Folklore-collecting initiatives in Turkey and Iran have become increasingly popular
over the past decade. In this article we present a historical overview of folklorecollecting practices and focus on more recent developments in this field. While
Kurdish folklore has been perceived as a cornerstone of Kurdish national identity and
as ...
Folklore-collecting initiatives in Turkey and Iran have become increasingly popular
over the past decade. In this article we present a historical overview of folklorecollecting practices and focus on more recent developments in this field. While
Kurdish folklore has been perceived as a cornerstone of Kurdish national identity and
as a source of information on Kurdish history, today’s collectors in Turkey and Iran
understand its role in a wider context of language revitalization and indigenous
knowledge production. Collecting oral traditions in the Kurdish dialects of Kurmanji,
Sorani, and Zazaki is appreciated as a step towards protecting and developing the
Kurdish language, which is endangered by language assimilation policies in both
countries. Reviving folkloric vocabulary, stories, and traditional knowledge practices
such as agricultural teachings, folklore collectors revive and promote indigenous
knowledge production, and enrich education and research. Drawing on language
revitalization theories and indigenous knowledge production, this article offers
insights into unexplored aspects of collecting, archiving, and publishing Kurdish
folklore in recent years.