نشریه مطالعات ملی
سال پنجم شماره 1 (پیاپی 17، بهار 1383)

The present article in the first place is an attempt to examine the climatic, economic and sociopolitical factors influencing the emergence, evolution and continuation of the nomadic life in Iran. Also the geographical features of the dispersion of the nomadic communities, which constitutes about 60 percent of the Iranian terrain, are explained in this article. A focal point of the present article is the trend of changes and developments in the nomadic population of Iran from 1921 to 1979. Attempts have been made to rely on some indicators of human development in the nomadic areas, some of which include education, literacy, migration and its changes, economy, exploitation system, handicrafts, talents and capabilities, challenges and limitations, and the prospects of the nomadic society.

The traditional social structure which manifests the power structure is a centuries-old historical phenomenon. In order to study this phenomenon one has to define the society accommodating this structure, that is, the nomadic society or community of Iran. What kind of community is this and what is its place within the framework of the entire Iranian society? The present article in the first place tries to make a distinction between the rural and nomadic society. Hence three criteria have been forwarded for a nomadic society, that is, its tribal structure, common territory, and tribal self-consciousness. Attempts have been made to study the structural and nomadic strata of Iran from sociological and anthropological points of view, particularly the tribes of Buyer Ahmad. Specifically their social structures and their political power structures are studied and their social structures have been compared with those of the Qashqai, Kurdish Bakhtiyari, Turkomen, and Arab tribes of Khuzestan. At the end the political power structures of the said tribes have been studies and analyzed in this article.

One of the outstanding features of today’s world is increasing level of attachment and identity awareness which is the outcome of a two-way process: one the one hand globalization tries, particularly in the cultural field, to eliminate small, peripheral cultures; and on the other, there are local resistances against the globalization. At the same time, caught in the above-mentioned two-sided process, various urban, rural and nomadic lifestyles change man’s relations with the environment, bringing them within the political frameworks (i.e., power relations). The present article is an attempt to offer an Iranian model of urban and nomadic life styles in order to elaborate its theoretical aspects as well as the consequences of this relation at the local level which are related to some problems in elucidation of national identity and making the central plans practical at local level. The Lurestan Province and the city of Khorramabad are an ideal example and through the garnered data from these places, the issue may be discussed comprehensively.

The interests of the Lurs in Shahnameh over the centuries has undergone changes under the influence of several factors, some of which are discussed below. Some of these reasons include the simplicity and liveliness of the Persian language, a kind of commonality of language and understanding, epical nature of Shahnameh, the seven hurdles Rustam faced, the lifestyle of the camp of heroes, the feeling of being a co-traveler of the heroes and coexisting with them in the difficult environmental conditions, dynastical system and social relations of the heroes of Shahnameh, a kind of common feeling of having the same structure, cultural similarities, type of some ceremonies, and the feeling of having the same religion among the figures of Shahnameh and the Lur nomads. These feelings are so strong among some Lur tribes and communities that they attribute the genealogy of some of the heroes of Shahnameh to themselves. Due to its widespread popularity among the Lurs, Shahnameh has several functions, some of which are enumerated below. Shahnameh is used for education, spending leisure times, exciting the warriors at the time of battle, spreading the language and establishing relations with other ethnic communities, psychiatric functions, and finally christening or naming the children. The main question is: how can one be a pioneer in the modern developments and carry the mission of “old” Ferdowsi and the “young” Shahnameh?

Relying on some authentic sources about Baluchistan, the present article tries to show that the Baluchis did not live in that territory before the advent of Islam. On the basis of some documents, the Baluchis are the Arians who had earlier settled in northern Iran – probably on the Alborz Mountain steppes. They had played outstanding roles in the ancient Iranian Army. However they had to migrate to the mountains of Kerman during the reign of Khosrow Anushiravan. Relying on the works of Arabic-writing geographers, the present article maintains that the Baluchis were the followers of Shiism when they settled in the mountains of Kerman. Relying on the language, poetry and music of the Baluchis as well as a study of their beliefs, attempts have been made to show their cultural commonalities with the main motherland. Over the past 50 to 60 years, under the influence of the campaign of the elite and those educated outside Iran, the Baluchis have become alienated with their traditions, values and probably their old superstitions.

Nomadism and livestock breeding are two old traditions in Iran. In the present article, in the first place the stages of the evolution of mans culture and the place of nomadism in the process of this evolution have been discussed and then the role of the nomads in Iran from political, cultural and economic points of view has been analyzed. Attempts have been made to shed light on the reasons for the decline of nomadism in Iran within the framework of the crisis of nomadism, industrial revolution and its consequences, and critical study of the impact of Western culture in Iran. The compulsory settlement of nomads, disarmament and disintegration of the political power structure of the tribes, and delegation of the power of tribes to the government agencies are among some of the reasons for this decline and disintegration. Attempts have made also to study the impact of the Islamic Revolution on the nomadic lifestyle and also the developments in this process in Iran.

The cultural relations between the Iranians and Armenians go back to 2800 years ago, connecting the deep-rooted cultural ties between the two communities. The Armenian territory is the extension of the Iranian plane. Both the communities moved from the first birthplace of the Arians and settled in the present territories. The Armenian language has an inextricable connection with the Persian language. The ancient Armenian names are original Achaemenid and Ashkanid names. The Armenians and Iranians had a common religion during the Achaemenid and Ashkanid rules. They had also common festivals some of which are 2700 years old. Today the Armenians hold these festivals within the framework of Christianity. No two communities are as close as the Iranians and Armenians. In fact, they constitute a single family. The present article is an attempt to shed light on some aspects of cultural relations between the two communities.