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Farhad al-Kake shares the secret music of his ancient Kurdish religion, which is central to their faith but makes the Kaka’i a target for Islamic extremists in their homeland of Iraq.

Centuries of persecution have made the Kaka’i people of Iraq secretive about their faith. They believe they are the oldest religion in the world, and music is important to their worship. Many of their holy songs are thousands of years old, passed down from generation to generation, and are never played in public. In fact, the music of the Kaka’i has rarely been heard outside their community in Iraq before.

For the first time, in this programme, the Kaka’i share their rich musical heritage – music which some risk their lives to play.

Since the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the rise of Islamic extremism that followed, the Kaka’i have faced growing persecution from Muslim militants who believe their peaceful religion to be a false cult. They also believe music is "haram", or forbidden.

What’s more, in the Kaka’i religion, men and women are equal, and woman play music alongside men – making them even more of a target.

The Kaka’i are finally revealing their lives to the world in an attempt to thwart the risk of genocide.

Recorded on location in Kurdistan, with religious leader Farhad al-Kake as our guide, we’ll hear music from a secret past, and meet the musicians who preserve it, despite the risk to their lives.

Producer: Eve Streeter
A Greenpoint production for Â鶹Éç Radio 4