Yezidi boys in the collective Yezidi village of Shariya shoot pool the evening before their annual Karajal holiday which is the day they have theier pilgrimage up mount Karajal to pay tribute to their ancient holy man Karajal. Yezidi have survived violence from Muslims who tried to banish their faith by force, destruction from Saddam who demolished more than 4,500 Yezidi villages in 1987 and accusations of devil worship. More than 500,000 Yezidi remain in Iraq which is the site of their temple.

[Times photo: Jamie Francis]