The Journal of Kurdish Studies, Volume VI pp.

1-23



UNBELIEVABLE SLOWNESS OF MIND: YEZIDI
STUDIES, FROM NINETEENTH TO TWENTY-FIRST
CENTURY

Christine ALLISON


INTRODUCTION

Myths about the Yezidis abound. The very first sentence of
Kreyenbroeks !""# book$ %hich ushered in a &o'ite revo'ution in
Yezidi studies$ ca''s attention to the erroneous but far(reachin) e&ithet
*devi'(%orshi&&er ( &erha&s the +ost fa+ous of the +yths attributed to
the Yezidis$ but there are a nu+ber of others. Non(Yezidis in Northern
Ira, state %ith dee& conviction that Yezidis never %ash. The be'ief that
they indu')e in +ass or)ies$ attested by -ad)er in !.#/$ is sti'' current
in so+e circ'es. Such ru+ours have serious conse,uences for Yezidis in
their everyday 'ife 0see 1u'z$ 2a3o and Save'sber)$ this vo'u+e4.
2o%ever$ on the +ore rarefied 'eve' of acade+ic discussion$ &erha&s the
+ost &ernicious +yth of a'' is the oft(re&eated state+ent that Yezidis+
is a 'itt'e(kno%n$ +ysterious and under(researched sub3ect. If one %ere
to co+&are the 'ar)e bib'io)ra&hy on the 0severa' hundred thousand4
Yezidis %ith the &aucity of tit'es dea'in) %ith the +any and varied
constructions and &ractices of Is'a+ a+on) the 0tens of +i''ions of4
Kurds$ one %ou'd indeed be 3ustified in ,uestionin) the need for yet
another Yezidi(re'ated &ub'ication.
2o%ever$ ,uantity is not the sa+e as ,ua'ity$ and unfortunate'y +uch
of %hat has been %ritten about Yezidis is sensationa'ist$ i''(infor+ed$ or
%orse. As the size of the bib'io)ra&hy of *Yezido'o)y indicates$ the
Yezidis have 'on) he'd a fascination for outsiders$ a notoriety %ith
%hich the Yezidis the+se'ves have had a co+&'e5 and nuanced
re'ationshi&$ and %hich has contributed to their o%n discourses of
identity. Moreover$ the Yezidis construction of their re'i)ion is
under)oin) ra&id chan)e and *+odernisation to +eet the current needs
C26ISTIN7 ALLISON


2
of the co++unities. Yet the very nature of the *+odernity as desired by
Yezidi actors$ and their often co&ious use of ear'y outsider 'iterature on
their re'i)ion$ &oses a nu+ber of ,uestions about dyna+ics of &o%er and
do+inance. The fore+ost university(based researchers %orkin) a+on)
Yezidi co++unities$ +any of %ho+ are re&resented in this co''ection$
take account of the co+&'e5ity of these re'ationshi&s$ and their %ork
ackno%'ed)es the )reat variety found %ithin *traditiona' for+s of
Yezidis+$ %hi'st chronic'in) the chan)es takin) &'ace. Those of us %ho
are not Yezidis ourse'ves are in a de'icate &osition8 %hi'st e+&hasisin)
both &'ura'ity of tradition and the *s&ecia' nature of Yezidi re'i)iosity in
our atte+&ts to avoid the essentia'is+ of our Orienta'ist &redecessors$
%e find ourse'ves at the sa+e ti+e asked ( so+eti+es by the +edia$
so+eti+es by Yezidis the+se'ves ( to )ive definitive and essentia'ist
state+ents on the nature or the ori)in of the re'i)ion$ or va'ue 3ud)+ents
on the re'ative +erits of this or that tradition or re'i)ious fi)ure.
Yezidi studies e5e+&'ify +any of the +ost difficu't ,uestions
surroundin) the re'ationshi& bet%een *outsider scho'ars$ *insider
scho'ars and *infor+ants in Orienta' studies in )enera'. The discourses
of *Yezido'o)y are in +any %ays a +icrocos+ of the discourses of
*Orienta'is+. Not on'y are Yezidis in the various &arts of the ho+e'and
'ivin) under )overn+ents seekin) to civi'ise the+ ( for e5a+&'e$ the
*orienta'ist State attitude of Turkey to her citizens of *the 7ast has
a'ready been discussed by various scho'ars.
!
More to the &oint$ Yezidis
are a'+ost invariab'y suba'tern$ even a+on)st Kurdish co++unities at
ho+e or in the dias&ora. They are 3ust as 'ike'y to be characterised as
e5otic$ fo'k'oric and +ysterious by other Kurds as by 7uro&eans.
2avin) been hai'ed as *the ori)ina' Kurds by the Ira,i Kurdish &o'itica'
estab'ish+ent$ and *9oroastrians by the :KK$ their sy+bo'ic status as a
sort of 'ivin) fossi'ised ancestor is dee&'y a+biva'ent.
/
;ith the best

!
See for e5a+&'e 1<ndar /==> for a discussion of the evo'ution of scientific
a&&roaches to socia' en)ineerin) under the Youn) Turks$ 1erin)i' !"". for the evo'ution
of the Otto+an *+ission civi'isatrice$ and Ko)acio?'u /==@ for a discussion of the
%orkin)s of this in re'ation to the &rob'e+ of honour ki''in)s.
/
The i+&'ications of this ty&e of re&resentation are %e'' brou)ht out in another
conte5t by 1iana AussB *Aorced to occu&y the static ro'e of the ti+e'ess *&ri+itive the
b'ack +an is disenfranchised of his very sub3ectivity 0!"">B /!4. In the absence of
scientific data$ there are neverthe'ess +any anecdotes %hich indicate that even in the
Kurdish re)ion of Ira,$ Yezidis are often considered 'esser hu+an bein)s than their
nei)hbours.

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3
intentions of co++unity bui'din)$ the Kurdish re)iona' )overn+ent
seeks to inc'ude Yezidis in civic 'ife$ but +any of their citizens %ou'd
sti'' rather not share a +ea' %ith one. Many Yezidis are very &oor$ even
a+on)st the 'oca' co++unities of ho+e'and and dias&ora. It is on'y
recent'y that *Yezidi voices have been heard direct'y and %ithout the
+ediation of outsiders$ throu)h &rinted +edia or &o'itica' re&resentation$
and the e5tent to %hich these *Yezidi voices s&eak for a'' Yezidis
re+ains a +atter of debate. 2o%ever it is noticeab'e that in +any cases
Yezidi voices are usin) the sa+e ran)e of conce&ts and i+a)es as the
outsiders.
6ecent years have brou)ht )reat chan)e to a'' Yezidi co++unities$
%ith 'ar)e(sca'e +i)rations$ 0&articu'ar'y fro+ Turkey to 7uro&e and
fro+ Ar+enia to 6ussia4$ and in Ira, rG)i+e chan)e and refor+. In
order to +eet the ne% cha''en)es Yezidis are refashionin)$ in so+e
cases *standardisin)$ their re'i)ion fro+ %ithin. The current )eneration
of researchers$ %orkin) in a nu+ber of disci&'ines$ has broadened the
sco&e considerab'y$ +ovin) fro+ the traditiona' focus on the Ira,i
co++unities to detai'ed and co+&arative consideration of the Caucasian
and dias&ora co++unities$ and is chronic'in) the co+&'e5 chan)es
takin) &'ace in the &erce&tion and for+u'ation of the re'i)ion. Such ne%
a&&roaches are the +otivatin) factor behind both the co''ection of
artic'es in this issue of JKS$ and a'so the %orksho& convened by
Andreas Acker+ann on *Yezidis+ in Transition at the Arobenius
Institute$ Arankfurt$ in /==H$ %hich brou)ht the issues of variety$
authority and standardisation into stark re'ief$ hi)h'i)htin) the
differences in &ers&ective of the various &artici&ants$ both Yezidi and
non(Yezidi. The &roceedin)s of this %orksho& are current'y in
&ub'ication.
It is te+&tin) to divide the history of Yezidi studies into t%o sta)es (
&re(and &ost !""=s8 one hesitates to use the ter+ *&re(and &ost(
Kreyenbroek %here such a re'uctant revo'utionary is concerned$ thou)h
his !""# book +arked a sea(chan)e in ;estern studies of Yezidis and
the initiatives he estab'ished at the Dniversity of Ioettin)en have not
on'y yie'ded ne% understandin) but have a'so &rovided a focus for the
&oo'in) of resources %ith distin)uished scho'ars fro+ other disci&'ines.
There is no doubt that Kreyenbroeks &oint of de&arture$ that Yezidi
re'i)iosity %as different fro+ that of the scri&tura' traditions of the area
because it %as ora''y trans+itted$ enab'ed hi+ to inter&ret Yezidi
C26ISTIN7 ALLISON


4
e5&'anations of re'i)ion +ore f'e5ib'y than ear'ier scho'ars %ho often
sou)ht to +ake the Yezidis res&onses *fit into their o%n conce&tions of
%hat a re'i)ious syste+ ou)ht to be. 2e a'so dre% on a +uch %ider
cor&us of authentic Yezidi ora' te5ts or qewls than that avai'ab'e to
ear'ier scho'ars. :arado5ica''y this a&&roach$ based on current
&erfor+ance and &ractice$ a'so brou)ht a ne% di+ension to the ,uestion
of the Yezidis ori)ins$ and Kreyenbroeks su))estion of the e5istence
of a non(9oroastrian Iranian re'i)ion in the area$ if controversia' for
so+e scho'ars$ has in3ected ne% 'ife into %hat had beco+e a steri'e
debate. The research initiative be)un %ith the !""# book e5&anded to
inc'ude broader &ro3ects %ith +ore Yezidi &artners$ co''ectin) data fro+
non(Ira,i and dias&ora Yezidis. S&ecia'ists in other disci&'ines such as
the historian Ne'ida Auccaro and the anthro&o'o)ist Andreas Acker+ann
have a'so &ub'ished hi)h'y focused studies on s&ecific Yezidi
co++unities 0Auccaro !"""$ Acker+ann /==@4.
1es&ite the re'ative so&histication of the recent )eneration of %orks
on Yezidis+$ the enor+ous contribution of ear'ier scho'ars cannot be
over'ooked. Kreyenbroeks e+&hasis on the har+ony %ith %hich
Yezidis+ %as inte)rated into everyday rura' Kurdish 'ife 0rather than on
the stran)eness and oddity of the Yezidis4 %as &refi)ured by 1ro%ers
)ent'e de&iction of a short stay %ith Yezidis &unctuated by descri&tions
of +o+ents shared %ith the %o+en 0%ho+ the ear'ier +a'e scho'ars
cou'd not seek out4$ visits to a sacred site and e5&'anations of the Yezidi
%ay of 'ife 01ro%er !"@!4. Moreover$ it %as the &ub'ication in Kurdish
of a cor&us of qewls by the Yezidi scho'ars Khidir Si'J+an and Kha'i'
Kindy 6asho% %hich &aved the %ay for Kreyenbroeks book. 7ven
6o)er Lescot$ %ho had the %orst +is)ivin)s about the Yezidis
inte''ectua' ca&acities 0see be'o%4$ &resented 7uro&eans %ith a uni,ue
insi)ht into the 'ife and triba' structures of the Yezidis of Syria and
Sin3ar 0Lescot !"L.4.
;e shou'd thus be %ary of seein) ru&tures or revo'utions in the
history of Yezidi studies. 2o%ever it is very c'ear that a )reat chan)e in
Yezidi studies has taken &'ace over the 'ast )eneration$ ever since
Yezidis have been ab'e to &ub'ish their o%n &oints of vie% and enter the
fie'd of scho'arshi& the+se'ves$ and outside scho'ars have been ab'e to
&ut the e5oticis+ of ear'ier )enerations aside and base their %ork on rea'
contact and dia'o)ue %ith Yezidis. There are sti'' )ood reasons for
studyin) Yezidis+8 +uch re+ains 'itt'e kno%n and sti'' 'ess understood
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5
in Yezidi history$ and the chan)es current'y takin) &'ace a'so de+and
attention. This s&ecia' issue of the Journal of Kurdish Studies see+s a
)ood o&&ortunity to )ive a brief overvie% of various &hases of the
deve'o&+ent of Yezidi studies$ in ter+s of both outsider and insider
discourse$ and$ even +ore brief'y$ to consider so+e cha''en)es of the
i++ediate future.


OUTSIDER DISCOURSES ON YEZIDISM

To )ive a detai'ed descri&tion of every re&resentation of Yezidis+ by
outsiders is beyond the sco&e of this essay$ es&ecia''y since the )round
has 'ar)e'y been covered in the first cha&ter of Kreyenbroeks book
0!""#4. I %i'' &er+it +yse'f to e5&and a 'itt'e on the sub3ect of A.2.
Layard and I.:. -ad)er as e5e+&'a8 their contra&unta' a&&roaches are
not on'y the c'assic nineteenth(century 7n)'ish('an)ua)e sources on the
Yezidis$ but their interventions a'so had an effect on events in the area.
In +any %ays they ty&ify the ro'e &'ayed by ;esterners in discourse$ by
their re&resentation of Yezidis$ and in 'ife$ by their &art in events.
A'thou)h e5oticis+ is usua''y &erceived as one of the +ost strikin)
features of 7uro&ean Orienta'is+$ e5otic re&resentations of the Yezidis
did not ori)inate %ith ei)hteenth and nineteenth(century 7uro&eans. The
!>
th
century Sherefname of Sheref Khan$ &rince of -it'is$ characterises
the+ as 'a%'ess and barbarous 0Char+oy !.>.B >"(H=4. 7v'iya Me'ebi$
%ho encountered the+ in !>##(>$ si+i'ar'y &resents the+ as e5otic$
&'acin) an e+&hasis on the stran)eness of their custo+s and their va'our
in batt'e. 01ankoff !""=B /!L8 7v'iya vo' #B >("4. 7v'iya is e5&ressin)
the vie%&oint of a +e+ber of the i+&eria' G'ite$ trave''in) in the %i'der
reaches of the e+&ire. -y the nineteenth century$ ho%ever$ a ne% note is
discernib'e in officia' Otto+an discourse$ the civi'isin) +ission of a
+ore +odern i+&eria'is+.
L
In co++on %ith so+e other re'i)ious
+inorities$ the Yezidis$ tar)eted for conversion$ %ere &ortrayed in
officia' docu+ents as *si+&'e fo'k %ho cannot te'' )ood fro+ evi' and
'ed astray by 'eaders *foo'in) and &rovokin) the+$
@
'eaders *%ho have

L
I a+ )ratefu' to Yavuz Aykan for brin)in) this to +y attention.
@
Accordin) to docu+entation fro+ the Irand Eiziers office8 1erin)i' e+&hasises
0!"".B !"/4 that such descri&tions are the ru'e rather than the e5ce&tion.
C26ISTIN7 ALLISON


6
a'%ays 'ed their &eo&'e astray and +ani&u'ated the+ for their o%n
se'fish ends
#
01erin)i' !"".B @=$ H=4 .
7uro&ean +issionaries$ fro+ the Car+e'ite :Nre Kean(Marie de KGsus
in !>H/ C7 on%ards$ docu+ented their encounters %ith Yezidis$ often
e+&hasisin) their friend'y attitude to%ards Christians. So+e Yezidis
c'ear'y &erceived very ear'y the &otentia' secu'ar benefits of conversion
to Christianity$ in &articu'ar the &ossibi'ity of &rotection and su&&ort
offered by the ae)is of ;estern Christianity. Moreover$ as Christians
they %ou'd be *&eo&'e of the book and %ou'd en3oy officia' to'erance
under Otto+an 'a%. Aor the +issionaries$ the ora''y trans+itted Yezidi
re'i)ion$ %ith its 'ack of do)+a or catechis+ and its e+&hasis on
ortho&ra5y and taboo$ no doubt 'ooked 'ike a s&iritua' vacuu+ %aitin)
to be fi''ed. In the 'ate !>>=s the Yezidis of the Kebe' Si+*an in Syria
+ade overtures to both Catho'ic and non(Catho'ic 7uro&ean c'er)y$ and
the Ca&uchins +ade severa' converts. 2o%ever$ &'ans for a sustained
Catho'ic +ission to the Yezidis foundered for various reasons$ inc'udin)
the a&&arent e5&ectation by so+e Yezidis of &ay+ent for conversion$
>

and %ere abandoned by a'' orders e5ce&t the Kesuits$ %ho continued
%orkin) in the Kebe' Si+*an unti' the !>.=s.
H


G.P. Badger
Later$ in the +id(nineteenth century$ the An)'ican I. :. -ad)er
considered a +ission to the Yezidis unfeasib'e$ 'ar)e'y because of the
Yezidis &ersona' ,ua'ities.
*...they &resent the +ost un&ro+isin) fie'd I kno% of for
+issionary e5ertion. They are i)norant to a &roverb$ and entertain
the stron)est &re3udices a)ainst 'earnin) of every kind. They are
neither co++unicative nor frank %hen in,uired of res&ectin) their
o%n re'i)ious syste+$ and +anifest the )reatest indifference
%henever any atte+&t is +ade to e5&ound to the+ the doctrines of
Christianity. 0!.#/B !L@4.

#
The docu+ent containin) this descri&tion %as si)ned by three of the 'oca' *ulema
and a +i'itary officer$ the 'eader of the Advisory Co++ission %orkin) on the &ro3ected
conversion of the Yezidis.
>
:o%erfu' individua's such as triba' or re'i)ious 'eaders cou'd brin) %ho'e )rou&s
%ith the+$ and re'i)ion %as &erceived as a +atter of )rou&$ rather than individua' 'oya'ty.
The chan)in) of )rou& a''e)iance %ou'd invite &ay+ent of so+e sort.
H
Aor an account of these +issions see Iuest !""LB #!(#..
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Dn'ike the Catho'ic c'er)y %ho &receded hi+$ and the A+erican
:rotestants %orkin) in the area at the ti+e$ -ad)er %as not %orkin)
%ithin a for+a' +ission &ro3ect$ but assessin) the &otentia' of An)'ican
+issionary activity a+on) the Church of the 7ast 0the so(ca''ed
*Nestorians4. 2is &articu'ar a)enda 0that of turnin) the *Cha'daean
church$ Dniate %ith 6o+e$ back to its +other Church of the 7ast4$
%ou'd no doubt have destabi'ised the area had it been successfu'. 2e
%as a'so e+bedded in 'oca' &o'itics by virtue of bein) the brother(in('a%
of Christian 6assa+$ a &ro+inent 'oca' &ersona'ity and -ritish Consu' in
Mosu'.
It is %orth e5a+inin) -ad)ers &ers&ective a 'itt'e further. At that
ti+e$ +issionary %ork$ &articu'ar'y in the *Third ;or'd$ %as a key
activity for ;estern churches. To take a s'i)ht'y 'ater inde5 of its
i+&ortance$ in !."=("! it %as reckoned that contributions in -ritain to
forei)n +issions tota''ed O!.L +i''ion ( a'+ost ha'f as +uch a)ain as a''
-ritish )overn+ent s&endin) under the headin)s *co'onia'$ consu'ar and
forei)n 0Coak'ey !""/B L4. Missionaries and their churches had to
&resent a favourab'e account to their fundin) &ub'ic.
.
The civi'isin)
+ission is often difficu't to distin)uish fro+ the re'i)ious +ission8 a
de)ree of condescension$ as seen in the above ,uotation$ is often
&erce&tib'e in nineteenth(century +issionaries co++ents about their
&otentia' converts.
Earious i+&ortant studies have hi)h'i)hted +issionaries detri+enta'
effect on Third ;or'd cu'tures.
"
2o%ever$ to ascribe e5cessive inf'uence
to +issionaries is in itse'f a co'onia'ist ar)u+ent8 +any +issionaries
achieved very 'itt'e and %ere not strai)htfor%ard a)ents of co'onia'ist
&o%ers$ %ho so+eti+es considered the+ untrust%orthy.
!=
In the case of
Kurdistan$ the sy+bo'ic i+&ortance of +issionaries as ;estern a)ents in
the eyes of the 'oca' triba' 'eaders 0and indeed of the Otto+an

.
Athe'stan 6i'ey$ chief &ub'icist of the Archbisho& of Canterburys Assyrian +ission
0%hich %as for+a''y set u& in the +id(!..=s4$ re+arkedB *Aor the &ious$ si+&'e fo'k %ho
take )reat interest in +issionary enter&rise$ but %ho are entire'y i)norant of the
circu+stances of +issionary %ork$ the sun +ust a'%ays shine ... this is$ as it %ere$ the
condition of their su&&ort8 the resu't is the issue of re&orts &ositive'y )rotes,ue in their
o&ti+is+$ in %hich Scri&ture te5ts 3ost'e stran)e'y %ith &a'&ab'y e5a))erated retros&ects
and forecasts. 0Coak'ey !""/B L4.
"
Aor a )enera' descri&tion of the deve'o&+ent of &ost(7n'i)hten+ent +issionary
attitudes to%ards Third ;or'd nations$ see -osch !""!B L=>ff.
!=
Aor e5a+&'e$ -osch 0!""!B /.H4 cites the e5a+&'e of the Moravians$ %ho incurred
co'onia'ist dis&'easure by dressin) 'ike the natives a+on) %ho+ they %orked.
C26ISTIN7 ALLISON


8
)overn+ent4 vast'y e5ceeded the actua' resu'ts of their %ork on the
)round 0-'o5ha+ /==#B @L4.
-ad)ers case i''ustrates the co+&'e5ity of the ro'e of +issionaries in
the area. 2e %as accused by no 'ess a &erson than Layard of havin)
&'ayed a ro'e in causin) the +assacres of !=$=== *Assyrians 0Church of
the 7ast4 by -edir Khan -e) in !.@L8 these caused hi+ to be reca''ed to
7n)'and in !.@@.
!!
In !.@/ he had visited their chieftain$ the Mar
Shi+un$ and e5ceeded his brief in &ro+isin) hi+ -ritish su&&ort for his
bid to be e5c'usive civi' ru'er of the 2akkari ashiret areas.
!/
It %as
&art'y this &ro3ected invo've+ent of the -ritish )overn+ent that induced
the Society for the :ro&a)ation of the Ios&e'$ -ad)ers backers$ to
reconsider their su&&ort of his %ork. 2o%ever$ the +assacre can a'so be
e5&'ained in ter+s of 'oca' &o'itics. The Mar Shi+un %as a'ready in
o&&osition to -edir Khan -e)$ havin) refused to su&&'y fi)hters to
su&&ort Is+ai' :ashas atte+&t to reca&ture his fortress of A+adiya$ and
a'so in secret ne)otiation %ith the &asha of Mosu'. To assu+e that he &ut
a'' his trust in -ad)er is to credit hi+ %ith a 'eve' of naivetG astonishin)
in a +ature triba' 'eader$ re+iniscent of a true Orienta'ist caricature of
the si+&'e native. 2e +ust have kno%n that the Mus'i+ Kurds %ou'd
+ove a)ainst his &eo&'e soon ( indeed$ he %as a'ready atte+&tin) to
or)anise co+bat a)ainst the+ 0Coak'ey !""/B L.4. Thus$ des&ite
-ad)ers unfortunate ro'e$ the +assacres cannot be e5&'ained on'y in
ter+s of +issionary activity. ;hat is certain$ ho%ever is that the
%eakenin) of the Christian &o%er(base a'so i+&acted on the Yezidis$
+any of %ho+ %ere their a''ies and %ho suffered &eriodic attacks by
-edir Khan -e) 0Iuest !""LB ">(H4.
In his book The Nestorians and their Rituals$ -ad)er is certain'y not
%ithout sy+&athy for the sufferin)s of the Yezidis. 2o%ever as his )reat
interest is +ission$ he cannot over'ook the Yezidis +ora'ity 0as he sees
it4 nor their status as *:a)ans or *2eathen. 2e )enuine'y be'ieved that
the Yezidis *venerate the 7vi' :rinci&'e.
!L
2e characterised the Yezidis
of the Mosu' area asB

11
The American missionary Asahel Grant wrote a letter to a newspaper absolving him
of blame (Guest 1993: 96).
!/
-ad)er %rote to Sir Stratford Cannin) endorsin) this 0Coak'ey !""/B L"4.
!L
Accordin) to the theo'o)y of the Yezeedees$ Me'ek Taoos ... is the &rinci&'e or
&o%er fro+ %ho+ a'' evi' &roceeds$ and their re'i)ious services see+ to &artake +uch
+ore of a &ro&itiatory rather than of an eucharistic character. 0-ad)er !.#/B !/#4.

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*a very industrious race$ c'ean in their habits$ and ,uiet and order'y
in their )enera' behaviour. Many of the+$ ho%ever$ are very
inte+&erate in the use of arrack... they are co+&arative'y free fro+
+any of those kno%n i++ora'ities %hich &o''ute the 'ives and
conduct of Moha++edans8 thou)h it is said that )reat 'e%dness
secret'y &revai's %ithin the 'i+its of their o%n co++unity.
0-ad)er !.#/B !L/(L4.

A.H. Layard
A.2. Layards ro'e in Yezidi history %as +uch +ore &ro+inent than
that of -ad)er. 2is &ortrait of the+ in Nineveh and its Remains is
sy+&athetic$ stressin) the vast difference bet%een the Yezidis
re&utation for debauched behaviour and their actua' conduct as he
observed it. Layards book %as not on'y a set of fie'd notes for his
re+arkab'e e5cavations$ but a'so a trave' book fu'' of &ictures of
Orienta' 'ife. Moreover he a'so intervened direct'y in Yezidi affairs. 2e
is re+e+bered fond'y by +any Yezidis in Northern Ira, for his &art in
the securin) of an officia' status for the Yezidis under Otto+an 'a% in
!.@". The -ritish A+bassador in Istanbu'$ Stratford Cannin)$ had
&etitioned the Otto+an )overn+ent for this at the insti)ation of
Christian 6assa+. It %as an unusua' intervention for -ritain$ as it
concerned a non(Christian )rou&8
!@
Layard re+ained in Istanbu' for
severa' +onths$ %orkin) %ith Cannin) and the Yezidi envoy Ka%a'
Yusuf on ne)otiations and &etitions. ;hen the edict %as issued$ Layard
returned in triu+&h %ith the Ka%a' to the Mosu' area$ and %as )iven a
heros %e'co+e by Yezidis a'on) the route.
Layards re'ations %ith the co++unity had started %e''$ as he had
been associated %ith 6assa+$ %ho had &aid a debt on beha'f of the
Yezidis and a''o%ed the+ to re&ay hi+$ +ore or 'ess at their
convenience.
!#
A&art fro+ a visit to Sin3ar %hen he acco+&anied the
:asha of Mosu'$ %hose so'diers %ere attacked by the Yezidis$ his

14
By contrast, during the massacres of Yezidis in 1892-3 (see Guest 1993: 134-142
for an account), the British government felt it was diplomatically inappropriate to make a
very strong plea to the Sublime Porte on behalf of a people who might be devil-
worshippers. Canning had been dead for twelve years by this point; Layard died in 1894.
15
There is ample evidence of Rassams business sense and we may conjecture that
this arrangement would have been to his profit. Nevertheless he was offering a service to
the Yezidis, and Layards account of his visit to the Autumn Festival (Layard 1849: 270-
309) describes a genuine warmth of hospitality.
C26ISTIN7 ALLISON


10
encounters %ith the Yezidis %ere$ by a'' accounts$ friend'y 0!.@"B L="(
/#4. Layard actua''y did be'ieve that the Yezidis %ere devi'(
%orshi&&ers$ but his fascination %ith the+ %as stron) enou)h to
overco+e any ne)ative fee'in)s that this +i)ht have ins&ired.
!>

In so+e %ays the descri&tions of Layard and -ad)er continue the
stereoty&es of Sheref Khan -it'isi and 7v'iya Me'ebi. A'' see the Yezidis
as e5otic and under'ine this by describin) stran)e taboos or traditions.
2o%ever$ the discourse of -ad)er and Layard contains ne% and +odern
e'e+ents$ ,uite a&art fro+ the *civi'isin) +ission a'so seen in officia'
nineteenth century Otto+an docu+ents. They dra% a contrast bet%een
the Yezidis re'i)ious re&utation 0%hich they and their &redecessors find
distastefu' in varyin) de)rees4 and their conduct 0%hich a&&ears to be
above re&roach4. The stereoty&e is thus a'ready %e'' estab'ished and
dia'o)ue %ith it is &ossib'e for outsiders and Yezidis a'ike. In addition$
the Yezidis have beco+e the ob3ect of scientific research$ in the
&hi'o'o)ica' scho'ar'y tradition. Layard %roteB
*...their %orshi&$ their tenets$and their ori)in %ere a'ike a sub3ect of
+ystery %hich I fe't an5ious to c'ear u& as far as I %as ab'e.
0!.@"B /H!4.
Layards for+u'ation of his interests &oint u& the inherent difficu'ties
of takin) Yezidis+ as an ob3ect of research usin) nineteenth century
&hi'o'o)ica' +ethods. Their %orshi& is +uch 'ess standardised and
difficu't to define than that of the *orthodo5 re'i)ions. 6es&ect and
veneration of the 2o'y -ein)s is often e5&ressed in everyday activities
rather than 'ar)e(sca'e ritua' and it is difficu't to say %here *%orshi&
ends and *re'i)ious &ractice be)ins. 2abits such as the veneration of
sacred sites and ob3ects %ere o&en to accusation of +ere *su&erstition
%ithout do)+a to back the+ u&. Tenets$ or rather the absence of the+$
are a &articu'ar &rob'e+ for those e5&ectin) the ty&e of re'i)ious
structures seen in the 6e'i)ions of the -ook. 7ven in the +id(t%entieth
century 6o)er Lescot e5&ressed frustration at the Yezidis 'ack of
consistency on the identity of the Seven An)e's or 2o'y -ein)s$ thou)h
this did not troub'e Lady 1ro%er %ho found the+ *beautifu''y va)ue
0!"@!B /@4.
!H


16
In the first sentence of his chapter on the Yezidis, Layard (1849: 270) defines them
as the Yezidis, or Worshippers of the Devil.
17
Drower (1941: 24, 179, 180) records several instances where beliefs and practices
as explained to her differ from those recorded by Lescot.
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11
The ,uest for Yezidi ori)ins beca+e a do+inant &reoccu&ation.
Su))estions inc'uded non(Indo(7uro&ean re'i)ions$ Mandaean re'i)ion$
and Ta++uz(%orshi& 0Kreyenbroek !""#B@(#4. Many of these
hy&otheses are ha+&ered by 'ack of evidence and their inter&retations of
Yezidi traditions are sus&ect because they did not take fu'' account of
)enre and conte5t$ or the for+ of the sacred te5ts and ho% they %ere
used. Moreover$ the +ethodo'o)y of traditiona' Orienta'ist scho'arshi&$
%hich %ou'd not on'y favour a ,uest for ori)ins as a +ethod of
e5&'ainin) conte+&orary &heno+ena$ but %ou'd a'so be inc'ined
to%ards a strai)htfor%ard *tree(sha&ed deve'o&+enta' +ode' reachin)
fro+ re'ative'y unified root ori)ins to out'yin) conte+&orary branches$
does not sit &articu'ar'y %e'' %ith Yezidis+.
Insofar as Yezidi ori)ins can be deter+ined$ they are hi)h'y
co+&'e58 Yezidis+ is not so +uch an or)anic$ coherent *tree as a
*rhizo+e dra%in) different ty&es of nourish+ent fro+ an enor+ous
variety of sources.
!.
-oth the &revai'in) ora'ity of Yezidis+ and the
f'e5ibi'ity of the be'ief in the reincarnation of 2o'y -ein)s +ake for a
)reat o&enness to ideas and &ersona'ities fro+ other re'i)ious traditions.
7ven if it %ere &ossib'e to kno% e5act'y *%here the Yezidis co+e fro+$
+uch %ou'd re+ain une5&'ained %ithout an understandin) of the
Kurdish triba' environ+ent$ the nei)hbourin) cu'tures and the
conte+&orary socia' and &o'itica' forces at %ork.
The search for Ur(for+s can be seen not on'y in the ea)erness of
outsiders to discover Yezidi ori)ins but a'so in their search for authentic
sacred te5ts. Natura''y it %as difficu't for those accusto+ed to the study
of *6e'i)ions of the -ook to i+a)ine that a re'i)ion cou'd function
%ithout a canonica' scri&ture e5&ressin) essentia' truths. As +entioned
above$ such +ateria' as ca+e fro+ the ora' tradition %as not considered
in the 'i)ht of its )enre 0often &oetic4$ but dee+ed 'ackin) in 'o)ic.
Ty&ica' is -ad)ers descri&tion of a 2y+n of Sheikh *Adi in Arabic as
'ar)e'y *confused and uninte''i)ib'e. 0!.#/B !!#4. Litt'e attention %as
&aid to the %ays in %hich the Yezidis understood$ inter&reted and used
their traditions.
The sa)a of the search for the Sacred -ooks has been %e'' to'd
e'se%here 0Iuest !""LB!@>(!>L8 Kreyenbroek !""#B !=(!H4. So+e
scho'ars ac,uired +anuscri&ts fro+ 'oca' Christians %hich contained

18
See Scalbert (2004: 372) for an apt application of this idea to Kurdish literature,
drawing on douard Glissants use (1990) of Deleuze and Guattaris ideas.
C26ISTIN7 ALLISON


12
historica' and re'i)ious +ateria'8
!"
others 0inc'udin) Layard and -ad)er4
searched +ore direct'y$ &rocurin) the+ fro+ the Yezidis by +ore or 'ess
nefarious +eans. The cu'+ination of this &hase of Yezidi studies ca+e
%ith the &ub'ication of the Yezidi *Sacred -ooks by :Nre Anastase
Marie de Saint(P'ie 0!"!!4$ and in an acade+ic edition$ by Ma5i+i'ian
-ittner 0!"!L4. The authenticity of these as ancient canonica' te5ts %as
convincin)'y cha''en)ed in !"!> by A'&honse Min)ana.
The Airst ;or'd ;ar brou)ht about a bruta' reorderin) of the
Yezidis %or'd$ %ith +ass Yezidi +i)rations fro+ Kars$ Ean and
e'se%here into Transcaucasia$ and internationa' frontiers brin)in) ne%
tensions to the Kezira and Sin3ar. -efore this &oint$ the techni,ues of
scho'arshi& had +ade an i+&ortant advance ( the identification of
Sheikh *Adi as the founder of the *Ada%iyya order$ *Adi b. Musafir$ by
the Arench consu' Siouffi in !..#$ usin) historica' sources.
/=
The
historica' identity of Sheikh *Adi had 'on) been uncertain. 7v'iya Me'ebi
records a Yezidi account that he had been a fo''o%er of 2ussein %ho
had deserted at Kerbe'a$ and e5&resses a be'ief that he had been a
co+&anion of the :ro&het.
/!
Aor +any years$ the assi)nin) of a s&ecific
historica' identity$ %ith fi5ed dates$ to this fi)ure %ou'd have been of
secondary i+&ortance to the Yezidis. Since in their %or'd(vie%$ ho'y
bein)s cou'd a&&ear in different bodies at different &eriods$ dates and
s&ecific identities %ere so+e%hat beside the &oint8 the ora' tradition
contains a %ea'th of detai' on +ore re'evant +atters$ such as his deeds$
his &rece&ts and his re'ationshi& %ith his co+&anions. Siouffis
infor+ation %as e5&anded on by Arank in !"!!. 2o%ever$ definitive
ans%ers to the &rob'e+ of ori)ins and sacred te5ts re+ained e'usive$
thou)h the identification of Sheikh *Adi as a Sunni Mus'i+ enab'ed the
for+u'ation of vie%s such as that of Iuidi 0!"L/4 and fo''o%in) hi+
Lescot 0!"L>4$ %ho sees a tota''y Is'a+ic ori)in for the Yezidis$ and a'so
of Iuest 0!""L4. As Kreyenbroek &oints out$ the u'ti+ate effect of
Iuidis %ork %as to &'ace the study of Yezidis+ *%ithin the re+it of
Is'a+ic studies$ to %hich it cou'd contribute 'itt'e or nothin)Q *a

19
Broadly speaking there are two groups of these, mostly in Karshuni or Syriac and
associated with Jeremiah Shamir and Daud es-Saigh respectively (Allison 2004).
20
It is perhaps worth adding that Siouffis collection of orally transmitted Yezidi
legends and myths was judged patchy and puerile (Kreyenbroek 1995: 6) by the
editorial board of Journal Asiatique. This was no doubt due to their form, and perhaps
also, as Kreyenbroek notes, an element of disdain for locally based research.
21
Evliya elebi (ed. Cevdet) vol. 5: 6-9, cited by Guest (1993: 51).
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13
scri&tura' faith %ithout a scri&tureQa for+ of Is'a+ %hich %as no
'on)er either reco)nised or reco)nisab'e as such 0!""#B !>(!H4.
The -ritish and Arench +andates in Ira, and Syria res&ective'y
&roduced a ne% actor in the outsider discourse on the co++unities of
Kurdistan ( the ;estern )overn+ent officia'. So+e of these sa% the
Yezidis as an ob3ect of study$ and cou'd$ as in the case of 6o)er Lescot
and C.K. 7d+onds$ dra% u&on years of e5&erience of 'ife in the fie'd and
a %ide ac,uaintance in the co++unity.
Kreyenbroek says of Lescot that *a'thou)h his book +ade enor+ous
contributions to our kno%'ed)e of Yezidi 'ore$ ..RhisS funda+enta'
a&&roach to his sub3ect +ustQhave furthered the dec'ine of its study.
The fo''o%in) infa+ous citation fro+ his !"L. %ork sho%s a'' the
frustrations and shortco+in)s of the standard *Orienta'ist a&&roach to
Yezidi re'i)iosityB
Qbein) of unbe'ievab'e s'o%ness of +ind$ they do not &ro&er'y
understand the ,uestions one asks the+ and ans%er %ithout
e5actitude or &recision. Moreover$ they on'y have a very i+&erfect
kno%'ed)e of their o%n re'i)ion. Nu+erous intervie%s %ith
&ersons of a'' c'asses have enab'ed us to )au)e ho% 'itt'e the
+e+bers of the sect are concerned %ith ,uestions about the
hereafter 0!"L.B H$ tr. Kreyenbroek !""#B !H4.
The Yezidis do not understand conce&ts in the sa+e %ay as their
;estern inter'ocutor8 therefore they +ust be stu&id. 2o%ever$ Lescot is
on'y )ivin) very e'o,uent voice to a +ore )enera' 7uro&ean Orienta'ist
vie% of Yezidis. -esides$ the idea that for any re'i)ion the teachin)s
shou'd be unifor+ and coherent$ and that +e+bers of the re'i)ion shou'd
have kno%'ed)e of and interest in these teachin)s$ is taken for )ranted
by +any ;estern scho'ars. As Kreyenbroek notes$ a researcher %ho
be'ieves the Yezidis are not inte''i)ent enou)h to understand their
re'i)ion is usin) an inverse 'o)ic$ and risks creatin) a sort of *idea'
Yezidis+ unkno%n to Yezidis but a %orthy ob3ect of research 0!""#B
!.4.
Lescots %ords %ere &ub'ished in !"L.. Yezidis+ %as to re+ain in
this unfortunate &osition ( an un(Is'a+ic Is'a+ic faith$ a descri&tura'ised
scri&tura' re'i)ion$ a be'ief syste+ inco+&rehensib'e to its o%n
be'ievers$ unti' a +ore active &artnershi& bet%een researchers and
Yezidis brou)ht ne% 'ife to the sub3ect.

C26ISTIN7 ALLISON


14

PRE-TWENTIETH CENTURY INSIDER DISCOURSES

As the Yezidis %ere a non('iterate$ and even anti('iterate$
//
co++unity
for centuries$ there is very 'itt'e first(hand %ritten evidence of the %ay
they re&resented the+se'ves to outsiders in the &ast. 6e'i)ious te5ts and
traditiona' %isdo+ %ere 'earned and trans+itted ora''y by +en of
re'i)ion. Literacy %as used to a 'i+ited e5tent$ +ost'y for divination and
+a)ic or the +akin) of handbooks for the use of +en of re'i)ion (
'istin) their +urids for e5a+&'e 0Kreyenbroek and 6asho% /==#B @/(L4.
2o%ever it %as not$ as far as %e kno%$ used for the teachin) of )rou&s$
the %ritin) of e5e)esis$ or re'i)ious ar)u+entation. The +ost visib'e
Yezidi authority structures have 'on) been those of Ira,$ es&ecia''y
Sheikhan$ ho+e of such di)nitaries as the -aba Sheikh$ the :esh I+a+
and the Mir$ and the qewwal caste %ho recited sacred te5ts and took
the+ out to the co++unities in festiva's such as the Ne% Year
ce'ebrations and the fa+ous tawusgerran or *circu'ation of the &eacock
%here i+a)es of Me'ek Ta%us %ere e5&osed in vi''a)es$ sacred hy+ns
sun)$ ser+ons &reached$ and a'+s received. 2o%ever$ such +echanis+s
cou'd on'y e5ert 'i+ited contro' on dai'y &ractice and re'i)ious &o'itics.
A +issionary source attests different socia' structures a+on)st Yezidis
in Syria in the seventeenth century 0Auccaro !"""B !=(!!4. Sin3ar has
often functioned as an a'ternative centre to Sheikhan$ cha''en)in) it for
do+inance of the co++unity 0Auccaro$ ibid. !L#(!@@4. Aurther+ore$ as
+ore infor+ation is co''ected and &ub'ished on the traditions of the
Caucasus Yezidis there is too %ide a diver)ence in sacred te5ts and in
&ractice fro+ those of Ira, to be e5&'ained by the 'ack of contact and the
atheist &o'icy of the Soviet Dnion. It a&&ears that the Caucasus Yezidis$
+any of %ho+ ca+e fro+ no+adic tribes$ fo''o%ed the &rece&ts of their
o%n sheikhs and &irs %e'' before they 'eft Turkey. Moreover$ accounts
of such vio'ations of taboo as +arryin) out see+ to be +ore co++on (
or &erha&s +ore discussed ( in the Caucasus 0es&ecia''y durin) the
Soviet &eriod4 and Turkey than in Ira,.
/L


22
Reading and writing were forbidden by Yezidi law to all but a particular dynasty of
sheikhs. Both Layard and Badger describe the reliance of the Mir of Sheikhan on scribes
for external business.
23
Meiselas (1997: 36) gives a Caucasian Yezidis account of his father asking for and
receiving his mother, who was Armenian. He does not present this as a particularly
unusual event. Moreover, the oral tradition of Christians of the Mardin area in Turkey
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15
The fe% %ritten sources e+anatin) fro+ the Yezidi co++unity and
ai+ed at outsiders are hi)h'y conte5t(driven. The !.H/ &etition for
instance$ thou)h described by 1river as *the locus classicus on the
sub3ect of the Yezidi re'i)ion 0!"//B /!=4$ %as a docu+ent re,uestin)
e5e+&tion for the Yezidis fro+ +i'itary service$ and to that end$ it cited
+any traditions and taboos %hich +i)ht be inco+&atib'e %ith service in
the Otto+an ar+y. Another docu+ent settin) out various ru'es and
taboos$ 0so+e su&&orted by citations of re'i)ious fi)ures4 %as &roduced
in !"=. by Is+a*i' -e) Mo'$ a se'f(conscious'y *+odern and so+e%hat
+averick +e+ber of Sheikhans &rince'y fa+i'y$ at the re,uest of the
Yezidis in Ar+enia. This a'so had an e5&ress ai+$ that of e5tendin)
Is+a*i' -e)s &ersona' &o%er(base a+on) the Caucasian Yezidis.
Is+a*i' -e) &roduced a +e+oir in !"L@$ in %hich he e5&ounded his
vie%s of Yezidi re'i)ion and cu'ture.
;ithout +ass 'iteracy it %as ni)h i+&ossib'e for non(G'ite Yezidis to
address outsider &ub'ics. A'thou)h the Caucasus Yezidis %ere affected
by +ass Soviet 'iteracy ca+&ai)ns fro+ the !"L=s on%ards$ and used
this to e5&'ore +any as&ects of their identity such as history and
fo'k'ore$ the &ub'ication of Yezidi re'i)ious +ateria' as such and the
teachin) of re'i)ion re+ained &rob'e+atic 0des&ite the &ub'ication of a
s+a'' nu+ber of sacred hy+ns by the Ce'i' brothers in !"H.4.
7'se%here$ +ass 'iteracy took +uch 'on)er to reach the Yezidis$ %ho
be)an to )raduate in s+a'' nu+bers fro+ Ira,i universities in the !"H=s.


THE INTERTWINING OF INSIDER AND OUTSIDER DISCOURSE

In !"H" Khidir Si'J+an and Kha'i' Kindy 6asho%$ t%o youn) university
)raduates fro+ the :ir and Sheikh caste res&ective'y$ caused so+e
controversy %ithin the Yezidi co++unity %ith their book di!at"
0#eidism4$ %hich contained a nu+ber of sacred hy+ns transcribed fro+
the ora' tradition.
/@
This first )eneration of Yezidis to have received a
*+odern education active'y be)an to &roduce %orks on Yezidis+ ai+ed
at a 'ar)er &ub'ic$ undertook &artnershi&s %ith non(Yezidi scho'ars$ and

preserves accounts of marriages between Christians and Yezidis. (I am indebted to Dr.
Andrew Palmer for this information).
24
Soon afterwards they followed this with publications on Yezidi village customs and
the folklore of Sheikhan.
C26ISTIN7 ALLISON


16
in recent years a'so &ioneered re'i)ious education &ro)ra++es in
schoo's.
7uro&ean essentia'ist and &ri+ordia'ist ideas of the ori)ins and
deve'o&+ent of ethnic )rou&s had found ferti'e )round in the Otto+an
e+&ire 0%hose cu'tures ascribed a hi)h i+&ortance to )enea'o)y4 before
the Airst ;or'd ;ar.
/#
This has &ersisted and theories once &osed by
7uro&ean %riters on the ori)ins of s&ecific ethnic )rou&s can be found in
the conte+&orary discourse of Yezidis$ Christians and Kurds. The ne%
nationa'is+s of the area$ %hether Turkish$ Kurdish$ or SyrianTAssyrian$
a'' re,uire accounts of ori)in. Accounts of Yezidi ori)ins %ere
&articu'ar'y +a''eab'e to varyin) &o'itica' a)endas. In the !"H=s the
-a*athist )overn+ent s&onsored initiatives 0in %hich certain Yezidi
notab'es &artici&ated4 to dec'are the Yezidis *D++ayyads$ as an aid to
)enera' Arabisation initiatives in the North of Ira,. This cou'd not have
been &'aced on a *scientific basis %ithout the %ork of Iuidi and those
%ho fo''o%ed hi+.
The idea that Yezidis ca+e fro+ 9oroastrian ori)ins$ %hich )ained
)round a 'itt'e 'ater$ had been su))ested both by -ad)er and by the
-edir Khan brothers$ %ho %ere a+on) the foundin) fathers of Kurdish
nationa'is+ 0Stroh+eier /==LB !>H4. This Iranian and non(Is'a+ic ori)in
found favour %ith so+e G'ite Yezidis ( :rince Mu*a%iya %rote a book
on the sub3ect ( and 'ater in :KK discourse. Natura''y an i+&ortant
as&ect of these debates is *o%nershi& of the Yezidis by +ore &o%erfu'
outside )rou&s. If *D++ayads$ they *be'on)ed to the Arabs$ if *the
ori)ina' Kurdish re'i)ion 0thus Mes*ud -arzani in the ear'y !""=s4 they
*be'on) to the Kurds.
Aor the Yezidis the+se'ves$ the essentia'ist theorisin) of socia'
scientists and the traditiona' &reoccu&ation %ith )enea'o)y and the
&urity of Yezidi b'ood +ade ha&&y bedfe''o%s. Since the fa'' of the
Soviet Dnion and the creation of the Kurdish autono+ous zone in !""!$
Yezidis have been enor+ous'y active in &ub'ic discussion and debate$
on ori)ins and other +atters. The $alesh centres of Northern Ira,$
c'ose'y 'inked to the K1:$ and the co++unity centres of Ar+enia$
Ieor)ia$ 6ussia and Ier+any offer fora for debate and &ub'ish artic'es
and books. 1iscussion a'so takes &'ace on te'evision and the Internet.
;ork on the ,uestion of ori)ins$ a necessary strate)ic essentia'is+ in the

25
For a discussion of the impact of European, particularly German, science on
Ottoman social planning see Dndar (2006: 34-61).
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17
current &o'itica' c'i+ate$ has &roduced a variety of resu'ts. In the
Caucasus$ touched by Ar+enian &o'itics and the Karaba)h %ar$ a
se&arate ethnicity has been &osited 0Ta+oyan /==!4. 7ven in Ira,i
Kurdistan the a'i)n+ent %ith the K1: 0or even the :KK4 &arty 'ine has
not been strai)htfor%ard %ith not on'y 9oroastrianis+ but a'so an
Iranian for+ of Mithrais+ discussed$ and so+e Sin3aris insistin) on a
se&arate ethnic identity8 other ori)ins$ such as Su+erian$ have been
su))ested. 0S&UtB forthco+in)4. A very i+&ortant as&ect of the &rob'e+
of ori)ins for the Yezidis is the ro'e of Sheikh *Adi ( )iven that the
Yezidis do not see the+se'ves as Mus'i+s$ and that it is kno%n Sheikh
*Adi %as a Mus'i+$ is he to be seen as a founder or refor+er and ho%
shou'd his ro'e be 3ud)edV
/>

The discussions of certain sub3ects$ es&ecia''y &ractica' ones such as
+arria)e 'a%s$ sho% shifts in traditiona' &atterns of authority$ es&ecia''y
te5tua' authority. Aor so+e years no%$ the Yezidis have fe't the need for
a scri&tura' re'i)ion and have co''ected and &ub'ished +any sacred
te5ts.
/H

These te5ts are the+se'ves no% used in ar)u+ents to 3ustify or
&rohibit certain &ractices. ;hereas in the &ast the authority rested %ith
the bearer of the tradition$ %ho %ou'd advise on &ractice$ it no% resides
+ore and +ore in the te%t. 0Kreyenbroek and 6asho% /==#B @>4. Dnder
+ost circu+stances it is the &ub'ished variant of the te5t %hich is
authoritative$ rather than those sti'' in the ora' do+ain. Once %ritten$ the
te5ts are sub3ect to ne% +ethods of ana'ysis$ often by ne% actors$ %ho
ai+ for a +ore +odern for+u'ation 0S&Ut /==#B H>(H4.
Aor+u'atin) the re'i)ion in a for+ %hich sho%s$ as Layard +i)ht say$
*tenets is a &riority for Yezidis in the dias&ora$ faced %ith the necessity
of e5&'ainin) their re'i)ion to their nei)hbours. In Ier+any Yezidi
&arents are often unab'e to e5&'ain the re'i)ion to their chi'dren %hose
thinkin) on %hat a re'i)ion shou'd be is consonant %ith their 7uro&ean
schoo'in) 0KreyenbroekB forthco+in)4. A'so the idea that Yezidis+

26
Cf. the opinion of a prominent pir from Iraq that Sheikh Adi ruined our religion ,
expressed in the 1990s. This trend has continued to grow with a tendency to view Sheikh
Adi as a reformer, and Yezidism as having two phases, pre-and post-Sheikh Adi (Spt
2005: 78).
27
The periodical Deng zidiyan published a declaration made by Mir TeWsin Beg on
his visit to Oldenburg, announcing an initiative to collect sacred texts (Deng zidiyan
6+7, 1997). See Kreyenbroek and Rashow (2005: 40) for a more ancient belief in a
written Yezidi Sacred Book.
C26ISTIN7 ALLISON


18
shou'd be consistent and that there shou'd be teachin)s kno%n to every
Yezidi ( an idea %hich %ou'd have +ade &erfect sense to Layard and
-ad)er ( has )ained enor+ous currency. Aor +any +odern Yezidis there
can be on'y one correct ans%er to a ,uestion such as *1o Yezidis
be'ieve the Sacred 2y+ns ca+e do%n fro+ heavenV Yezidis have
accordin)'y desi)ned &ro)ra++es of re'i)ious education$ not on'y for
those dias&ora co++unities %ho fee' their identity threatened$ but a'so
in the schoo's of the Kurdish autono+ous re)ion 01u'z$ 2a3o and
Save'sber)$ this vo'u+e4.
It is 'ike'y that the Caucasian co++unity takes a subt'y different
&osition on +any of these issues. They see+ to have had a +ore
*&ortab'e Yezidis+$ &erha&s because of a no+adic triba' &ast$ %ith their
%orshi& centred around a househo'd shrine 0the st&r4 and very c'ose
'inks to ones o%n c'an sheikhs 0see O+ar5a'i$ this vo'u+e4 and thus a
'ess centra'ised authority structure. Moreover$ they have been en)a)ed
in the ne)otiation bet%een tradition and +odernity fro+ the first years
of the Soviet Dnion. A'thou)h in the dias&ora they have +uch in
co++on %ith the Yezidis fro+ Kurdistan ( es&ecia''y concernin) such
issues as +arryin) out and the scatterin) of co++unities ( other
cha''en)es$ such as the conf'ict over %hether the Yezidis are Kurds are
not$ tend to do+inate. 2o%ever$ +ore research is needed into the
si+i'arities and differences bet%een the co++unities to +ake such
state+ents %ith certainty.
Over the 'ast )eneration +any Yezidis have entered into active
&artnershi& %ith outsider scho'ars. So+e have co''aborated on s&ecific
&ro3ects based in ;estern universities$ %orkin) as consu'tants or
research assistants. Youn)er researchers$ trained in &resti)ious
universities$ are a&&'yin) their e5&ertise to the study of their co++unity
or their re'i)ion. 0These &rofessiona's are to be distin)uished fro+ the
*ne% 'oca' e5&erts as described by S&Ut$ %ho have read a )reat dea' of
+ateria' but so+eti+es 'ack the disci&'inary fra+e%ork to )round their
theories convincin)'y4. A'+ost a'' Yezidis$ in +y e5&erience$ have been
very o&en to ta'kin) to outsiders8 for so+e$ this %i''in)ness to ta'k to
acade+ics and 3ourna'ists fro+ abroad is a surviva' strate)y in the face
of i++ediate threats.
This s&ecia' issue of the Journal of Kurdish Studies contains artic'es
by so+e of the fore+ost s&ecia'ists current'y %orkin) in the fie'd$
CDN-7LI7EA-L7 SLO;N7SS OA MIN1F


19
inc'udin) a nu+ber of youn)er scho'ars.
/.
This &ub'ication co+es at a
&oint %hen the co++unity faces +any cha''en)es at ho+e and in the
dias&ora. 7ven in the Kurdish re)ions of Ira,$ %here they receive
&o'itica' su&&ort$ the Yezidis suffer fro+ econo+ic disadvanta)e and
fro+ everyday discri+ination$ as 1u'z$ 2a3o and Save'sber) +ake c'ear.
In the dias&ora$ other &rob'e+s are +ore a&&arent. The +enta' hea'th of
+any Yezidis is affected by vio'ent trau+atic +e+ories fro+ the
ho+e'and$ %hich are very difficu't for the co++unity to +ana)e in the
ne% cu'ture of the dias&ora8 Kizi'han discusses the strate)ies avai'ab'e$
fro+ the &ers&ective of a &sycho'o)ist. Acker+ann$ %ho has s&ecia'ised
in studyin) Yezidi co++unities in the dias&ora$ offers a discussion of a
ne% foru+$ that of the Internet$ %hich offers ne% o&&ortunities of
co++unication$ e+&o%erin) the youn) in &articu'ar. Kreyenbroek$ on
the other hand$ focuses not on &ro3ections of the future but on traditiona'
Yezidi vie%s of the &ast$ in his discussion of discourses of history.
AXYkyi'diz continues the the+e of herita)e$ but describes a +uch +ore
*+ateria' for+ of it in her discussion of Yezidi architecture$ +akin) a
co+&arison across Ira,$ 7astern Turkey and the Caucasus. Aor O+ar5a'i
it is the Yezidis+ of the Caucasus$ and in &articu'ar its authority
structures and traditiona' 'oya'ties$ %hich are the focus of discussion.
-ai'ey a'so %rites about the Caucasus Yezidis$ %ho are &erha&s uni,ue
a+on)st Kur+an3i s&eakers in havin) had Kurdish tau)ht in +any
schoo's since the !"#=s$ fro+ the &oint of vie% of 'in)uistic surviva'.
Aina''y 1eh,ans artic'e$ %hich &resents a ne%'y(found +anuscri&t of a
si5teenth(century te5t )ivin) Mus'i+ co++ents on Yezidis$ not on'y
i''ustrates the hardshi&s Yezidis had to face due to their status under
Is'a+ic 'a%$ but a'so re+inds us of ho% +uch historica' +ateria' +ay
re+ain to be discovered. The vo'u+e as a %ho'e is dedicated to the
+e+ory of Maria T. OShea$ an innovative scho'ar and friend to
Yezidis$ a+on) nu+erous others.
A'thou)h the current state of Yezidi studies has +any &ositive as&ects
by co+&arison %ith that of &revious )enerations$ in &articu'ar the
ra&&roche+ent bet%een Yezidis and outsider scho'ars$ the t%o )rou&s
sti'' have +uch to divide the+. Yezidi co++unities every%here face
si)nificant socia'$ econo+ic and &o'itica' &rob'e+s. Yezidi scho'ars +ay
find the+se'ves %itnesses to the i+&overish+ent of Yezidis+$ throu)h

/.
The vie%s e5&ressed in the artic'es are those of the %riters rather than the editoria'
tea+ of JKS.
C26ISTIN7 ALLISON


20
the c'eansin) of +any be'iefs and &ractices$ to acco+&'ish the
unification and coherence %hich the &o'itica' situation re,uires. Outsider
scho'ars$ 'ike their &redecessors$ do not distance the+se'ves fro+ the
&ractica' &rob'e+s facin) the Yezidi co++unity thou)h they try to face
these %ith a 'ess &aterna'istic attitude. 2avin) tried to +ove a%ay fro+
e5oticis+$ they find the+se'ves faced %ith a'' the &rob'e+s of
re&resentin) the suba'tern other$ so+eti+es to a +ass +edia interested
&ri+ari'y in devi'(%orshi& and honour ki''in)s. Scho'ars fro+ both sides
kno% that their %ritin)s are +uch +ore 'ike'y to be read in the
co++unity than before$ and +ay find their %ay into co++unity
discourse$ or into the discourses of &o'itica' ene+ies$ %ith un&redictab'e
conse,uences.
There is no denyin) that the &ers&ectives and ai+s of Yezidis and
outsider scho'ars are very different$ and that there is tension on both
sides. Neither the Yezidis nor non(Yezidi scho'ars are in a &osition to
see the future %ith any c'arity. If Yezidis+ does not continue to ada&t to
its environ+ent$ es&ecia''y in the dias&ora$ in thirty years ti+e the
co++unity is 'ike'y to have decreased enor+ous'y in nu+ber. Many
co++unity e'ders are %orried that it +ay die out a'to)ether$ and so+e
are be)innin) to &onder 'ar)e(sca'e refor+ of such &revious'y sacrosanct
areas as the endo)a+y 'a%s. 2o%ever$ such radica' strate)ies +ay %e''
&rovoke a schis+ %hich %ou'd %eaken the co++unity further. Iiven
the ra&&roche+ent and dia'o)ue %hich have beco+e the nor+$ one
ho&es that outsider scho'ars %i'' be better e,ui&&ed to su&&ort the
Yezidi co++unity as it faces these co+&'e5 cha''en)es.


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