Basseri Tribe of Iran
Basseri of Iran
NAME
CLASS
June 8, 2011
Life of the Basseri of Iran Spread throughout the mountainous regions in Iran live the tribal people better known as the Basseri. Iranian Basseri’s are a “pastoralist tribe that practice under a chiefdom under leaders known as Khans of various villages” (Nowak & Laird, 2010). Basseri people have the means to self-govern and reside in small settlements while raising their families and animals on the open ranges of Iran. Basseri pastoralists have a culture that is deeply rooted in a chiefdom that roams the region in small bands of tent villages. The tribe is pastoral since they don’t raise their own crops and all the cattle, sheep and goats to graze the land and they depend on the animals for their primary means of food. Everything that the Basseri do is central to the animals that they raise and kinship is vital to their society. Purpose of this paper will to explain the Basseri primary modes of substance are their cultural beliefs, kinship, leadership, and economics of the tribe. Each mode has an important role with how the Basseri society has endured for so long in this region of the world.
CULTURE
Basseri tribal people live in a region known as the “land of nomadic tribes” within Iran (Marx, 1977). The region is idea for pastoral nomadic tribes and fits their livelihoods in agriculture with vast areas of open land for animals to graze on and abundance of wildlife for food. Since they do not grow crops and all the cattle, sheep and goats to graze for feed, the animals are their primary means of food. Life as a pastoral society is defined as “those who regularly move in search of naturally occurring grass and water” to feed their herded animals (Nowak & Laird, 2010). The Basserie’s control all aspects of their herding operation. While agriculture is their way of life, there are times when it is necessary for members of the band to work outside the village to earn. Tribal
NAME
CLASS
June 8, 2011
Life of the Basseri of Iran Spread throughout the mountainous regions in Iran live the tribal people better known as the Basseri. Iranian Basseri’s are a “pastoralist tribe that practice under a chiefdom under leaders known as Khans of various villages” (Nowak & Laird, 2010). Basseri people have the means to self-govern and reside in small settlements while raising their families and animals on the open ranges of Iran. Basseri pastoralists have a culture that is deeply rooted in a chiefdom that roams the region in small bands of tent villages. The tribe is pastoral since they don’t raise their own crops and all the cattle, sheep and goats to graze the land and they depend on the animals for their primary means of food. Everything that the Basseri do is central to the animals that they raise and kinship is vital to their society. Purpose of this paper will to explain the Basseri primary modes of substance are their cultural beliefs, kinship, leadership, and economics of the tribe. Each mode has an important role with how the Basseri society has endured for so long in this region of the world.
CULTURE
Basseri tribal people live in a region known as the “land of nomadic tribes” within Iran (Marx, 1977). The region is idea for pastoral nomadic tribes and fits their livelihoods in agriculture with vast areas of open land for animals to graze on and abundance of wildlife for food. Since they do not grow crops and all the cattle, sheep and goats to graze for feed, the animals are their primary means of food. Life as a pastoral society is defined as “those who regularly move in search of naturally occurring grass and water” to feed their herded animals (Nowak & Laird, 2010). The Basserie’s control all aspects of their herding operation. While agriculture is their way of life, there are times when it is necessary for members of the band to work outside the village to earn. Tribal
References: Bradburd, D. (1997). Nomads and Their Trade Partners: Historical Context and Trade Relations in Southwest Iran, 1840-1975. American Ethnologist, 24(4), 895-909. Retrieved October 8, 2011, from JSTOR database. Coon, C. S. (1962), Nomads of South Persia: The Basseri Tribe of the Khamseh Confederacy. Fredrik Barth. American Anthropologist, 64: 636–638. Retrieved October 15, 2011, from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1525/aa.1962.64.3.02a00230/citedby Effland, R., & MacNider, B. (2001). Egalitarian Hierarchies. Anthropology, Retrieved from http://www.mesacc.edu/dept/d10/asb/anthro2003/glues/leadership.html Johnson, R. (1996) "Basseri." Encyclopedia of World Cultures. Retrieved October 8, 2011 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3458001469.html Nowak, B. & Laird, P. (2010). Cultural Anthropology. (Ashford University ed.). California: Bridgepoint Education. Marx, E. (1977). The Tribe as a Unit of Subsistence: Nomadic Pastoralism in the Middle East. American Anthropologist, 79(2), 343-363. Retrieved October 5, 2011, from JSTOR database Salzman, C., Street, B., & Wright, S. (1995). Understanding Tribes in Iran and Beyond. The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, 1(2), 399-406. Retrieved October 8, 2011, from JSTOR database.