I have been traveling through greater "Kurdistan" with a list of Kurdish proverbs in my pocket for years now, keeping my eyes open for photo opportunities that would accompany them. I have assembled a collection, some of which are included in this gallery. I hope that the proverbs and images provide you with a better understanding of this remarkable family of people - the Kurds.
In a region where cultures have been born, have interacted, flourished, melded, and bent throughout the ages, it is neigh impossible to assign many cultural attributes, including proverbs, uniquely to this ethnic group or that. What can be said is these proverbs are from the Kurdistan region of the greater Middle East and I associate them with the Kurds. I alone am responsible for their selection.
Many of the proverbs are from UCLA's Cognative Cultural Studies' website and from the website proverbatim.com. Others were gathered from extensive readings on the Kurds and as collected during the travels themselves.
Translations are underway. Where present, the translations are in Kermanji, the most prevalent Kurdish dialect.
This is a wonderful and inspiring collection of words, and of photographs, beautifully matched. I came across your site by chance through a BBC news item - it must be my lucky day! .
