Document Type : Research Paper

Author

• Hasan Beik Mohammadi

Member of Faculty, University of Isfahan

Abstract

Nomadic lifestyle has a long history in Iran and the nomadic community is among the major producers of livestock in the country. Iran's nomadic society, although comprising only 2% of the population, contributes to the provision of a large part of the country's livestock production. A part of Zagros Highlands in Isfahan, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari and Khuzestan provinces are located within the Bakhtiari dominions; the Bakhtiari community, with about thirty-five thousand households and less than three million livestock, possessing 10.7% of rangelands of the country, is one of the most famous nomadic communities in Iran. The Muri and Qandali tribes from Durki Bab Il, are one of the seven famous Haft Lange-Bakhtiari tribes, some of which are located in the villages of Bazoft and Doab Samsami in the cities of Farsan and Ardal, and other ones still live and practice livestock breeding in the Chahar Mahal and Bakhtiari Summer residences and eastern Khuzestan’s winter settlements.
The economy of these clans was originally based on livestock breeding, then agriculture, crafts and trade; in recent decades, due to many economic, social and cultural problems, they have spontaneously tended to settle. Research has shown that the nomads of the region are so struck by economic and livelihood difficulties that they have chosen to settle despite their renowned patience.
In this article, the author intends to study and analyze some corners of the economic-livelihood bases of the Bakhtiari tribes by using field, descriptive and analytical research methods, and to provide courses of action for planning the development of lives of the region’s nomads, elimination of socio-economic constraints in their lives and utilization of positive environmental potentials of the region.