Nashville is renowned as the country music capital, birthplace of hot chicken, and Athens of the South, complete with a full-scale replica of the Parthenon. But you may be surprised to learn that Nashville is home to the largest community of Kurds in the United States, with a population of more than 15,000. Why they came here and encouraged others to follow tells a story of resilience and a hospitable spirit. And their contributions have woven brilliant threads into the city’s tapestry.
History of Little Kurdistan
It’s important to know that Kurdistan is one of the largest stateless nation in the world; their geo-cultural region takes in parts of Iraq, Turkey, Iran, and Syria. Political upheaval, war, and genocide propelled the Kurds to immigrate elsewhere—including to the United States in four major waves, the first of which began in 1976. That’s when the initial group of 50 refugees arrived in Nashville.
Here, they found an affordable city with a strong economy and accessible manufacturing jobs, which gave them the tools to reestablish their lives and thrive. And they sent back word that Nashville was a good place with a burgeoning Kurdish community. Subsequent waves occurred in 1991 and 1998, the result of Saddam Hussein’s persecutions in Iraq, and again during the Syrian Civil War, which begun in 2011. Nashville’s Kurdish community took root and grew.
Indeed, they’ve flourished: families building homes, businesses, and the Salahadeen Center, the first Kurdish mosque in North America. Come to “Little Kurdistan,” at the intersection of Nolensville Pike and Elysian Fields Court in south Nashville. Here, you can experience aspects of Kurdish heritage and traditions through their delectable foods and service.
Where To Eat
These are some of the not-to-miss places in Nashville’s Little Kurdistan:
Newroz Market
Inside Mehdi Misto’s Newroz Market (Newroz is Kurdish for new day), you’ll find fantastic one-stop shopping. Stocked in the front are many necessary pantry items: olive oils, vinegars, syrups, spices, nuts, rice, pastas, pulses.
Head to the back for “House of Shawarma.” Behind the service counter, the vertical rotisserie rotates, promising juicy beef. Order luscious plates and wraps to savor there, or carry out. Crispy falafel too. Across the room, the butcher presides over the halal meats—lamb, beef, goat, chicken, and yes, camel. Peer through one service window, and you’ll see the women readying the breads for the tandoor oven, great bubbled rounds of naan and diamond-shaped flatbreads called samoons…