Nomad Tribes
Nomad Women
Nomads
have always played an important role in the Iranian society. It is
estimated that there are about one and a half million nomads in Iran,
extending from the border of Turkmenistan to the warm waters of the
Persian Gulf. These tribes include; Bakhtiyaris in the midwest, the
Gilakis in the northern part (on the Caspian Sea Coast), Baloochis, in
the east part of the country, Lurs, and Kurds in the west and
northwestern part of Iran. These were the inhabitants who, in the first
millennium B.C., swept down from Central Asia and settled in various
parts of the Iranian Plateau.
There are many divisions and sub-divisions for each of the main tribes.
In the modern Iranian society and with the expansion of education and
better communications the young generation of Iranian nomads have made
great progress supplying very intelligent engineers, medical doctors and
scientists. Currently, there are over one hundred different tribes, each
with its own dialect, and traditional dress. Here are a short accounts of
some of the major nomadic tribes of Iran:
Nomad
Tents
Afshar and
Shahsevan Tribes:
These two tribes have arrived
in Iran in two different periods under the rules of Saljughs and the
Mongols in the 11th and 13th centuries respectively. Afshars have their
summer quarters on the slopes of the Sabalan mountain at 4,860 meters
(Azarbaijan), between Lake Oroomiyeh, Ghazvin and Hamedan. In winter
quarter however, they move toward the Moghan district, near the Caspian
Coast. Some Afshar tribes are also scattered in areas between Cities of
Kerman and Bandar-e- Abbas in southern Iran.
Shahsevans on the other hand, are living in the northeastern Azarbaijan
province. They were organized by Shah Abbas I in the 17th century as a
militia from tribes of diverse origin. Mainly Turkish speaking, they were
used to put down rebellions of other tribes. They were divided between
Iranian Azarbaijan and the Russian and the former Soviet Azarbaijan after
the occupation of part of our country by the aggressive Russian forces
during the Ghajar dynesty.
Arab Tribes:
These tribes are scattered
along the Persian Gulf Coast and the Khoozestan region. Their most
important calns are; Ka'ab, Khamis and Tamim. A portion of these
population, who are mainly descendants of early emigrants, are living in
eastern province of Khorasan near Bojnoord, and in some places in Fars
province.
Bakhtiyari
Tribes:
They
dwell in the high grounds of Zard Kooh mountain (Zagros range to the west
of Isfahan) extending to the south of Isfahan, and around city of Shar-e-
Kurd, with winter quarter in Khoozestan. They are divided into two
groups; the Haft Lang and the Chahar Lang, subdivided in turn into
several tribes and sub-tribes or "tayefeh", most Bakhtiyaris
speak Persian or a Luri dilect, although part of the population
concentrated in the towns and villages in the south Khoozestan province,
speak Arabic. Their clothing, with trousers extraordinarily wide, round
hat and short tunic, is reminiscent of the Parthian period, 200 B.C, 280
A.D.
Balooch Tribes:
This tribe has originated in Khorasan, the
northeastern province of Iran. They are scattered and live in the Mokran
region far southeast of the country, a vast area from the Pakistan border
to the Iranian deserts. Their language is pure Persian. Nowadays however,
they mainly settled in urban centers such as Zahedan. The Balooch tribes
consist of many different smaller tribes, making their living out of
camel herding and agriculture.
Gilaki
Tribes:
These
tribes are among the most original tribes of Iran, speaking a pure
Persian dialect and dwelling in the maritime provinces of Iran. Their
number is dwindling, but their traces can still be seen in Telesh.
Nomads during their relocation
season
Kurdish
Tribes:
The
Kurdish people of Iran are residing in areas from the northwestern part
of the country to the Khoozestan region. Kurds are descendants of the
Indo-European tribes that arrived in Iran in the first millennium B.C.
They speak an old Persian dialect and regard themselves as the
descendants of the Medes. Kurds in Iran consist of many tribes,
most important of which are; the northern Kurds of Makoo and northeastern
Azarbaijan province; the Mahabad Kurds, dwelling in the area between Lake
Oroomiyeh and the mountains of Kurdestan and the Khorasan; the kurds of
Sanandaj with sub-division in Paveh, and Saghez; the Kurds of Kermanshah,
from the Zagros mountains to the Khoozestan.
Lur Tribes:
Lurs are
probably the most intact tribes of Iran, retaining their robustness,
virility, and tall stature. They are mostly cultivators and shepards.
They occupy the high grounds of Lurestan, south of Kurdestan, and
Kermanshah provinces. The Lursare thought to be a division of the ancient
Kurds, both tribes being considered true descendants of the Medes. The
Mamassani Lurs dwelling in western mountains of Fars province form one of
the most important clans.
Ghashghayi
Tribes:
These Turkish-speaking tribesmen and tribeswomen
represent a dominant ethno-linguistic The Lursare group, and historically
the most important tribes, dwell among the high mountains of Fars
province. Traditionally, they wintered on pastures in the foothills of
the Zagros to south and west of Shiraz, near the Persian Gulf, and moved
north to the mountains in the spring. Their dress is almost the same as
that of the Bakhtiyaris, except for the hat.
Turkman
Tribes:
They
are the descendants of the Mongols who arrived in Iran very early on, in
the 11th century A.D. They live in the northeast part of the country,
north of Khorasan and east of Mazandaran province. They dwell on the vast
flat lands of Turkmansahra, which is situated between the Caspian Coast
and the southern mountains. Today, they constitute the most active
agriculturists and fishermen of the region.
|
