In the northern section of Iran lies an ethnic group, which takes up 10 percent of its modern population, known as the Kurds (Purdy, pg. 3). Originating from the Persians and the Ancient Medes, the Kurds, ever since the nineteenth century, have been settled in the western province of Iran alongside other ethnic groups such as the Lurs and Arabs (Price, pg. 94). The predominantly Kurdish provinces in Iran include the Kordestan Province, the Kermanshah Province, and the West Azerbaijan Province (“Learn About Kurdish Culture”). For more than five centuries, they have remained stationed in those provinces between Turkey and Iran serving as a buffer since the aftermath of World War I (Price, pg. 126). However, the Kurd ethnicity extends beyond Iranian borders. Found in Turkey, Syria, Iraq and other parts of the world, the Kurds can be characterized as a people without a country nor a fixed boundary (Price, pg. 256). However, their inability to establish a country is not due to a lack of trying. Throughout Kurdish history, the political, economic, religious, and cultural aspects of their society led them to be a people without a homeland.

II. Politics

In the early years, leadership within the Kurds belonged to the members of “prestigious lineage.” Although the central government in Iran had a major influence over which leaders were chosen in the two non-tribal Kurdish states, Ardalan and Guran (Price, pg. 126). This system of giving all the power to ruling families was abolished by the end of the nineteenth century resulting in the dissolution of prominence in Ardalan and Guran. Instead, they were held by provincial appointees. This breakdown led to the development of lesser chiefs in the lower levels of Kurdish. In addition, it resulted in the emergence of shaikhs as the main Kurdish political leaders who operated outside of tribal loyalties as well as the appearance of the Shakaks (Price, pg. 127).