Within the framework of the Directorate of Cultural Activities and Centres, a ceremony marking the 101st anniversary of Khunchey Baharistan by Huzni Mukryani was held in Erbil at the Dedeman Hotel.
Goran Hussein, Director of Literary Activities, described the occasion as a significant cultural and artistic event. He stated that 101 years have passed since the publication, printing, and distribution of one of the earliest Kurdish works on the history and geography of Kurdistan written entirely in Kurdish script and orthography. He noted that while earlier Kurdish books had been printed, they were mainly literary in nature, whereas this work is considered the first of its kind in the fields of history and geography.
Hussein explained that Khunchey Baharistan was first printed in 1925 in Aleppo and is regarded as a pioneering work in Kurdish historiography, written fully in the Kurdish language. He added that although Kurdish literature had been published before, most of it focused on poetry and literary expression rather than historical documentation.
He further highlighted the content of the book, stating that it addresses Kurdish national identity, social and cultural characteristics, as well as the geography and history of Kurdistan. Due to its significance, the book later faced restrictions and prohibition in Turkey, where authorities even formed a special committee to investigate and ban it.
Khunchey Baharistan is recognized as one of the earliest independent historical works on the Kurds and Kurdistan written in Kurdish. Authored by Huzni Mukryani and published in 1925, it holds an important place in Kurdish historiography for its early attempt to document Kurdish history from a national perspective.
