THE KURDS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLII, Issue 12823, 15 April 1916, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE KURDS.

THK.'R CNAR.UTKIi AM) CIS TOMS.

(IJv .11.-1 Is. .Mil/.;,

In the closiii;; yeai* oj the nineteenth century, tli,- Kurds attracted the attention of-the civilised .world by falling the Armenians and mas--,acrin;r them. Taking advantage of «. be cataclysm in" the . Western world. :..*> Kurds and Turks appear now to he | determined upon .settling once for all the question of exterminating the Ar.V>;;tai: race. The wholesale'murder of the Armenians is not all due" to retf4«jiis hatred, as it was at first .sup.csed. A chief reason for this slaugii;»r. Tlie Armenians are thrifty, industrious, and, for the most part, a well-educated people. 'Practically all "lie rug industry in the Orient is" controlled bv them.. They live and dress better than their neighbors. Such thing* have always hurt the false rvuirlish pride. The recent atrocities inflicted unon the Christian races by the Kurds in this war have been oh. .served and published broadcast. The aim of this article is not to re.

view the wcll-fcnoii-ii f subject of Armenian massacres, but rather to give tlie >vader information gathered from firsthand observations of the Kurds,.their land, and their predominating characteristics.

The origin of the Kurds has not been satisfactorily settled, but it is i«v liered that in their veins Hows the blood of Cinkleans.' Babylonians, "and Assyrians. In early times the Kurds

preferred for their 'plan* of habitation, and then took great pride then, 'as - they do now, in. lieing called '•Curdii." a title which signifies' ""warrior." To-»l!iy'tlie.."Giirdu" are better •;now> in the Occident as Kurds, and number about two million five' hundred :hoii"-:iiid :i':i| have their abodes mostly

in Kurdistan. Their land, which fe extremely mountainous, rises to the east 01" the upjier Tigris in the direction

of I'nimi.'ih. The area of this space is Mjctv thoiLsand square miles., There is m>t :« mile of railway in the whole country, and neither is there a road lit for travelling, except by caravan. Xo people are more mistrusted by the Persians and the Turks limn the Kurds. They do not consider a man's religion and standing; they would rob a Turk or a .Persian as well as an Armenian or a "tJreck. Tlie Ottoman Porte and ihe Persian .Shah have not tbc power to interfere: for thai reiy reason. I i-elicve. the Russian rule. in. northern

Persia was a great blessing to the peace-loving peasants, as 'Russia was the only Government which was able to •■stahlisii order and to create fear among the Kurds. Of tiio million five hunched thniisaud Kurds, there is no i»n«» uho ctils himself law-dver and ruler, no one who assumes the authority to punish his fellow Kurd. Law with a Kurd i.s a pcrsonn! matter. Each individual considers himself his own king and prince. A monarchy of self-control is unknown amor.g tlieni. The Kurdish mind is in his constitution, his 1:1111 and siroid the means

by which he enforces his law- ami justice. Such a stair .'if affairs is not. of roiirse, favorable,, to rlf<> establishment of a stable :tovernmeiit. nor is sncli an atmosphere conducive 10 the dcvclopnipnt of the better qualities' «:f iinnian riatiir;?.

Occasionally some i|iii"cr stories have been told bv visitors to Kurdistan ; one ■;f ;bc>e remains in niy memory as »xeuijilifyii»fl the schooling of a young Kurd. Mr grandfather, who had been doiim missionary work among the Kurds, related the following conversation with a chieftain: "You have »evernl sons. I understand :-'* "Yes.*' answered the chief. "Are thev all married 'r' "All but poof AH. and no girl will marry him. because he is not a siicccssi"i:l thief and roblier." "Will what are yon going to do about it?"' "Oh. I have advised him." responded the chief, "to carry with him a gun and a sword, and I have explicitly impressed upon bis mind, that no matter how,biocdv and evil the deed he mnjht commit, it will only add respect and honor to his name and family.'' Such is the advice of the Kurdish father to hi< son. The word fciH is tiie most used term in' the whole Kurdish vr.cahulnry. If two Kurds wen- in ion. vcrsation. jt would not be very long even lor one who knows nothing, about {he language to detect the word "uldermen." "I wilt kill him." ft would in-

Wd he verv unusual to see a young Kurd without a club in his hand, a larger in his belt, or a yui on bis .boulder.

Aliegianet" of any description i>, ac-<-<irdiiig t« i)hih>sophers like RousseniL s. ftdiv. if lint i( iriine. and »|"'te beneath the dignity-of ?. human lieing. Sm-h is lh" philosophv of the Kurds. Tliev love ijersmial lilierty and under no condition will they willingly Milium ihemselves to any rider. The Kurds take m> interest in modern reforms, Thev ciislike the light of civilisation. UV hi'ai <>l" every known ;ation:>lit>- ar rl penph. in America except the KnriU, Civilisation has m-vcr i»eiietrate«l the Kurdish character; the* prel'er their birbari<- freedom to law nnd jastic.-. They have no ■ established homes: in slimmer they live litems of goal-hair on the inoiiniaii:topt. wild i" winter in mml villages Their usual diet consists of bread and buttermilk and, cheese made of geats' milk. Thev have experienced little chaii"e since Noah's Ark tested on the Mount of Ararat." James Hr.yce, in his "Transcaucasia and Ararat, p. •_*-">«s. gives, a giaphic picture of the

Kitnls; .... , . "Thrv.ii!''. ' the Kiapircs "f Assyria -■ltd IVi-sia and Mnmhui. through Parthian Aisa.-id.il. and Iranian Sassani'Ue. , through the reigns of Arabian Kiinltis. ( and lurkish Sultans, and I'ersian Shahs, these. Kurds haic n.anied as • liev ionm now. over the .slopes of the mountains, watering taeir >lr.cKs i»t lhi.s .spring, pitching their • «r.ais-«a?r tents in the ret-esses •»■ tnesi- kmelv rocks, c.'iancing their vnhl|v pathetic airs with neither a past to rtmieinlier nor a future u« plan tor. I'erhaps - ( racten-si.e «rt ia«" «vnr»is- i.s great de.Kiion -:m«ing the |nem»M«rs ol families, i his is; exeiiiplmi'il m the following incident. A cnief from the niouutaiiis * •: tvuidistan Jocended into the plain.' of I ruuiiali »n«l men- engaged in |ilnnJoring the p««iH-riy ot tne citizens ot the bUite o( .\»-riiaijau. Hie niilitia was Oldend to irap tile culprit*. Ihc chTef w*» 'iney were hronght into the • »l,v. ?»nd wore M-nteiu.-d to death .except the chief, who was spnretl for wis grey hairs. \moiig mem was a youth of twenty, strong sun! healthy; his rugged appcarMswtaiirr. a,HI lUr rrv ."' sc ' i' i9a V\ "him. save him!" Jmmediately the old rhieitaiu, whom the fJoveruor had for•.»eo «»>» account of his age. riKlitK: forward ami (iPtnaiMiisl, »«-tore they j.needed »«tb the escpnti«»u. lo speak to the Governor. After the poor 010 treatment at the hands of the crowd, man" had experienced much rough ih;> permission was granted. In - trin i Oriental fashion, he thus addressed the ; Goveruioi : . , - f „ ••«) eve of my home ai\«! °« ni> lamj|v " \Vo did come from the mr.i.i.tains to carry -ymip f^- t0 ,5" r it ,a t K; lies and to our lierds. We admit tiiat whavi lone harm to yo H r cities. You bar© worn. that. th. ..tiiltv hnen should die. ami it is just, hut I; who am pardoned on account o. my ago, «»ni© here to demand a or at" milord. The youngest of my fnmib a. with m©; b© came here kske.l him, This is Ins hrst offence. Fiet >»W, »«rd hnrdlv tasted the ._„,;,j life- is jn.st betrothed. I air shallah (in U» of f'« rt ) « I J. -;•- worn-out old man |K«rish. and *P»": > vonth. who may lone be useful to hi.S to feed the flocks and tend th. S™»: Let him,livedo drink.of ti.. waTers «o*inj} from the fountains and silvery breams ofKurdisWiu .and t. till the ground of Ins ancestors Tlu. Povernor was greatly moved b, th,! old man*--- appeal- He granted the chief'., wishes, am lb© oW mat; wem «. me-et his fate, while the youJt««ca {rihllv and became -dfsiTaeted J•« TJ£f heeaiis lS the Governor revcrseel bis § took the more valuable life mor?oe»rty than any other I <h» natriarebaf cor^nment^.