There Are Rivers in the Sky

The Yazidis are a religious minority who occupy parts of Iraq, Turkey, Syria, and Iran—the region that was known in ancient times as Mesopotamia. The Yazidis are predominantly ethnically Kurdish and practice a syncretic religion with ancient roots. Yazidism has elements similar to those of Zoroastrianism, Christianity, and Islam but is distinctly non-Abrahamic. The Yazidis were gaining geographical territory and political influence during the 13th and 14th centuries, earning the ire of Muslim rulers in the areas surrounding their homelands by the early 15th century. This led to the beginning of a series of massacres and forced conversions that the Yazidis have continued to experience into modern times (Jalabi, Raya. “Who Are the Yazidis and Why Is Isis Hunting Them?” The Guardian, 2014). A large portion of the Yazidi community emigrated to Germany in the second half of the 20th century. In the book, Narin’s relatives who live in Hanover unsuccessfully try to convince her family to join them in Germany, where it will be safer for them.

Part of the historical persecution that the Yazidis have faced originated in a power struggle between the community and their neighboring Islamic rulers. However, it persists in part due to an enduring misunderstanding about their religion and community.