RETURN ♫
♫ LI BENDA TE ME ♫ ♫ I AM WAITING FOR YOU ♫
♫ EZ PÎR BÛME BAVÊ TE KAL ♫ ♫ I'VE BECOME OLD, YOUR FATHER HAS BECOME OLD ♫
♫ TIRS Û TAL E JI BO ME JÎYAN ♫ ♫ THIS LIFE HAS BECOME SOUR AND BITTER ♫
♫ KURÊ MIN BES E VEGERE ♫ ♫ IT'S ENOUGH MY SON, RETURN ♫
♫ LI BENDA TE ME ♫ ♫ I AM WAITING FOR YOU ♫
THE IRAQI REGIME'S POISON GAS ATTACK ON HALABJA KILLED 5,000 KURDS WITHIN MINUTES
THE POISON GAS ATTACK WAS PART OF THE AL-ANFAL GENOCIDE, WHICH KILLED OVER 182,000 KURDS THE US, EUROPE, AND MOST OF THE ARAB WORLD WERE IRAQ'S ALLIES AT THAT TIME
♫ EZ HEYRAN BIBIM EZ QURBAN DAYÊ ROJEK TÊ ♫ ♫ I AM ZEALOUS MY LOVE, MOTHER, A DAY WILL COME ♫
IN 1991, KURDS ROSE UP AGAINST SADDAM. PROMISED US SUPPORT NEVER CAME. SADDAM HIT BACK HARD. THE KURDS, FEARING ANOTHER GENOCIDE, FLED INTO THE MOUNTAINS. OVER 50,000 PERISHED.
♫ BÊ XEM BÊ ŞER WELAT AZAD ROJEK TÊ ♫ ♫ WITHOUT MOURNING, WITHOUT WAR, A FREE COUNTRY, A DAY WILL COME ♫
♫ ROJEK RONAHÎ ROJEK BI SAHÎ ROJEK TÊ ♫ ♫ A BRIGHTFUL DAY, A HAPPY DAY, A DAY WILL COME ♫
YAZIDI GIRL WHO WAS RESCUED BY KURDISH YPG FORCES. TURKISH-BACKED ISIS TERRORISTS MURDERED OVER 5,000 YAZIDI KURDS.
♫ BÊ XEM BÊ ŞER WELAT AZAD ROJEK TÊ ♫ ♫ WITHOUT MOURNING, WITHOUT WAR, A FREE COUNTRY, A DAY WILL COME ♫
♫ ROJEK TÊ, ROJEK TÊ ♫ ♫ A DAY WILL COME, A DAY WILL COME ♫
JI BO SEHÎDAN FOR THE MARTYRS
