'Kurdistan and the Kurds' [‎35v] (70/122)

68
APPENDIX TO CHAPTER IE
Kurdish Tribes outside Kurdistan.
§ 1 .—Bettveen Erzingan and Sivas, ' and in the vicinity of Marash.
There are ten Kurdish tribes in the area enclosed on the north by
the river Germalie, and on the south by the Euphrates; its western
limit is Sivas and the Kizil Irmak, and its eastern is the loop of the
Euphrates by Erzingan and the reach which flows from there northwards
to Karakulak.
In the loop of the river to the west of Erzingan are the Kureshli and
Balabranli. The former amount to 2,000 families ; they speak Kermanji
and are either Shi'ites or pantheists and detest orthodox Moslems. They
are a handsome, quiet people, who appear to have no predatory or nomadic
instincts at all, but behind their silent demeanour there is a strange,
savage spirit; they are excellent farmers, and, though illiterate, they are
much given to philosophic speculation. The latter, who are only a small
tribe of about 60 families, are Shi‘ites in name, but apparently pantheists
at heart; they talk the Kermanji dialect. Their home is on the opposite
bank of the Euphrates to the Kureshli. A little south of Erzingan is
another and larger branch of the same tribe, numbering 500 families.
These differ from the other group in speaking Zaza instead of Kermanji.
To the north-west, on the south bank of the river Germalie, live the
Shaderli, whose families are 3,000 in number; they are similar to the
Kureshli, but of a lower type. They live in underground houses and are
very poor agriculturalists. Adjoining them, on the south-west, are the
Badeli, 700 families in all, speaking Kermanji and Shi‘ite in religion;
there are said to be a few of them settled near Rowanduz. All the Kurds
in this group lead a completely sedentary life and build fine villages; they
are industrious and intelligent, peaceful, but treacherous, and on occasions
ruthless and cruel, though very submissive. Many have fair hair and
blue eyes; the men are generally short and handsome. Certain families
of nomads, very poor, dark-skinned, and repulsively ugly, are attached to
each of these families, almost as vassals. All are reputed to be Shi ite in
religion, though it is very likely that they practice a secret religion.
Along the northern bank of the Euphrates, on the west of Erzingan,
are the Eski-Kochkiri, a tribe 400 families, of whom very little is known.
In the vicinity of Karajaran are the Sarolar, Barlolar and Garnolar, and in
that of Hamobad the Ibolar; these four are sub-divisions of the Kochkiri,
a large tribe of 10,000 families, who have probably no connection with the
Eski-Kochkiri. So peculiar are the Kochkiri that they may even be called
* The Kurds living between Erzingan and Sivas are only known from the
account given by Sir Mark Sykes.