• Haunted Histories and Ambiguous Burial Grounds in Iraqi Kurdistan

    Author(s):
    Tyler Fisher (see profile) , Muslih Mustafa, Nahro Zagros
    Date:
    2016
    Subject(s):
    Oral history, Folklore, War memorials, Memory, Islam
    Item Type:
    Article
    Permanent URL:
    http://dx.doi.org/10.17613/ycye-e010
    Abstract:
    As part of a wider research project that documents site-specific oral history associated with caves and cemeteries among the rapidly changing populations of Iraqi Kurdistan, this study analyses oral histories and traditions concerning one particular graveyard. Reputed to be the burial site of seventh century Muslim conquerors, this graveyard is concomitantly preserved by taboo and subject to transgressive acts. This article discusses the anachronisms that underpin the cemetery's reputation, the aetiological functions of the local lore and the shifting significance of the memorial space in relation to current events. As the region faces the menace of the self-declared Islamic State, this cemetery has become a locus for reconsidering allegiances and identities with regard to the past and present.
    Metadata:
    Published as:
    Journal article    
    Status:
    Published
    Last Updated:
    2 years ago
    License:
    All Rights Reserved
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