Nashville Kurdish community thrives

As a part of a series on local immigrant communities, this month we look at the large local Kurdish population

Jennifer Dennard

11/11/08

Outside the Vanderbubble, Nashville is a diverse and cosmopolitan place.  The city surrounding us boasts a huge immigrant population, and many of these are political refugees. One particularly significant group, especially considering the current Iraq War, is the local Kurdish population. Many Kurds come to Nashville to escape persecution in the Middle East. The best-known example of this dates to 1988, when Saddam Hussein waged genocide against Iraqi Kurds. Thousands of Kurds were killed by chemical warfare and mass destruction, and even more simply disappeared. This, however, was only the culmination of past persecution and violence against the Kurds in Iraq and elsewhere.

The Kurdish ethnic group originates in various countries in the Middle East including Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Armenia. A large portion also live in Turkey, where they make up approximately 20 percent of the population and are the second largest ethnic group. The area where the Kurds live is sometimes referred to as Kurdistan and encompasses parts of all these countries. Overall, nearly 40 million Kurds live in the area, though some have fled to other countries to avoid persecution.

The Kurds are the largest ethnic group without a nation of their own. Split between various regions, the Kurds have given up their fight for independence and now look for merely autonomous rule within each nation. In the United States, the largest concentration of Kurds is here in Nashville. According to Mwafac Mohammed, director of Kurdish Achievers, the Nashville Kurdish population totals 10,000. He explained that the first families arrived in Nashville in the 1970s and friends and relatives have followed.  A very traditional people, they have established a tight-knit community and culture in Nashville. "There are over 70 Kurdish-owned businesses like bakeries, dealerships, you name it," says Mohammed. Although Kurds do live elsewhere in the United States, they often move to Nashville for the spiritual and social support that such a large community provides.

Like other refugee populations, the Kurds have faced problems in the past, especially with language barriers. However, many of the elderly Kurds now have adult children to aid them with translating. Interestingly, many Kurds now know English before arriving in the United States.  In general, the Kurds have prospered in Nashville and are no longer concentrated in just one area, as they were previously in the Woodbine area. Now, some Kurdish families can afford to buy houses throughout Nashville. The Kurds tend to have large families of six or seven people, and generally all family members work. "[We are] hard working and very independent," says Mohammed of the Kurdish community.

Still, Kurdish immigrants maintain traditional culture and contacts. They keep in touch with family in Iraq, Iran and elsewhere. Mohammed explained that cell phones, in particular, have made this much easier. Kurds in the United States prefer very traditional weddings. They even hold traditional funerals for those who die overseas, utilizing communications technology to stay connected. Some Kurds do wish to eventually return home to Kurdistan, but others, happy with their lives here, plan to stay.

In general, the Kurds have been very successful in Nashville, and groups like Kurdish Achievers will ensure that they continue to be. Kurdish Achievers is a program that helps high school students apply to college and prevents gang activity in Kurdish communities. This is in response to the gang Kurdish Pride, which has been growing in recent years. The program brings in college students and other mentors to help with SAT/ACT preparation. Vanderbilt STAND volunteers with the group and has been very enthusiastic about the attitudes and work ethics of the Kurdish youth.

If you want to learn more about working with the Kurds and other Nashville immigrant communities, contact Vanderbilt STAND (studentorgs.vanderbilt.edu/stand), or visit nashvillekurds.com to learn more about the local Kurdish population.