Guran

(Goran)

   This is a word that has referred to nontribal, farming peasants (or misken) in the Sulaymaniya area as distinguished from tribal Kurds who are soldiers and seldom farm. In the 19th century, the guran were clearly distinguishable by their physiognomy and their dialect from the Kurdish tribes more prominent to the north and were often subjected by the tribal Kurds.

   The evidence seems to indicate that the guran originally came from north-central Iran south of the Caspian Sea, were possibly a subgroup of the Dailamites, spoke a northwestern Iranian language, and have at least since the 14th century lived in southern Kurdistan where in time they became considered to be Kurds. Usage of the term guran, however, varies according to the time context, and the actual situation is more complex than can be fully explained here. The Gu-ran tribal confederation southeast of Sulaymaniya, for example, and the nontribal guran peasants should not be confused. Furthermore, Gurani is a Kurdish dialect or language associated with but not necessarily congruent with the guran.

   See also Rayat.