Kurdish-Dutch author Shad Raouf Qazaz has broken new ground in the world of Kurdish literature, publishing his novel, Children of Zagros, in Sorani Kurdish this summer. The book was previously published in Dutch in December 2023, coinciding with the ancient festival of Shab-e Yalda, celebrated annually on the winter solstice, when Qazaz visited Sulaymaniyah and Erbil to promote the book.

“The story is a specific drama that explores Kurdish folklore and mythology,” Qazaz explained. “But I couldn’t write it in Kurdish, because I grew up in the Netherlands, and my language skills weren’t sufficient for research or writing in the language. However, it’s important that the story returns to the Kurdish language and can reach Kurdish people in Kurdistan. This is the goal of my return to Kurdistan – to bring the story home.”

Children of Zagros is a captivating story that brings Kurdish culture, myths, and folklore to life. This epic journey of self-discovery also reveals a world of dark secrets and dormant powers.

“I’ve read a lot about who the Kurds are and their history. My father, Azad Qazaz, is a well-known author on Kurdish psycho-politics, but when I was young, I wasn’t really interested in Kurdish history,” Qazaz said. “As I grew older, however, my curiosity grew, especially after having spent my early years in Kurdistan. Many Kurds in the Netherlands see themselves as Kurdish-Dutch, but I felt more Kurdish than Dutch, except for the fact that I lived there and spoke the language.”

Unearthing myths and folklore

Untangling the origins of stories and beliefs becomes challenging in a part of the world where ethnicities have blurred and narratives have intermixed over millennia. “Over the years, I investigated and researched Kurdish history and mythology. At first, I was motivated by the goal of finding an original Kurdish mythology or cosmology, but this was quite naive, as I discovered that the further one goes back in time, the more difficult it becomes to separate Kurdish mythology and folklore from those of other ethnicities. For instance, terms like azdiha, meaning dragon, can be found in Pakistan, while stories from Anatolia aren’t necessarily sourced to being Kurdish,” he said.

Qazaz’s drive to unearth stories about Kurdish culture and history has propelled his journey as an author. “When I encountered these stories and myths, I thought I could create something meaningful from them or reveal something that had been forgotten. In general, people are becoming more interested in mythology – Norse mythology, for example – so why not in Kurdish mythology? I wanted to present our mythology in a new form, as a modern story for adults. This was a journey to my roots and an attempt to give old stories a fresh look.”

During his visit to the Kurdistan Region, Qazaz met with Jort Posthumus, Deputy Consul General of the Netherlands, on August 18. “We discussed the complexities of the region and the importance of the Netherlands’ continued support for the Kurdistan Region to flourish,” he posted on X.

“The Dutch Consulate was very supportive and appreciated the novel. They saw it as a sign of the strong relationship between the Netherlands and the Kurds,” Qazaz said.

“The Netherlands has been active in the Kurdistan Region for a long time, and as a Kurd in the Netherlands, having the opportunity and knowledge to research and write this book is a testament to that strong relationship. I gifted a Dutch copy and a Kurdish copy to the consulate in Erbil,” he told Kurdistan Chronicle.

Qazaz also noted that after the Kurdish versions are published and available in stores, he will work on an English version, which he plans to finish this year or by early 2025.

“There are many Kurds who don’t speak Dutch well, and I want to reach not only Kurds, but also people worldwide who love folklore. The plan is to start with English, followed by Kurdish Kurmanji, Turkish, Arabic, and Persian.”

Children of Zagros is available for purchase at zarokanizagros.com.