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.

Autorentext
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).

Inhalt

Figures.
Acknowledgements.
Abbreviations.

Introduction.

**Chapter 1.**
The Kakais of Iraq.
Survival and renewal
The Long Road to the Kakais.

**Chapter 2.
Surviving the End of Paganism.
The Last Pagans of Iraq?
Who are the Kakais?

Chapter 3.**
Kakais and esoteric tradition. 104
The Way of the Derwishes.

**Chapter 4.**
Sounds from the past
Perdivar and Sultan Sahaq.
Hawar: the heart of Kakai religion.

Conclusion.
Bibliography.
Notes.