My Ethnicity is Ezidi

The following article was submitted by an external contributor and has been published by Ezidi Times as part of our ongoing effort to share diverse voices and perspectives relevant to the Ezidi people and their heritage. The piece was written independently and does not originate from the Ezidi Times editorial staff.

Greetings, friends!

I often come across heated debates online about whether the Ezidis is a nationality/ethnicity. The question itself is absurd, and as strange as it may seem, it’s usually people from other nationalities who insist that we are not. But let’s take a closer look at this topic.

Let me ask you a question: How do you define your own nationality?

It’s a strange question, isn’t it?
Unfortunately, the small Ezidi people are particularly vulnerable when it comes to this issue. I think the reason is clear to many of you, but if not, let me explain. We speak a language and carry a culture that resemble those of another people—who, to put it bluntly, emerged from within the Ezidi ethnic sphere and who today outnumber us many times over. Because of their size and influence, there are efforts to assimilate us. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. First, let’s try to understand what nationality even means.

The term nationality, often used interchangeably with ethnicity, refers to an ethnic group—a group of people who share a common ethnic identity, language, culture, ancestry, history, etc. This meaning of nationality is not defined by political borders or citizenship. It includes people who live in countries where they do not have an independent state. The very concept of “nationality” emerged in the late 18th century with the rise of nation-states. Originally, the term was used to describe ethnic groups that existed long before modern nations.

So, the term is relatively “young” and is essentially a synonym for ethnos. And an ethnos is a historically formed group of people united by shared traditions (including religion), a common language, and sometimes a shared geographic area. Nationality means the conscious affiliation with a particular ethnic group—self-identification.

In other words, the Ezidis are a full-fledged and independent ethnicity. We have our own language, our own culture, and unique centuries-old traditions that are found nowhere else in the world. And this is based on modern, widely accepted definitions. But beyond that, the Ezidis have preserved their genetic continuity for millennia and have strictly observed a ban on interethnic marriage. It’s an absolute requirement: one can only be born an Ezidi if both parents are Ezidis. This mandatory fetwa has religious roots—just as one cannot convert to being an Ezidi, no one can convert to the Sharfadin faith.

While many peoples throughout history have formed, merged, created languages and religions, and then gradually dissolved into larger populations and states, the Ezidis remained loyal to their traditions and faith, preserving their identity.

Author: Ishkhan Ramoshi