Following the warm breeze, the colorful and cheerful members of the Kurdish nomad tribes relocate their living settlements by the turning of the season, all in order to better accommodate and raise their lively herd. This interesting group of Persian nomads reside along the most northern parts of the Zagros Mountains; West Azerbaijan through Kermanshah and Khorasan through Golestan provinces. The very essence, colors, livelihood of the nature they reside in is completely reflected in their spirits, clothing and folklore! Come along with goingIRAN to learn and discover more about these fascinating ancient people!
The Kurdish nomads, although seemingly quite free spirited and unbound, are quite a vital component to their surrounding economies. Herding goats and sheep as their main sources of income, they are known to be providing quite a high amount of product. In some provinces, they are providing up to 30% of the entire provinces meat supply! Although on paper this may sound like a giant corporation, as witnessed in the west, the truth is quite the contrary! The numbers seen here are a result of the tens of thousands of nomads, living an ancient lifestyle. One that they, and their ancestors, have always lived only now in increased numbers.
These fantastic and bright spirited individuals are very well known for their very unique folklore: foods, clothing, cultural traditions, music, and games. Their diets consist of mainly vegetarian ingredients (including dairy) and only eating meat on special occasions. The very colorful and intricate clothing styles of these tribes belong mainly to the women. They wear ensembles that incorporate many decorative and colorful headdresses, scarves, skirts, and gowns. Alike many other nomadic tribes, their dwellings are very spacious and integrated. Being relatively larger in number, they have also developed well-organized spaces for storage (dried goods, grains, feed…etc.)
If you are a fan of deep rooted folklore, Persian culture and awe-inspiring singing and music, visiting these tribes should definitely be high up on your list!
Photo by Mahsa Jamali