Sulaimani festival introduces Kurdish horses

[Anthea]

Erbil holds ultimate frisbee tournament

Erbil held an ultimate frisbee tournament on Friday, with eight teams competing against each other on the courts of Akkad and Brusk stadiums in Ainkawa

Ultimate frisbee is a non-contact team sport played with a hand-flung disc. The game was first played in the United States in 1968.

Jamie Watt, a US citizen and organizer of the tournament, has been living in the Kurdistan region for almost 10 years, and every weekend he plays ultimate frisbee with his friends at Akkad stadium in the predominantly Christian neighborhood of Ainkawa.

“Ultimate frisbee is a team game, for example, when we play we do not only think about ourselves, but we think about the team,” Watt told Rudaw’s Mohammed Karezi on Friday.

Ultimate frisbee is played between two teams of seven players. During the game, both teams attempt their best to get the disc in their hands to the opposite side of the field. They get a point for each delivery, and the game is won by scoring the most points. Total points and the time cap of the game can vary according to the rules set by the tournament.

Cece Roh, a 25-year-old South Korean participant, who has been working in Erbil for around four months, told Rudaw on Friday, “Yes, I actually enjoy the game in Erbil, and I have played in Egypt before.”

Currently, there are more than 250 ultimate frisbee players in the region.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/241020231

[Anthea]

3,500 people run Erbil marathon

Kurdistan: About 3,500 runners took part in the 10th Erbil International Marathon on Friday, including a large number of foreigners

The slogan for this year’s race was: "Establish love, peace, and non-violence in Iraq."

Anna Helphet from New Zealand and her Scottish dog ran together for 12 kilometers.

"We were originally training for the marathon, but I had to travel and I lost the training. So we thought we would do the 12 kilometers. We quite often run here in the park, in Sami Abdulrahman. And I know the dog is easy, he could do this again," Helphet said, adding that they "very much enjoyed" the race.

Kalkha Biyaman also ran. She said she was thrilled to have taken part in her first marathon.

"It is my first marathon ever. So it is very nice to run in Erbil. It was a good experience," Biyaman said.

According to organizers, 350 foreign runners from every part of the world took part.

Running around Sami Abdulrahman Park, the marathon had three different levels - two kilometers, 12 kilometers, and 42 kilometers.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/people-places/28102023

[Anthea]

Zagros Mountain Trail in Erbil
By Wladimir van Wilgenburg

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – On Monday, the official launch event for the Zagros Mountain Trail was held, the first long distance hiking trail in the Kurdistan Region

According to the official website of the trail, it is a 215 km long trail through the Kurdish region. It begins in the village of Shush, and takes walkers along ancient pilgrimage routes, trading paths, and shepherds' tracks to reach the foot of Mount Halgurd in the east.

Anisa Mehdi, executive director of the Abraham Path Initiative, said that the Initiative has supported the development of the trail since 2018, with their expertise and funding.

“Since 2007, our approach has been to work with local partners to develop more than 2,000 kilometers of walking trails. We focus on creating trails where hospitality is essential to the culture. Kurdistan is a perfect fit,” she said.

“We specialize in places where tourists don’t usually go, like mountains, deserts, the countryside, and farmlands.”

“For example, in Jordan and in Sinai, Egypt, where Abraham Path was involved in trail development for ten years, families have earned enough from guiding and hosting visitors to improve their property, maybe build a guesthouse, and send their children to universities.”

“We were inspired by Kurdistan‘s diverse landscapes and rich cultural, linguistic, and religious history here. It all deserves to be seen and understood more broadly. “

“I am excited for what’s ahead for all of us as the Kurdistan Trails for Development grows, and the Zagros Mountain Trail becomes a destination for more and more travelers from home and abroad,” she added.

Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman, Senior Advisor to Prime Minister Masrour Barzani for Foreign Affairs and Climate Change and the former KRG representative in the USA, said in the past she was contacted by Mehdi on creating a mountain trail in Kurdistan.

“She informed me about the trails and asked if my office would help, and I was delighted to help and of course, as well as the Office of the Prime Minister.”

“Historically, the people of Kurdistan have fled to the mountains for safety, hence the saying no friends of the mountains,” she also said. “Although these days, the majority of the people of Kurdistan live in cities, we still see ourselves as mountain people.”

“The talk of the trail has already put Kurdistan on the international hiking map. There have been articles in the New York Times Magazine, in Lonely Planet tourist guide, the Times newspaper, and many other international news organizations.”

She further contended that the objectives of the trail align with the Kurdistan Regional Government’s goal to diversify the economy.

“We are committed to job creation and we are committed to protecting our environment. We're committed to supporting rural communities economically and enabling them to protect themselves from the escalating effects of climate change.”

“Today is the day that I was dreaming of seven years ago. Every step I was hiking, I learned something new, which made me amazed by the beauty of Kurdistan.”

“So I Imagine how it will make a positive impact for foreigners. The Zagros Mountain Trail's capital is [an example of] the hospitality of Kurds, the beauty of Kurdistan's landscape and the good connection of Kurds with mountains. I hope that Zagros Mountain Trail will be the beginning of many other trails because Kurdistan beauty can not be shown in one trail.”

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/33 ... d-in-Erbil

[Anthea]

Story of Kurdistan Rugby Team
By Wladimir van Wilgenburg

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdish cinematographer Ayar Rasool's new documentary about a Kurdish rugby team premiered on Thursday evening at Akkad Field in Ainkawa

'A Journey of Passion: The Untold Story of Kurdistan Rugby' tells the story of a team of local Kurds and international players that work together to become not only better rugby players, but to learn how to work together.

Hiwa Faridun Jwanroyi, Rugby Developer at Kurdistan Rugby Team, told Kurdistan 24 that the documentary presents “the story of the Kurdistan Rugby Team and its players,” which was established in 2013 as a nonprofit organization.

He added that the goal of the Kurdistan Rugby Team is to introduce rugby as a popular sport to the people of Kurdistan. “We go to Dubai every year, and the goal is to let our audience and supporters know what we do.”

The documentary tells the story of the players on the rugby team, what they have been through and “the ways of putting effort into the team to go forward.”

He added that in 2015, the team only had one local player, “but now we have a full team of local players, and the second team is mainly for foreign players in Erbil. The aim is to try to recruit youth to join the team.”

Moreover, he said they want to send a message to the private sector and government to get more funding to show the importance of rugby. “It's not just a bunch of guys running around and playing sports.”

“We have a strategy [to] try to help young people basically, and rugby is not just a sport, it's an education. It helps young people to develop the core values of rugby, such as sportsmanship, discipline and teamwork.”

He said this is especially essential for the youth in this era to “be able to develop themselves and respect the society they live in and help each other. These values will help youth in their social and professional life.”

Moreover, Jwanroyi said they want more people to know about the team and “hopefully be able to recruit more young people and encourage them to join.”

“Anyone who wants to join is welcome, the training we offer is free and we practice three times weekly. Through our community, our members and players get to meet new people. Also, the players get the opportunity to travel with the team to UAE and Jordan yearly.”

“The game itself is played by royal people and is relatively new. It offers opportunities for success in a less intensely competitive setting, especially when compared to football, which has a much longer history,” Rasool told Kurdistan 24.

“Kurdistan Rugby has the potential to achieve significant success, and it can serve as a valuable lobby for Kurdistan, introducing the region to many countries. The sport is embraced by individuals of high status, including marines, royals, and important figures from around the world.”

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/33 ... Rugby-Team

[Anthea]

Dozens injured after Duhok football match

Kurdistan: Dozens of people were injured when a fight broke out after a football match in Duhok on Saturday night

Duhok was hosting Zakho in an Iraqi Premier League match that is dubbed the Badinan derby. When the referee blew the final whistle of a nil-nil draw, a brawl erupted between fans of the longtime rivals.

Fans could be seen fighting and throwing chairs into the bleachers of their opponents. The police had to intervene to break up the fight and disperse the crowd.

Duhok’s health department said 22 fans and 11 police officers were injured. At least two of the injuries were serious.

Several fans were arrested, according to the city’s police department

[Anthea]

International chess in Barzan

Kurdistan: Fifty players participated in the Barzani International Chess Tournament held in Erbil province’s Barzan region, with the competition seemingly opening the gates for Kurdish chess players to compete abroad

Fifteen-year-old Hamid Ismail and 49 other chess players participated in the Barzani International Chess Tournament held in Erbil province’s Barzan region.

“I was the youngest player in the tournament, I participated in the tournament for the first time,” Ismail told Rudaw’s Andam Jabar on Monday.

The tournament was the second Barzani chess tournament and lasted for two days, and the Barzani Charity Foundation (BCF) supported the competition.

“The second Barzani International Chess Tournament was held under the auspices of the international federation in collaboration with the Iraqi Chess Federation and was supervised by the Barzani Charity Foundation in collaboration with the Khanzad Chess Club,” Dilzar Hama Salih, President of Khanzad Chess Club, told Rudaw.

The Secretary-General of the Asian Chess Federation and the President of the Iraqi Chess Federation were present at the tournament and promised to help the players of Barzan and the Kurdistan Region to participate in international tournaments.

“Truthfully, this tournament was a surprise for us as the Iraqi Chess Federation and the West Asia Federation because we did not expect such high standards as shown in this tournament, Zafar Abdulamir, President of the Iraqi Chess Federation, told Rudaw.

The winner of the tournament was a young man from Erbil province’s Harir district. The participants from first to sixth place were awarded prizes.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/people-places/06112023

[Anthea]

Kurdish horses at Sulaimani festival

A first of its kind festival was held in Sulaimani on Tuesday to introduce Kurdish horses, coinciding with the anniversary of the province

The Introduction of the Native Kurdish Horses Festival was held under the auspices of Kurdistan Region Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani on Tuesday as part of activities to celebrate the 239th anniversary of Sulaimani province

The organizers said they aim to introduce Kurdish horses to the world.

This is the first time such a festival was held in the Kurdistan Region.

Three main types of Kurdish horses were displayed in the festival which was held at the Sulaimani University.

Some of the attendants and horse riders were wearing Kurdish traditional clothing.

The Introduction of the Native Kurdish Horses Festival in Sulaimani. Date: November 14, 2023. Photo: handout

Historically, horses played an important role in the lives of the Kurds – they were the sole means of transportation bringing weapons and food to the Peshmerga in the mountains.

Kurds identify several different horse breeds from across the Greater Kurdistan (Kurdish areas in Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria), including the Jaf, Afshari, and Sanjabi.

The horse riders and owners were awarded at the end of the event.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/15112023

[Papillon2017]

In the 2nd part of the 19th century, Mollah Mahmud Bayazidi wrote for the Russian consulate Alexandre Jaba, the first ethnological work about Kurds written by a Kurd. I translated it with Joyce Blau in 2015. He mentionned 4 breeds o Kurdish horses :

Ils ont de beaux chevaux et des chevaux de race : il y a quatre races : les kihêl (pur-sangs) les hed, les seglawî et les mehnegî (races réputées de pur-sangs arabes). On voit parfois des chevaux du Najd (d’Arabie) mais ils ne sont pas nombreux.

Further, he mentionned their dogs. Contrary to many Muslim people, Kurdish nomades were also very fond of their dogs (the current kangal also called Anatolian shepherds, though they are also in Kurdistan :

Et ils ont aussi des chiens de race. Les chiens de race, pour eux, sont très importants et très précieux. Ils en achètent et en vendent jusqu’au prix de dix ou quinze moutons. Ce sont les gardiens de leurs biens et des troupeaux au-dehors. Personne ne peut frapper ces chiens. Si on frappe les chiens et qu’on les tue, il y aura des conflits et des guerres.