Like every August for thousands of years, the Yazidis in northwest Iraq just celebrated the Feast of 40 Days of Summer. The Yazidis' secretive and peculiar beliefs date back to a time before both Islam and Christianity. They have been misunderstood and maligned by the outside world as devil worshippers for almost as long. However, the balance of power between the tribe and the outside world is shifting. The Yazidis now have enough voting power to determine the future of Iraq's new government in disputed areas like Kirkuk and Mosul and are being courted by Iraq's largest political groups. But they are facing a new threat from within - continued attrition and disillusionment from tribe members who cannot abide by the strict familial and social rules established to ensure the faith's future.

The Black Snake

The Origin of the Kurds

The New Generation