Herki (tribe)

Herki is the second largest tribe in Kurdistan after Jaff. The largest part of this tribe live in Kurdistan-Iraq, and a significant number live in Kurdistan-Iran and also some large communities in Kurdistan-Turkey. The Herkis are divided in three sub-tribes, they are Sida, Menda and Serhati. The legend says this is the name of the three brother which are the fathers of the Herkis. The Herki dialect belongs to the Kurmanji dialect which is spoken by most Kurds. The Herkis lived mostly a nomadic life with their herds, however this changed a lot after 1921 and the Treaty of Sevres. The new handmade borders of Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey hindered Kurdish tribes to live continue their way of life in harmony with nature in many ways. The Turkish Gendarmerie was famous for its brutality against nomads and their herds. This led to that many Kurdish-tribes besides the Herkis left their nomadic lifestyle and settled in villages which they before only used during the winter. The nomadic and free lifestyle they had was taken from them. The new borders made great impact on every aspects of the Kurdish life soon. For Herkis, and for many other Kurds this meant that areas which had belonged to them and their herds were taken from them, and that they very soon had to decide in which country to settle. They could not move freely like their forefathers had done for a century.