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 Menda,Sida and Serhati these three sub-tribes contains a very large number families. Mendas are,Stuni(are both Menda and Sida) Male Keje, Mamshekha, Avdia, Male Zahire, Mam Brahima, Male Sheme, Male Melaye, Mam Hacika, Male shine, Male kore reshe, Male Suvare,(are both Mendas and Sidas)Bab Ezdini(are both Mendas and Serhatis) and many more, The Sidas are, Mamusa, Mirza Shekha, Male Melheme, Liasia, Ki, Male Suvare, Peseagha, Misamdini, Khodedai, Male Khane.Serhatis are, Aghuba, Navi, Male Be, Male Ise and many more. The legend says this is the name of the three brother which are the fathers of the Herkis. Their fathers name was Babeker. The Herkis draw back their ancestry to the Shamzina/Herkobedav located in today's Kurdistan-Turkey. The Herki dialect belongs to the Kurmanji dialect which is spoken by most Kurds. Today Herkis live in Kurdistan-Iran around and in Urmia city, mainly in Mergever, Tergever and Dasht. Kurdistan-Iraq they live from Mosul to Hewler.The city is the capital of the Kurdistan Autonomous Region and the Kurdistan Regional Government. In Kurdistan-Turkey they live around the Lake van and in semdinan and Ağrı area. The Herkis lived mostly a nomadic life with their herds, however this changed a lot after 1920 and the Treaty of Sevres. The new handmade borders of Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey hindered Kurdish tribes to 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 had 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 they very soon had to decide in which country to settle. This is the reason why Herkis and many other Kurdish tribes can be found in Iran,Iraq and Turkey but still be of the same tribe. They could not move freely like their forefathers had done for a century.

M.Herki