LIST OF THE YEZIDI TRIBES
(The materials were collected for me by A. N. Andrus, of Mardin)
THE TRIBES ACROSS THE RIVER FROM MOSUL
1 The tribe named Šeiḫan lives in the mountains of Al-ḳôš, and has
sixteen villages. They are all under the orders of Šeiḫ ‘Ali Beg Paša,
the Amir, or chief of the Yezidis. This tribe can furnish 1,600 guns
for war. Said ‘Ali Paša has received from the Turkish government the
order of Amir ul-Umara “the Amir of Amirs.” He has a brother who has
received the order of Miry Miran, “the Amirs of Amirs.” He has a second
brother who has received the order of Romeli Beglar Begi, “the Beg of
Begs.” These three are all sons of the former Amir Husein Beg.
2 The Denôdi tribe lives in Dakoke district. It occupies fifteen
villages, and can bring 800 guns to war.
3 The Howari tribe lives in the region of Zaḫo. This tribe is nomadic,
lives in tents, and can furnish 200 guns for war. It has two chiefs,
Bedri Sohr and Dar Bazi Ḥusein. They are all shepherds.
THE TRIBES AT SINJAR AND JEZIREH DISTRICTS
Tribes. Tents. Villages. Guns. Population. District.
Aldaghi 1 100 500 Sinjar
Bekura 1 100 500
Chalka 1 100 500
Dalka 1 100 500
Fakir 1 100 500
Gabara 2 150 650
Haska 1 200 1,000
Hubaba 6 900 4,500
Jabri 1 50 250
Jovana 6 500 2,000
Kiran 2 600 3,000
Menduka 2 300 1,500
Mihrka 2 200 1,000
Sumoka 6 1,200 6,000
Uleki 1 70 350
—- ————-
34 4,570
Amoad 400 ... 400 2,000 Alḳoš
Dunadi ... 15 800 4,800 Duhok
Havveri 100 ... 100 500 Zaḫo
Shekan ... 16 1,200 7,200 Alḳoš
Rashukan 150 ... 150 750 Jezireh
Samukie ... 6 500 2,500 Midyat
Sohranie ... 15 300 1,500
——- —- ————- ——————
Grand total 650 86 8,020 42,000
THE TRIBES OF MIDYAT REGION, USUALLY CALLED JABAL TOR AL-‘ABEDIN
(MOUNTAIN OF THE WORSHIPERS)
This region lies one day’s journey east of Mardin. There are three
tribes here.
1 The tribe of Šemmike. This tribe inhabits six villages and can
produce, when needed, 500 guns.
2 The tribe called Soḥrani. There are fifteen small villages to this
tribe with 300 guns. These all have houses built of stone, and till the
ground.
3 The tribe called Mamila. This tribe has seven villages:
Mazazah, Bajinne, Kochano, Keunos, Taka, Harobia, and Namirdani.
Mr. Andrus writes me that he has learned of this tribe from ḳas Samuel,
a Jacobite Syrian priest of Mazazeh near Midyat.
The tribe of Bešreyeh, northwest of Jabal Al-Tor.
There was only one tribe in this district; it was called Ḫaltah. This
tribe had five villages:
Reḍwan, Dooshah, Selaḫar, Bimbarik, and Ṣoolân.
On account of the oppression of the government on the one hand, and of
the Kurdish tribes around them on the other, this tribe has moved to
the Sinjar Mountains.
The tribes around Weran Šahr or Goran Šahr, “the destroyed or the
sunken city,” because it was destroyed by earthquake or in war. This
district lies southwest of Mardin.
1 The Denodi tribe. This is probably an offshoot of the Dahoke tribe of
the same name. It occupies three villages, and has Ḥasan ḳanjo for the
chief. He is now the right arm of Ibrahim Paša of the Ḥamideyeh army.
The three villages are Salmi, Payamlo and Desi.
2 The tribe called Šerḳiân. This tribe has seven subdivisions:
a. Turnah lives in one village called Laulanji.
b. ḳupan occupies four villages: (1) Aḫmazut. (2) Nuḳti. (3) Al-Ašeḫan.
(4) Ṣhda Auṣman.
c. Beleki has six villages: (1) Sahda Nasu. (2) Mouzan Šeiḫ Bersef. (3)
Mouzan Auṣo. (4) Menkšuri Minet. (5) Al-ḳaureyee. (6) Menmenik.
d. Adi has three villages: (1) Tal Ṭarik. (2) Karmi Apo ‘Alo Rešo. (3)
Karmi Sim, u, Kor Kahiah. Sim means hoof; u, and; kor, blind; kahiah,
head man.
e. Mardanah occupies two villages: (1) Hajj Zain. (2) ḳara ḳuzeye.
f. Malla ḳachar has one village: Malla ḳachar means the Malla flees.
g. Maskan occupies two villages: Birj Baluji.
h. Suḥan has one village, Kafar Bali.