The Faili Kurds
Faili Kurds?
These questions had been easy to answer if you had asked who are the nordlendinger or where Bergen is?
Nordlendinger are from northern Norway and Bergen is a city in western Norway. A simple answer from me. The point here is that no one had questioned these simplified facts.
But when it comes faili Kurds, the answer is not as easy as it should be. The answer to these questions has changed from century to century.
Through the manipulation of history and facts there have been given answers that have distinct purposes, depending on where you were and where they lived. This includes probably for the entire Middle East in general..
Ever since the first humans settled there, and to this day Kurdistan can be said to be most vulnerable to this because of its economic, political and geo-strategic position depending on the time period.
And the problem with boundary setting is not completely finished even after the colonial ruler persistent use of his physical energy and intellectual energy to resolve border issues that the uncivilized Middle East residents had.
Even today, you can look at all the effects of it. To name a few:
- War between Iraq and Iran
- The invasion of Kuwait from Iraq
- Kurdish struggle for independence
- The invasion of Iraq
The examples are many.
For the Kurds in general and especially Faili Kurds, this has led to oppression in the form of exile, statelessness and murder.
Under Saddam's regime, we were accused of not being real Iraqis and in the year 1979, hundreds of thousands faili Kurds were expelled from Iraq, their properties and assets seized by the Bath regime.
The worst tragedy was not the financial loss as the economic well-established, Kurdish population in Baghdad and major cities in Iraq were exposed to, but the arrest and subsequent murder of thousands of men between the age of the youngest 11 years to the oldest 74 years faili Kurdish men by Saddam regime. This paralyzed the Faili Kurdish community, and the shock took feili Kurds long time to get over.
Faili Kurds have had to constantly fight to prove his Kurdish ness. For the Faili Kurds have been no problem accepting that they are Lurs, but how they viewed it to be Lurs different for them than for others in their environment.
First, we briefly talk about Lurs and Luristan.
Lurs or Luristan has been divided into two groups Lur-e kuchik (small Lurene) and Lure-e Pozorg (large Lurene).
In the northern parts of Luristan, formerly known as Lur-e kuchik (small Lurene), lives Faili lurs (faili Kurds). Divided into two parts faili Kurds live in Pishtkuh (behind the mountain) east and Pishkuh (in front of the mountain) in the current Iraqi border areas to the west.
The smaller Luristan maintained their independence under the countless princes of the Atabekiske Khorshidi dynasties (years ca.1184-1598). It was Shah Abbas the first of Iran, which took power from the last Atabaken, shah Value Khan, and gave the power of the county Luristan to the Hussain Khan, the leader of the enemy clan, with the title of Vali in favor of Atabakene. The descendants of Hussain Khan remained in power and the title of Vali Pushtkuh that is today's Faili Kurds.
The southern part of the province, formerly known as Lure-e Pozorg (large Lurs), consists mainly of Bakhtiari regions in today's Khusistan province and districts Mamasenni and Kuhgilu Lurs, which is located in Fars province in south east Iran. At their best times, it was great Luristan an independent state under Fazlevieh Atabaken years 1160-1424. And its capital, Idaj, survives today as ruins in Malamir, 60miles southeast of the city Shushtar in Khusistan.
There are some discussions around the concept of Faili. There are many theories about what the Faili Kurds are, there are those who believe that the Faili Kurds are Lur-e kuchik (small Lurs), and that they are from Pishtkuh (behind the mountain) east and Pishkuh (in front of the mountain) in the current Iraqi border areas in the west.
The following ideas will be discussed:
- There are those who see the Faili as part of the large Kurdish population
- Those who believe that the Faili is Lur / Lorr with no ethnic ties to the Kurds
- Faili Kurds is the origin of Kurds, ethnic and linguistic
- Lurs are not Kurds
- Kurds are Lur / Lorr
The theories are many. I as Faili Kurd sees us as Lor, and consider the Lor/lur a non-divisible part of the Kurdish people.
Historical evidence of how close ties Lurs have to Kurdistan and Kurds are many.
Geographical and historical data about the Faili Kurds
Home Land of Faili Kurds are areas called Pusht-i-Kuh in Iran, on the west side of Saymara River, tributary of Karkha. These areas cover the southern part of the Kurdish Iranian province of Ilam and the northwestern part of Khuzistan.
Pusht-i-Kuh means "the area Beyond the Mountain", Mount Kabir-Kuh, providing a barrier that separates Pusht-in-Kuhfra Pish-Kuh (the "Area Before the Mountain") and from the rest of Iran.But Pusht-i-Kuh is open to the lowlands of Arab Iraq, almost a geographic obstacle to cross the border into the Iraqi plains.
The Ottoman-Persian border in this area is inherited from the 1639 Kasr-Shirin agreement between the two kingdoms. A portion of Pusht-i-Kuh is today on the Iraqi side of the border, with Faili Kurdish cities of Khaneqin, Mendeli, Badr and Zurbatiya facing Mehran on the other side.
The appointment of the Faili Kurds were originally used only by the Arabs in Iraq, to distinguish them from other Kurds in the north-south spoke Kurmanji Kurmanji (Sorani) or north-Kurmanji.This term was unknown in Kurdistan and Iran. In Pusht-i-Kuh Faili Kurds tend to call themselves Kurds only (without Faili). Strangely NOK is adjective Faili not Arabic, but an Arabic corruption of the ancient Iranica name Pahli, is from Pahlawi and Pahlawani.
In pre-Islamic era, the Sasanians was Iranica Pahlawi language used in most of what was to become Arab Iraq consecutively to the Arab conquest, including in Ctesiphon, the Sasanian capital (al-Madayin in Arabic, now in ruins, south of Baghdad).
The oldest origins Faili Kurds can return to the Kashshi people in great antiquity, who inhabited the present-day Kurdish areas from Kirmanshah to Mehran through Ilam, together with the province of Luristan and area Pusht-i-Kuh, Iran.
Kashshiene invaded Babylonia, quite peaceful in lower Mesopotamia, where they created rich Karduniash, which lasted almost six centuries in the second millennium BC (from 1747 to 1171.)
Today Faili Kurds live in the following cities in Iraq, Kot, Amara, Ali-Gharbi, Ali-Shargi, al-Hay, Basra, Baghdad, in Khuzistan, and in the Kurdish cities of Khanaqin, Badr and Mandali. They are traditionally much appreciated by their Arab neighbours to be hard working, their honesty as dealers or their savoir-faire as businessmen.
According to the Iraqi census, in 1947, represented the Faili Kurds in Iraq 6% of the total population, which amounted to 4'564'000 inhabitants of this census. It is generally admitted that the growth in population is practically the same in Iraq of Arabs and Kurds. The people of Iraq in 1960 were 6'822'000, 9'414'000 in 1970, and 13'233'000 in 1980 . This should be possible to estimate the number of the Faili Kurds in Iraq to 564'000 in 1970, and to 794'000 in 1980, the year that suffered the largest deportation campaign of Bath-government.Where does the name Faili comes from?
Faili Kurds are an important part of the large Kurdish people, and they talk the Kurdish language of Luri dialect as part of the mix the second the Aryan and the Indo-Iranian language family. Faili Kurds have their roots in the Indo-Aryan culture (Indo-Europeans).
They have had Islam as their religion since the beginning of the muslimiske conquest of Iraq and Iran. When Safawie had power over Persia turned Faili Kurds till the Shiite fantastic, gafari doctrine with the opportunity of close till Persia, and again they are exposed to the Persian leaders erobrings attacks.
There are more than one explanation to the name Faili. Yaqout Al Hamawi describes in his book The Lexicon of Countries that the Faili Kurds are the ones who are living in the mountains separating Iran and Iraq, and again they are as big as elephants; word FILE means elephant in Arabic.
Another explanation is that: the name''Faili'' is from a dynasty that ruled areas Faili Kurds are from the King Ilami and 12 of his descendants in ca. year 220 BCE. The word''Faili'' is, according to some historians may also have been used to describe a rebellious or revolutionary man. It may also have been used to describe the courage and the fight for freedom.
According to MR Izady in his book (The Kurds: Aconcise Handbook, London, 1992), the areas settled by Pahli / Fayli Kurds were known as "Pahl" (meaning "Parthia") since the 3rd century AD. This area was one of the most important Parthisk settlements outside the Big Parthia (Khurasan). The name "Pahl" was also used for the same area of some of the earliest Arab geographers up to 13 century, when the name "Luristan" slowly replaced it. In Arab history writings is the name registered as "Fahle" or "Bahla", (Arabic alphabet has no letter "p"). From "Fahle" came gradually Fail of Faili, modern name for Pahl Kurds.
What we can say with certainty is that Faili Kurds are still there despite what they have been subjected to by the vainly tries to deny their existence and have tried to separate them from the great Kurdistan.
Many Faili Kurds feel that they belong Lurs, which are the oldest residents of Iran. In Cabridge book about Ancient History it says;
"The ethnological definition of the Elamite also causes great difficulties. The most reasonable Assumption is that which holds the Elamite to be the proto-Lurs, whose language became Iranian only in the middle Ages." Since 644 The Cambridge Ancient History.
Who than the Faili Kurds belong to, there is no doubt that they have been and are an important part of the areas they are from.
According to Najm Suleiman Mahdi in his book "The Faily Kurds, Who are they," is the most important faili Kurdish clans following;
Laki, Luri, Kordali, Ali Sherwan consisting of (his four sons / clans Cheragh Wandi, Safar Wandi, Herwandi, Darawandi), Malek Shahi, Jaberi, Ansari, kalhor, Zouri or Zhohairi, Qaitoli, Khezell, Showhan, Mousie, Warkoz, klawai, Bolia, Maliman, Zangana, Bakhtiari, Zand, Soria-Mori, Mamsani, Jgangi, Papi, Bojarahmad, Kahlgilija, Mishkhas, Hasanwandi, Pirawandi, Kakwandi, Dinawandi, Dohsan, Zouri, Bawe, Larti, Heni-meni, Qazi, Qalawlaws, Aljoi, Mafi, Warizwand, Amreri, Panchseton, Wazrgoush, Tolabi, Siljurzi, Shola, Qaderhama, and Kaka.
Here I choose to use the Norwegian alphabet to get to the most pronounced in the Norwegian language.
Personally I come from Ali Sherwan clan where my mother belongs to the Cheragh Wandi and my father Herwandi.
These clans and briefly about their history, it is possible and become more familiar with the later.Historical facts about the many Faili Kurdish rulers and kingdoms through time
Historical evidence about Faili Kurds in the Middle East are many. Among the leaders in the Middle East, there has been some Faili Kurds, who have ruled in parts of Iraq, Iran and parts of Kurdistan.
Even when the new state of Iraq was formed in early 20. century among the candidates to lead the new state of Iraq was Wali of Pusht-I-kuh.
"The necessity for a suitable ruler at the head of a Government constituted in this way had from the first been evident, and various possibilities were now convassed. Some of the candidates put forward, with the perspective of time now seem a little surprising. Apart from Naqib himself and Sayid Talib Pasha of Basrah, the first Minister of the Interior, the Shaikh of Mohammerah, Ibn Saud, the Aga Khan and even the Wali of Pusht-i-Kuh were variously proposed. But it was to the sons of the Sharif Hussain that almost all signs eventually pointed. " Page 213, TWIN Rivers a brief history of iraq
Faili Kurds ruled large parts of their areas nearly uninterrupted through the ages.
The smaller Luristan maintain their independence under the countless princes of the Atabekiske Khorshidi dynasties (years ca.1184-1598).
The southern part of the province, formerly known as Lure-e Pozorg (large Lurene), consists mainly of Bakhtiari regions in today's Khusistan province and districts Mamasenni and Kuhgilu Lurs, which is located in Fars province in south east Iran. At their best times, it was great Luristan an independent state under Fazlevieh Atabaken years 1160-1424.
Faili Kurdish rulers and rule kingdoms, there have been many throughout history.
Some of them are the following:
- Karim Khan Zand
- Wali of Pusht-i-Kuh.
Hussain Khan and his descendants
(years approx. 1857)
- It Atabekiske Khorshidi dynasty
(Years ca.1184-1598)
- Nokhodi herskerdømmet in Iraq years 1524 to 1530, which ruled parts of Iraq
- Diriske dynasty Basra in southern Iraq
(year 1596)
- Karim Khan Zand in most of Iran.
Zand dynasty ruled southern and central Persia (years 1750-1794).
- Qadam Kher (1925-1930 years)
- Elamian Empire
More about each of these periods and more detailed will eventually!;)
According to Najm Suleiman Mahdi in his book "The Faily Kurds, Who are they," is the most important Faili Kurdish clans following;
Here must mentioned that not many of these groups or clans who would accept to call themselves Faili or in a few cases even not accept to be part of the Kurdish people.
When we talk about the territorial division we can divide the Faili Kurds/Lurs into the followings groups:
The territorial division:
- Lur-e kuchik(The small Lor; Lorestan e Feili, Pishkoh and Poshtkoh)
- Lure-e Pozorg (The greater Lur; southern Bakhtiari; North of the Khuzestan, Charmahal e Bakhtiari, Kohgiloye va Boyerahmad, Mamasani, and other regions)
The other division is the verbal division.
The Verbal division:
- Northen Luric: Laki: Laki e Pishkoh(Alashtari, Delfani, Kuhdashti,…) and Laki e Poshtkoh.Kalhori,Malaki, Badreii, Hendmini
- Southern Luric: Middle: Khorram abadi, Salath e Boroujerdi, Balageriveii, Sila khori,…
Bakhtiari: haft lang(has some dialect), Char lang(has some dialect)
Kohgiloye: Dehdashti, Boyer ahmad, Mamasani. Liravi
In the northern parts of Luristan, formerly known as Lur-e kuchik (small Lurene), lives Faili lurs (faili Kurds). Divided into two parts the faili Kurds are living in Pisht-Kuh (behind the mountains) and Pish-Kuh (in front of the mountain). These areas where Faili Kurds live and call for Pisht-Kuh (behind the mountains) and Pish-Kuh (in front of the mountain) is in southern Kurdistan (south Iran and south Iraq).
