Kurdish Book Club London Launch: "Who Are The Kurds?"

[Anthea]

Kurdish Book Club is launching a newly published Kurdish book, “Who Are The Kurds?”

Kurdish Exile Association (KEA)

1 Thorpe Close,LondonW10 5XL

Tel: 07939884687 -E-Mail: kea@kea96.org

Kurdish Book Club is launching a newly published Kurdish book, “Who Are The Kurds?”

As part of a series of seminars, Kurdish Book Club, is pleased to invite you to the launch of and

a seminar about a newly published book in Kurdish.

The book:

“Who Are the Kurds? The History of Kurds and the Origin of their Language from the Dawn of Civilization to the Tenth Century A.D”

Author: Soran Hamarash

Language: Kurdish

The History of the Kurds and the origin of their language have been open subjects for debate amongst scholars for centuries. Some believe that the history of Kurds stretches back five thousand years; others suggest that until the Middle Ages the term “Kurd” was used as a reference to a social status rather than an ethnicity. The wide gap in these views suggests that the subject matters require further study. In this book, Hamarash attempts to tackle this very issue.

Hamarash explained that he spent several years researching and studying ancient records and languages such as Sumerian, Hurrian, Median, Luvian (or Luwian), Hittite, Avestan, Latin, Sanskrit, Carian, Lydian, Thracian and other languages. In his book he questions the prevailing theories and tries to trace the root of the Kurdish race and the origins of their language. In this quest, Hamarash paused some questions such as: if the Kurds descended from the Medes, as some suggest, when did they changed name? What language did the Median speak? What alphabet did the Kurd have in ancient times to record their literature, if they had any? Is there any connection between Kurdish language and the ancient Mesopotamian and Anatolian languages? What about connections between Kurdish and other Indo-European languages? Did the Indo-Europeans emigrated to or migrated from Zagros Mountains?

In his epic endeavour, Hamarash uncovers evidence that would challenge our understanding of the history of Kurds and of the Middle East in general, for example:

• Kurdish texts which he believes are over four thousand years old,

• Texts that suggest that the Median language was not very different in comparison to the current Kurdish language

• Texts suggesting that Kurdish was the language of other Mesopotamian and Anatolian communities.

• A manuscript dated back to 861 A.D that describes Kurdish ancient alphabet.

• History of Kurdish empires and rulers who ruled in the region from the dawn of civilisation until the tenth century A.D.

• Views of Kurds during the ninth century A.D that suggest their awareness of their history and ancient past.

This book is published in Kurdish (Sorani dialect) and the French and English translations are under-way.

The seminar, which will be held in Kurdish, will be chaired by Dr Rebwar Fattah.

All are welcome

Date and time of the event: 15:00 -18:00, 9th March 2013

Location:

Birkbeck College, University of London

Lecture theatre B33

Malet Street, Bloomsbury,

London WC1E 7HX

http://www.kurdmedia.com/article.aspx?id=16933

[kakzoran]

dress code?

[Anthea]

dress code?

Sorry you missed it

But if you are in the UK I will keep my eyes open and post anything interesting