Movri (tribe)
طایفه موری | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Total population | |
| Unknown (one of the larger Bakhtiari clans) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Iran: Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Khuzestan, Isfahan Afghanistan: Herat, Balkh, Samangan | |
| Languages | |
| Bakhtiari dialect | |
| Religion | |
| Officially Shia Islam |
The Movri (Persian: طایفه موری) is one of the major and well-known Iranian tribes of the Bakhtiari people, part of the Haft Lang branch, and one of the seven main clans of Duraki Bab.[1] The tribe's name is an eponym, drawn from its ancestor, "Movri".[2][3][4]
Distribution
The primary homeland of the Movri tribe in Iran was in the Upper Bazoft area of Koohrang in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province. Historical events, including the discovery of oil in the 20th century, led some Movri groups to migrate to Masjed Soleyman, Andika, Izeh, Shushtar, other areas of Khuzestan Province, and even Isfahan.[5]
Earlier, during the reign of Nader Shah, many Bakhtiari migrated to Kandahar; about 500 of them were from the Movri clan. They settled in Afghanistan, gradually adopting Dari Persian with a Herati dialect.[6][7] Like their relatives in western Iran, they maintained a nomadic lifestyle.[3]
Social structure
The Movri tribe, like other Bakhtiari clans, is organized into hierarchical units such as families, sub-tribes, lineages, and clans. Notable lineages include:[2]
- Ali-Janwand
- Gharibwand
- Gourdaguni
- Avarwand
- Hasanwand
- Abdeh-wand
- Eydiwand
- Qasem-Aliwand
- Karimwand
- Mohammadwand
- Kartalai
- Bovri
- ...
Lifestyle
Today, some Movri families continue a nomadic lifestyle. They spend summers in mountainous areas such as Bazoft and winters in warmer regions including Andika, Masjed Soleyman, Shushtar, and Izeh. Seasonal migration can cover distances up to 300 kilometers.[8][4]
Culture and heritage
Movri people, like other Bakhtiari tribes, maintain traditional culture, music, ritual dances such as Choobazi, and traditional Bakhtiari clothing. Historically, the use of Sang-Shir (stone markers) on the graves of elders denoted social status.[3][2]
Historical role
The Bakhtiari, especially the Haft Lang branch that includes the Movri clan, were active in the Persian Constitutional Revolution. Leaders from various Bakhtiari clans, including Movri, participated, including cavalry units accompanying Ali-Qoli Khan Sardār Asad on the march to Tehran.[4][9][2]
References
- ↑ "BAḴTĪĀRĪ TRIBE". Encyclopaedia Iranica. Retrieved 2025-11-15.
- 1 2 3 4 Naseri Karimvand, Ali Hemmat (2006). Genealogy of the Movri Clan of the Bakhtiari Tribe (in Persian). Dar Al-Nashr Islami. p. 466.
- 1 2 3 An Insight into the Bakhtiari Tribe (in Persian). Ayat Cultural Institute. 1997. p. 600.
- 1 2 3 Yousefi Avarwand, Ali Dad (2023). A Look at the History of Bakhtiari from the Elamite Era to Pahlavi Era (in Persian). Norouzi. p. 286.
- ↑ Pirdigar, Jean (1987). Nomadic Techniques of the Bakhtiari. pp. 149–169.
- ↑ Richard Tapper, ed. (1983). Tribe and State in Iran and Afghanistan. Routledge. p. 230. ISBN 978-0-415-61056-8.
- ↑ Avruch, Kevin (1984). "The Conflict of Tribe and State in Iran and Afghanistan". American Anthropologist. doi:10.1525/aa.1984.86.3.02a00440.
- ↑ Mirza Zol-Soltan, Masoud (1989). Journey to the Land of Bakhtiari. p. 69.
- ↑ Mouri, Haj Kianoush (2005). Genealogy and Memoirs of the Movri Dorki Tribe. pp. 47–48.