The Country In Our Hearts, Ep. 1: The Enemy Within

We dive headlong into one family’s migration odyssey from Iraqi Kurdistan to Nashville.

To really understand what this family — and so many others — were fleeing from, we need to go back to one terrible, pivotal day in 1988. And to do that, we need to go to Kurdistan.

The Country in our Hearts is the story of how Nashville became home to the largest Kurdish diaspora in America is an epic one. A tale of bloody genocide, of freedom fighters, of stunning perseverance.

But the story of the Kurdish people, no matter where they are, is a story about a country that only exists in the hearts of its people. And the lengths they’ll go to make it real.

Guest

• Rose Gilbert, host and reporter of the podcast

Series Credits:

The Country In Our Hearts was reported and produced Rose Gilbert, who also produced the visual trailer. Meribah Knight edited and co-produced the series. Sound design by Martin Cruz, and traditional music is by Arkan Doski. The original logo artwork is by Nuveen Barwari.

Special thanks to Paul McAdoo, Jennifer Nelson, Namo Abdulla, Luqman Abdulqadir and the Halabja Chemical Victims Society.

Audio of interviews with victims of al anfal chemical attacks came from the Kurdish Memory Programme. Audio of the interview with a Halabja chemical attack victim is courtesy of Kurdistan 24.