majority of marriages were monogamous and kurdish did not veil and they participated in social activities such as work, dancing and singing together with men. when the tribe was attacked, women took part in war alongside men. in traditional kurdish literature, both matriarchal and patriarchal tendencies are found. in the ballad of "las and khazal" ("beytî las û xezal"), female tribal rulers openly compete over a lover, while in patriarchal contexts, women are subject to male violence.