Bakhtiaris

The Bakhtiari (also spelled Bakhtiyari; Persian:بختیاری) are a Lur tribe from Iran. They speak the Bakhtiari dialect of the Luri language.

Bakhtiaris primarily inhabit Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari and eastern Khuzestan, Lorestan, Bushehr, and Isfahan provinces. Bakhtiari tribes have an especially large population concentration in the cities of Masjed Soleyman, Izeh, Shahr-e Kord, and Andika, and the surrounding villages.

A small percentage of Bakhtiari are still nomadic pastoralists, migrating between summer quarters (''sardsīr'' or ''yaylāq'') and winter quarters (''garmsīr'' or ''qishlāq'').

Population

Some sources estimate the population of Bakhtiari lors in the whole country to be around 3 to 6 million people.Some other sources have estimated the population of Il Bakhtiari at 4 million people..In the Bakhtiarika book, the population of monolingual Bakhtiari is estimated at 2 million, and the population of bilingual Bakhtiari plus those who have forgotten their mother tongue is estimated at nearly 2 million (total of 4 million people).

Origins

Although there have been several suggested theories for the origin of the Bakhtiyaris, historians and researchers generally agree that they are Lurs. According to folklore, the Lurs are descended from a group of youngsters who survived and fled from the demon Zahhak, a demonic figure who is mentioned in Zoroastrian mythology, as well as the ''Shahnameh''. They took shelter in Zardkuh and Kuhrang, where they named themselves Lur ("nomadic"). Due to their luck of escaping danger throughout their history, they called themselves ''bakhtiyar'' ("fortunate"). In scholarship, it has been suggested Bakhtiyaris are descended from the Uxian tribe, who clashed with the Macedonian king Alexander the Great () in Khuzestan 330 BC.

A second theory suggests that the Bakhtiyaris were originally from Fars, but were settled to the north of Isfahan and Khuzestan after the legendary king Kay Khosrow conquered Media. A third theory suggests that the Bakhtiyaris were descended from the Mardi, a nomadic warrior tribe that lived around the Caspian coast of northern Iran. Due to the close resemblance to the names Bakhtiyari and Bakhtari (Bactrian), some historians have suggested that the Bakhtiyaris are descended from the Greeks who ruled over Bactria. The resemblance between Bakhtiyari and Greek dance has been used as further proof. Other historians consider the Bakhtiyaris to have resided in their area for a long time, and that they named themselves after the ancient Persian word ''Bakhtar'' ("the West") due to their geographical position.

Another theory supported by some historians is that the Bakhtiyaris are descended from Izz al-Dawla Bakhtiyar (), the Buyid ruler of Iraq. The name of the latter is first attestation of the word Bakhtiyar. The Bakhtiyaris themselves consider their name to be derived from the word Bakhtiyarwand, the name of the offspring of Bakhtiyar, a distinguished figure of Lur-i Buzurg (Greater Lur).

Genetics

According to research into NRY markers, the Bakhtiari, as with many other groups in Iran, show very elevated frequencies for Y-DNA haplogroup J2— a trait common for Eurasian populations, likely originating in Anatolia and the Caucasus The Southwest Eurasian haplogroups F, G, and T1a also reach substantial frequency among Bakhtiaris.Nasidze, I., Quinque, D., Rahmani, M., Alemohamad, S. A. and Stoneking, M. (2008), Close Genetic Relationship Between Semitic-speaking and Indo-European-speaking Groups in Iran. Annals of Human Genetics, 72: 241–252.

Etymology

The term ''bakhtiari'' can be best translated as "companion of fortune" or "bearer of good luck"
The term has deep Persian roots, and is the result of two smaller words ''bakht'' and ''yar'' complied together. ''Bakht'' is the Persian word for "fortune" and ''yar'', ''iar'', ''iari'' literally means "companion".

The latter designation largely relates to the nature of the tribe's annual "migration". This has to do with the harsh nature of Bakhtiari life, and overcoming of countless difficulties that Bakhtiaris have faced in the Zagros ranges. In this sense, Bakhtiaris view themselves as a hardworking tribe, facing numerous obstacles every day, and yet fortunate enough to overcome each of these challenges as a solid unit.

Nevertheless, the origins of Bakhtiaris are ancient, and it may have very well been the case that the tribe underwent a series of name changes throughout its history. However it is mostly claimed that the designation "Bakhtiari" came largely into use some time in antiquity.

In ''The Ascent of Man'', Jacob Bronowski states that "The Bakhtiari take their name from a legendary herdsman of Mongol times, Bakhtyar," who according to a Bakhtiari origin myth is "the father of heirpeople". Bronowski points out similarities between Bakhtyar and the Israelite Jacob, who was also the ancestral patriarch of his nomadic people and a herdsman who had two wives.

History

In , Lorestan was split up into realms; Lur-i Buzurg (Greater Lur) and Lur-i Kuchak (Lesser Lur). The Bakhtiyaris are first attested in history in the early 15th-century. In 1413, the arrival of several Bakhtiyari clans such as the Astarki, Kutwand, Raki, Janaki and Zallaki are mentioned by the Timurid-era historian Mu'in al-Din Natanzi. Under the Safavids, Lur-i Kuchak became known as Luristan-i Fili, while Lur-i Buzurg (extending from Isfahan to Kohgiluyeh and from Shushtar to Behbahan) became Bakhtiyari land. In 1566, Shah Tahmasp I () selected the Astarki chieftain Tajmir as ''ilkhan'' of the Bakhtiyari. He was, however, later killed and succeeded by Jahangir Khan Bakhtiyari, who is responsible for splitting the Bakhtiyaris into two groups, the Haft Lang and Chahar Lang. By the time of the reign of Shah Abbas I (), the northern part of Lur-i Buzurg became known as Bakhtiyari.

Constitutional Revolution: In Iran's contemporary history, the Bakhtiari have played a significant role; particularly during the advent of the country's Constitutional Revolution (1905–1907). This event was largely secured through the Bakhtari campaign, which eventually deposed Mohammad Ali Shah Qajar (r. 1907–1909). The Bakhtiari tribesmen, under the leadership of the Haft Lang khans Sardar Assad and his brother Najaf Qoli Khan Bakhtiari- Saad ad-Daula (also referred to as Samsam-os Saltane), captured Tehran and, as a result, saved the revolution. These events eventually led to the abdication of Mohammad Ali Shah Qajar (r. 1907–1909) in 1909, and his exile to Russia. This incident secured Saad ad-Daula the position of Prime Minister in the period that followed the abdication of the Qajar Shah. Nonetheless, with Russian backing, the Shah would soon return in 1911 by landing with a coalition of forces at Astarabad . p. 285-286 However, his efforts to reclaim his throne would bear no fruit. In this sense, the Bakhtiaris played a critical role in saving the revolution from the Qajar forces.

World War I: During the Persian campaign of 1915, the German agent Wilhelm Wassmus traveled to Bushehr under the protection of Bakhtiara Khan. Paradoxically, it was the Bakhtiari tribe that the British entrusted with guarding the Persian oil pipeline at Karun, for which they were paid very handsomely. At the same time, the British hoped to make the tribe a reliable ally.

Pahlavi Period: With the expansion of Bakhtiari influence, urban elites (particularly in Tehran) began to worry in regards to a potential Bakhtiari takeover of Persia's affairs. Prior to this point, the Bakhtiari had largely remained within their own territorial boundaries. The Bakhtiari influence would continue to play an important role within the early 20th century politics of Iran. Reza Shah Pahlavi (r. 1925–1941) made the destruction of the Bakhtiari influence his mission. The existence of oil on Bakhtiari territory further motivated the Pahlavi monarch to undermine the autonomy of the tribe, and force its population to adhere to the commands of the central government. Reza Shah Pahlavi would eventually execute a few noteworthy tribal leaders to crush Bakhtiari autonomy and maintain control over the tribe. Amongst the executed Khans was Mohammad Reza Khan (Sardar-e-Fateh), whose son later became the Pahlavi Prime Minister Shapour Bakhtiar. The latter event was a turning point for Bakhtiari and their rise within Iranian politics.

Music

The Bakhtiari are noted in Iran for their music which inspired Russian composer Alexander Borodin.

Culture

Livelihood and dwellings

Bakhtiari nomads migrate twice a year with their herds for pasture: in spring to the mountains in their summer quarters (sardsīr or yaylāq), and in autumn to valleys and the plains in their winter quarters (garmsīr or qishlāq). The livestock the Bakhtiari mainly raise are goats, sheep, horses, and cattle. However, some Bakhtiari also engage in agricultural occupations, and mostly cultivate wheat and other cereal grains. Nomadic Baktiari rely on trading and bartering with nearby villages and populations to obtain products they don't have or are unable to create themselves (like agricultural goods). Temporary dwellings for the Bakhtiari include rectangular tents or brush or wood shelters. These types of dwellings are used when moving their herds around. Recently, some Bakhtiari have urbanized and began to settle in large villages and even in cities.

Language, gender, and religion

Shia Islam is the main religion followed by both the nomadic and sedentary Bakhtiaris. However, according to a Shia cleric in Iran some Bakhtiari Lurs have converted to Zoroastrianism in recent years.

Despite the patriarchal nature of Bakhtiari society, women enjoy a rather high degree of freedom. This was because of their importance in the Bakhtiari economy as weavers, in which colorful and stylish designs on carpets made them very popular among buyers. However, after the Iranian Revolution of 1979, the Bakhtiari (along with Iranian society in general) underwent rapid changes so presently, Bakhtiari women do not have the same kind of privileges they had before the revolution.

Notable Bakhtiari people

* Ali Mardan Khan Bakhtiari (18th century) supreme chieftain
*Ali-Qoli Khan Bakhtiari (c. 1856–1917) Iranian revolutionary and a chieftain of the Bakhtiari Haft Lang tribe
* Bibi Maryam Bakhtiari (1874–1937) Iranian Lor Bakhtiari revolutionary and activist of the Iranian Constitutional Revolution. A military commander
*Hossein Gholi Khan Ilkhani (1821–1882) Iranian nobleman
* Khalil Esfandiary-Bakhtiary 1901–1983) Iranian politician and diplomat
*Laleh Bakhtiar (1938–2020) Iranian and American Islamic and Sufi scholar
* Najaf Qoli Khan Bakhtiari (1846–1930) Persian Prime Minister and a leader of the Iranian Constitutional Revolution
*Shapour Bakhtiar (1914–1991) Prime Minister of Iran
*Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiary (1932– 2001) Queen of Iran as the second wife of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
*Mohsen Rezaee (1954-) Iranian politician
*Toomaj Salehi (born 1990) rapper

See also

* Demographics of Iran
* Ethnic minorities in Iran
*Siege of Kandahar
* Yaylag

References

Further reading

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* Ali Quli Khan Sardar Assad and A. Sepehr. ''Tarikhe Bakhtiari: Khulasat al-asar fi tarikh al-Bakhtiyar (Intisharat-i Asatir)'' (The History of Bakhtiari). 766 pages. . Asatir, Iran, 1997. In Persian.
* Bakhtiari language summary
* Shapour Bakhtiar. ''Memoirs of Shapour Bakhtiar''. Habib Ladjevardi, ed. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 1996. 140 Pages. In Persian. .
* Soraya Esfandiary Bakhtiary. ''Le Palais des Solitudes''. France Loisirs, Paris, 1991. .
* Ali Morteza Samsam Bakhtiari. ''The Last of the Khans: The life of Morteza Quli Khan Samsam Bakhtiari.'' iUniverse, New York, 2006. 215 pages. .
* in particular bullet point 2 on the role of Soraya Bakhtiari; compare with her account in ''Le Palais des Solitudes'' cited above.
* Arash Khazeni, ''The Bakhtiyari Tribes in the Iranian Constitutional Revolution'', Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East, 25, 2, Duke University Press, 2005.
* Pierre Loti. ''Vers Ispahan''. Edition Calmann-Levy, Paris, 1925. 330 pages. Travelogue with Bakhtiari contact. See also Ross and Sackville-West from same period.
*
Out of copyright and available at dli.ernet.in
, Travelogue, see also Loti and Sackville-West from same period.
* Vita Sackville-West. ''Twelve Days: An account of a journey across the Bakhtiari Mountains in South-western Persia. Doubleday, Doran & Co., New York, 1928. 143 pages. Travelogue, see also Loti and Ross from same period.''
* F. Vahman and G. Asatrian, ''Poetry of the Baxtiārīs: Love Poems, Wedding Songs, Lullabies, Laments'', Copenhagen, 199

External links

BBC documentary describing Bakhtiari nomadism.
(The Ascent of Man by Dr Jacob Bronowski)

Minorities At Risk: Assessment for Bakhtiari in Iran


* A Bakhtiari folk-song sung by Shusha Guppy in the 1970s
''The Lor Youth''

* Web-page dedicated to the documentar

by D
Cima Sedigh
at Sacred Heart University.
Note: Some video clips as well as some production photographs of this documentary can be viewed through this web-page. The production photographs can directly be viewe
''here''

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bakhtiari People

Nomadic groups in Iran
Iranian nomads
Modern nomads
Pastoralists
Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province
Khuzestan province
Isfahan province
Luri tribes
Lorestan province