Qashqai

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For the language, see Qashqai language.

Qashqai (also spelled Ghashghai, Qashqay, Kashgai and Qashqa'i) are a tribal confederation of clans of Turkic origin in Iran. They mainly live in the provinces of Fars, Khuzestan and southern Isfahan, but especially around the city of Shiraz in Fars.

The Qashqai were originally nomadic pastoralists and some remain so today. The traditional nomadic Qashqai travelled with their flocks each year from the summer highland pastures north of Shiraz roughly 480 km or 300 mi south to the winter pastures on lower (and warmer) lands near the Persian Gulf, to the southwest of Shiraz. The majority, however, have now settled, or are partially settled. The trend towards settlement has been increasing markedly since the 1960s.

The Qashqai are made up of a number of tribes and sub-tribes including the Amalaeh, Darreh-Shuri, Kashkuli, Shesh(6) Baluki, Farsimadan, Qaracheh, Rahimi and Safi -Khani.

History

Historically, the Qashqai came from Central Asia, and were probably among the Turkic groups that arrived in Iran in the 11th or 12th centuries. Some of these groups began to identify themselves as Qashqai in the 18th century or possibly earlier. Although mostly of Turkic stock, and speaking a Turkic language, they also include elements of Lur, Kurdish, and Arabic origin.

However, according to the Columbia Encyclopedia, the Qashqai, as well as other migrant ethnic groups of the region, are of the "least mixed descent of the original Iranians."^*

The Qashqai were a significant political force in Iran during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. During World War II the Qahsqais organized resistance against the British occupation forces and received some help from the Germans, once again becoming the major political force in southern Persia. In 1946 there was a major rebellion of a number of tribal confederacies, including the Qashqais, who fought valiantly until the invading Russians were repelled. The last major revolt was in the 1960s, but was soon brutally suppressed.

Qashqai carpets and weavings

The Qashqai are renowned for their magnificent pile carpets and other woven wool products. The wool produced in the mountains and valleys near Shiraz is exceptionally soft and beautiful and takes a deeper color than wool from other parts of Iran. Qashqai saddlebags, adorned with colorful geometric designs, are considered to be the finest available.

References

Bennett, Ian, ed. 1978. Rugs & Carpets of the World. Quarto Ltd., London. Reprint: Ferndale Editions, 1981. ISBN 0-905-746-24-4.
Beck, Lois. 1986. The Qashqa'i of Iran. New Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN 030-00321-2-9
Hawley, Walter A. 1913. Oriental Rugs: Antique and Modern. Reprint: Dover Publications, New York. 1970. ISBN 0486223663.
Kiani, M. 1999. Departing for the Anemone: Art in Gashgai Tribe. Kian nashr Publications, Shiraz. ISBN 964-91200-0-9.(This beautiful book has hundreds of photos, both black and white and colored, illustrating daily life of the Qashqi people, their rugs and weaving. The text is in Persian but the color photos also have English captions).

External links

www.qashqai.net(An excellent site containing information on the history, woven arts, poetry, society and an extensive bibliography).
A personal site on the Qashqai (A good background introduction to Qashqai history and society.)
"Qashqai" on the Encyclopedia Iranica A detailed and authoritative entry on this tribe and their history

Images

Image:Qashqai woven patterns.jpg|Qashqai saddlebags Image:Qashqai women weaving carpet.jpg|Qashqai women weaving carpet

Central Asia | Ethnic groups in Iran | Pastoralists

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Qashqai".

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