Pastoral Literature in Oral Kurdish Literature: A Case Study of Khavmirabad District of Mariwan

Abstract

Folklore is an integral part of every nation’s literature, with a remarkable diversity in type and inclusion. A large part of this literature includes tales, legends, myths, songs, ballads, adages, riddles, and versified games transmitted orally from generation to generation over the centuries. All-important literary genres can be seen in folklore. One of these literary genres is Pastoral literature, which has been specially addressed by western scholars yet a new subject for analysis in the folk literature of the Iranian people with its various languages and dialects. Pastoral literature includes creative works presenting rural life and its landscapes in an ideal way for the audience. In this research, the authors studied the Pastoral literature of the rural areas of Khavmirabad district of Mariwan city based on the lifestyle, particular geographical region, rich language and culture, and literature of the Kurds. The study aimed to provide a background for more familiarity with Pastoral literature and examine its status in Kurdish oral literature, more specifically in Kurdish folk literature. The study results showed that ordinary people had created Pastoral literature in their lives and social failures, regrets, and desires. Research data was collected through library and field studies, and the descriptive-analytical method was adopted.

Keywords

• folk literature
• oral literature
• pastoral literature
• mariwan
• khavmirabad
• kurdish literature