Earth Hour bah!!

Such a big fuss about Earth Hour. We have Earth Hour seven times a day in Kurdistan!!!

Spring time in Kurdistan

With lots of rain recently and now warm temperatures, for just brief few months in spring, Kurdistan is lush and green and these photos could almost be New Zealand. Right now the weather is glorious: sunny, blue skies, cool nights and day time temperatures in the low 20s.

With the PKK Nawroz Part 2

On the Friday of Nawroz, the PKK (Kurdish Workers Party) hold a rally/concert deep in the Qandille Mountains in north east Iraq. Like much travel here, even a relatively short trip can take on epic proportions especially during Nawroz.  I had been invited by my friend Hersh, the news editor from Kurdsat who was going to the rally with a number of journalist friends. We had a 5am start and that was just getting organised to go by bus leaving around 7am. The journey was only about 125km but it took three hours and numerous stops to get there.

The PKK actually hold territory here and the bus driver solemnly announced that we were leaving the jurisdiction of the KRG and were now under control of the PKK.  The road then wound along a narrow mountain valley before zigzaging up an extremely steep series of switch backs to a high pass and then dropping down into an open alpine valley surrounded by spectacular mountains.

Nawroz is an opportunity for the PKK troops to come together from Turkey, Iran and Iraq and for families to come and meet the fighters. It is also a chance for the local Kurdish population to show support.

In reality the PKK belongs to the past. Local support is surprisingly strong, but more out of loyalty, than to any belief in a Communist philosophy. For many Kurds it was the PKK who stood up and kept fighting through the grimmest times, and they are not people to forget the past. There is an enduring admiration for the imprisoned Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan, though hearing him being constantly referred to as the Kurdish Nelson Mandela became a bit tiring.

That said I was surprising that the majority of fighters were very young and over half are women. I had seen many photos of women PKK guerrillas, but assumed that they were just publicity shots. Well aware of the opportunity for publicity and support, the PKK members were more than happy to pose for photos with all and sundry.

A key drawcard that day was the appearance of a famous Kurdish singer Chaupi, but even with her support, the crowd was down from previous years and at most would have numbered around 5000 - 6000. The crowd noticeable thinned once Chaupi left the stage.

As with every Nawroz festivity the symbolic fire was lit, rousing speeches were made, flags waved, banners hoisted and endless signs of victory made.   

Then of course was the grueling bus journey home. We were supposed to leave at 4.30pm but the driver didn't turn up until well after 6pm. Wending our way through clogged roads, I finally arrived back in Slemani after midnight. Just as well the next day was a holiday. I was shattered, but being exhausted is the whole point of a Kurdish day out. 

Green Almonds, the new taste sensation?

Available now and sold every where, green almonds are a hit amongst the Kurds but I don't know why. Woody, like an unripe peach, completely tasteless and without a hint of the almond taste to come, the only thing that makes them palatable is the added salt which is hardly healthy. Green almonds are not likely to catch on.

Kurdish faces....Nawroz

When it comes to tradition Kurdish clothing, for the men it is hard to get it wrong - the colours are mainly various shades of beige, brown and blue. However, for women the clothes are a mixture of vivid colours and styles and getting is wrong is really easy.

Nawroz te piroz be (Happy New Year) Part One

As they say here "No place does Nawroz like Slemani" and a million people packed Salim Street on Thursday evening just to prove it.

Exactly 2714 years ago, Kawa, a Kurdish blacksmith used his hammer to bash to death the Assyrian tyrant king Zarhak and the Kurds have been celebrating ever since.

Nawroz harks back to Kurdistan's pre-Islamic roots, as this is also an ancient spring festival falling on the Spring equinox (March 21st) and fire, a symbol at the heart of Zoroastrian religion, is an essential ingredient of Nawroz festivities.


The day started off much quieter than most and it wasn't until after 2pm that people started drifting towards Salim Street in the heart of Slemani. By 3pm the numbers arriving started to increase and by 4 pm the street was busy, at 5pm crowded and by 6pm the entire 5km length of the street was jam packed.

Festivities began by the lighting of a large fire at the southern end of the street, though I must admit it failed to catch quickly and never turned into a roaring blaze. Along the street six different stages offered variations on Kurdish music and performance, all of it very loud.

No New Year is complete without fireworks and at 7pm outside the PUK headquarters, there was a credible display. Among the crowd and for the entire evening, more modest and impromptu displays blazed away the night. 

Nawroz is very much a celebration of Kurdish identity and over 80% of the people in the street that evening wore traditional clothing. Not to be left out, I had a new shirt to go with my nice Kurdish suit, but that didn't extend to the klash shoes which are very uncomfortable. I didn't quite have my pants right, so a nice young man  just stopped in the street and adjusted my pants and cummerbund. Kurds are not shy people.

While alcohol is freely available, in reality in Kurdish society drinking is at best very modest and alcohol is just not part of this celebration. New Year, one million people, no alcohol, no fights and no arrests :)  

Read more: http://rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/21032014

Assyrian tyrant Zahhak

Assyrian tyrant Zahhak

The flags are out and huge banners now block the entrance to Mawlawny Strret, the main thoroughfare that runs deep into the bazaar. While diminished somewhat this year, bright lights are strung out across Salim Street.

Flags

Buyers and sellers

The market here is largely very traditional and farmers come from the surrounding districts to sell their produce to the town's people. Here women sell fresh greens and herbs from makeshift stalls on the footpath. 

Kak Bwar

Having an established office and a work colleague has been a great change for me. I get to say 'bayanit bash' (good morning) to the same people every  day, the guards on the gate know me and now people drop in.

I couldn't have chosen a better work mate than Bwar Nuradin Saber and I am so glad that I pushed to have him employed on the Encyclopedia project.

Bwar hails from the small mountain town of Qaladze and came to Slemani in 1981 to train as a car mechanic at the Sulaymaniyah Technical Institute for Boys, which as it happens is right next door. Schooling was cut short in 1984 when he joined the Peshmerga rebels in the mountains fighting Saddam Hussein. After the Rapareen/Uprising in 1991/1992 he was then caught up in the ugly civil war between KDP and PUK.
Once the truce was signed he then turned to books and over the past 15 years has become the most experienced Kurdish editor in the city. In addition he has established three different libraries for the Kurdish Heritage Institute, the Zheen archive and Sardam Publishing. In his spare time he has written seven books on music, folklore and biographies.

But Bwar's great love is his pioneering work, the first Kurdish bibliography and this month the  the first volume was published taking in Kurdish books and manuscripts in all dialects up to 1914. The second volume, 1914 to 1940 is 95% finished.

This might make him sound a bit booky, but he is funny, clever and everything interests him, not to mention a passion for football/soccer.

Even better he gives me a ride to work every morning!

Just change the name

It is not uncommon for different countries to rename products especially cars.

Here is Kurdistan Chevrolet have renamed the Dodge Charger "Obama" and yes it is a compliment

Nokia have named two phones after Kurdish singers and another is called Sheikh Massoud, a famous historical figure.

Making a small statement in the office