Melek Taus
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Melek Taus (ملك طاووس) - Kurdish Tawûsê Melek "The Peacock Angel" is the Yazidis' name for the central figure of their faith.
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[edit] Religious significance
The Yazidis consider Tawûsê Melek a benevolent angel who has redeemed himself from his fall and has become a demiurge who created the cosmos from the Cosmic Egg. After he repented, he wept for 7000 years, his tears filling seven jars, which then quenched the fires of hell.
Tawûsê Melek is sometimes transliterated Malak Ta'us, Malak Tawus, or Malik Taws. Melek was borrowed from the Arabic term "king" or "angel". Tawûs is uncontroversially translated "peacock"; in art and sculpture, Tawûsê Melek is depicted as peacock. However, peacocks are not native to the lands where Tawûsê Melek is worshipped. It is likely the peacock iconography is a development from earlier representations depicting a native fowl, such as a bustard.
The Yazidi believe that the founder of their religion, Sheikh Adi Ibn Musafir, was an avatar of Tawûsê Melek.
[edit] Outside views
Some Christians, Muslims and others identify Tawûsê Melek as Lucifer or Shaytān (Satan). The Yazidis' cultural prohibition against uttering the word – saying God's name is blasphemy, as in Judaism – does not make the situation easier. Tawûsê Melek is "God's Angel", and this is how Yazidis themselves see him.[1]
Because the Yazidis are a minority religion, they have suffered much persecution, with some pogroms against them nearly wiping out their religion. This has caused them to disguise their religion in the trappings of mainstream Islam.
[edit] The Anderson Feri cooption[2] of Yezidi traditions
"Melek Taus" is also a central figure in many sects of the Feri tradition of modern witchcraft, where he is seen as the embodiment of the "higher self" of collective humanity; i.e. "the God of this world". [3] There are various interpretations of the role of Melek Taus in Feri, some seeing Him as the darker aspect of the Blue God and others as the embodiment of the Divine Twins. However, given the role of paradox in Feri, both of these views can be held simultaneously.
[edit] References in popular media
In Alan Moore's graphic novel series Top 10, the character of King Peacock is a worshipper of Melek Taus, and it is from this worship that King Peacock claims to receive his matter-control abilities.
The antagonist of John Case's novel The Eighth Day is an unscrupulous businessman attempting to set himself up as the incarnation of Melek Taus to gain control over Yazidi holdings.
"Melek Taus" is the title and subject of a song by the Swedish symphonic metal band Therion, from their 2003 album Sirius B.
English doom metal band Electric Wizard has a song entitled "Altar Of Melektaus".
The first track on Australian death metal band Cauldron Black Ram's album Skulduggery is called "The Angel Peacock".
Artist Paul B. Rucker has created a painting titled "Melek Ta'us", of a handsome figure seated in a lotus position, with wings made of peacock feathers.[4]
S. M. Stirling's The Peshawar Lancers features a modified, apocalyptic cult of "Malik Nous".
The online game Everquest 2 expansion Desert of Ro features a Arabian theme with a cult that worships a fallen goddess and is referred to as the Peacock Club.
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.bakhawan.com/dotkurd/nebez/Inglizi/TheKurds.pdf
- ^ Parker, Sarah C. "New Agers Stealing Cultural Traditions"; The Circle, 17; 1996 March 31
- ^ Feri Tradition: Essay, "The Gods of Infinity"
- ^ Artist's image of "Melek Ta'us"
