The Kakais of Iraq - by Maria Rita Corticelli (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

The Kakais are a Kurdish-speaking indigenous population belonging to the Yarsan religion, originating from the Zagros Mountains in present-day Northern Iraq. There are currently around 200,000 Kakais in Iraq, but due to a history of heavy persecution, including targeting by ISIS, the community is under threat of disappearing.
This book is based on historical research, interviews, and in-depth fieldwork, as well as on their available original texts. It explores the resilience of the Kakai religious group in Iraq amid violence and war, emphasizing their values of humility, peace, and tolerance, and showcasing their struggle for recognition in the face of persecution. It touches on recent events affecting them and calls for international support and recognition of the Kakai community's unique challenges.

Review Quotes

The book explores the resilience of the Kakai religious group in Iraq amid violence and war, emphasizing their values of humility, peace, and tolerance, showcasing their struggle for recognition in the face of persecution. It touches on recent events affecting religious minorities in Iraq and calls for international support and recognition of the Kakai community's unique challenges.

About the Author

Maria Rita Corticelli is an independent writer and editor. She collaborates with various academic and research institutions. She is the author of Religious Minorities in Iraq: Co-Existence, Faith and Recovery after ISIS (I.B. Tauris 2022).
Luqman Rashid is a Kakai activist from Iraqi Kurdistan. He holds an MA degree in International Studies from the University of Erbil-Hawler in the Kurdistan Region. He has published articles in both Kurdish and English on the Yarsanis in the Kurdistan region and he is the author of Arabic and Kurdish books on the situation of religious minorities in Iraq. He advocates for the recognition of Yarsanis in Iraq.