Roj Bash Kurdistan

Don’t forget your ethics

Find out about the destination- take some time before you go to read about the cultural, social and political background of the place you are visiting. Read our ‘culture and history’ section on our website.

Go equipped with basic words and phrases in the local language-this may open up opportunities for you to meet people who live there. The local languages are Kurdish (Kurmanji dialect) and Turkish.

Buy locally made goods and use locally provided services wherever possible your support is often vital to local people.

Pay a fair price for the goods or services you buy-if you haggle for the lowest price your bargain may be at someone else’s expense.

Be sensitive to the local culture-dress in a way that respects local beliefs and customs, particularly at religious sites. For example woman should cover their heads with a scarf when entering a mosque. It is local custom to take off your shoes when entering someones house or mosque.

Ask permission before taking photographs of individuals or of people’s homes. Usually people love having their photographs taken. But occasionally people may be wary-this could be for religious reasons or shyness.

Avoid conspicuous displays of wealth-this can accentuate the gap between rich and poor and distance you from the cultures you came to experience.

Kissing and cuddling in public is something that is not part of the culture, unfortunately, in Dogubayazit and surrounding area. Just so you know. Although other forms of affection are, like touching and holding hands. Some people (probably younger people) may grab your hand, kiss it, and put it to their foreheads, don’t be alarmed, it is a sign of great respect to you. Generally when you meet people who are warm towards you, you would kiss them on both cheeks as part of the introductions. To start of with if you follow the man to man and woman to woman rule just to be safe.

Make no promises to local people you cannot keep. Be realistic about what you will do when you get back home. There are many very good social projects in Dogubayazit if you would like to donate to or support let us know.

Minimise your environmental impact-keep to footpaths and marked routes, don’t remove any of the natural habitat and reduce the packaging you bring.

Slow down to enjoy the differences-you will be back with the familiar soon enough.

nhraim wrote:Hi Sohrab,

Thanks for your help. I would love to get some critical phrases that I could use in the Kurdish language.

1) I was actually looking for an even more precise map, I will keep looking for such map. There are quite interesting maps at my university here in Toronto, but they are historical maps... pre 1915 maps... the newer ones don't go in detail.


2)Now you are using Colemêrg to name the extreme Southeastern Turkish region (or northern Kurdistan); is that also commonly used in Southeastern Turkey?

3)What do peole think of westerners that speak english in Colemêrg?

4)I would love you to tell me what kind of transportation should I be using between Mardin and Hakkari (the city)... I will not be coming from Van because I will be in southwestern Turkey just before, so I have no choice to go all the way east.

Is taking a personal driver expensive ($)? like with his car... (or taxi)
Do the buses (coach) go there ?

I would love to have my personal driver that I could carry arounf for 2 weeks... if I am lucky he would be speaking english or french... what approximate expense would that be?

I heard abouit a good saz player in the area, his name is Emreh Kayhan... do you think it could be possible to meet him? I would love

5) Esendere is on the border with Iran... Approximately how much time would it take me from Siit to Hakkari (city) to Esendere in a taxi?

I am so sorry to ask you so many questions, I read the other topic, but not many details were present. I would be so much greatful to you if you could give the best of your knowledge on the subject.


Nhraim comes from, as you clearly said, the semitic usage for the two rivers (Tigris and Euphrates). I am a student in Assyriology at the University of Toronto, that means the study of the Mesopotamian civilization. It's a dream for an Assyriologist to go to the origins of the two rivers or as Akkadian kings would call it, the source of the rivers.

I am Canadian, with a valid Canadian passport... hehehe

I am going to Esendere where was the location of an ancient Nestorian monastery (pre 1920's). This is where one of my friend's ancestors were living. He asked me to go there for him, because he is too old to go with me.

Thank you

Diri wrote:Awsome...

You know Şivan?

I met him a couple of times... Last time was the 5th of November... I was working backstage - and we even had pizza together... He is a funny man...

azade_ wrote:Hey and welcome to the site!

I'm wondering what your reasons for travelling to that region are, simply because I have yet to see a tourist there. (I can ask because I'm not kurdish but it doesn't mean you have to answer )

Regarding transportation I'd advise you to go with buses to avoid problems with the military. In my experience, if you go by car/taxi they are more likely to be suspecious and ask questions that you can't answer. I think it's both convenient and cheap to go by bus.