Iranians in Bahrain
| Total population |
|---|
| 100,000 (According to Ali Akbar Bushahri)[1] |
| Languages |
| Religion |
|
Predominantly Twelver Shi'a Islam |
| Related ethnic groups |
|
Persians, Iranian Arabs, Lurs, Qashqai, Pakistanis in Bahrain |
The Iranians in Bahrain or Ajam (Arabic: عجم) are a community of Persians in Bahrain. They have traditionally been merchants living in a specific quarters of Manama and Muharraq. They mostly adhere to the Shia sect of Islam. In the Manama Souq, many Ajam are clustered in the neighborhoods of Mushbir and Fareeq el-Makharqa.
Contents |
[edit] History
The immigration of Persians to Bahrain might have begun when the Greek Seleucid kingdom which was ruling Bahrain at the time fell and the Persian Empire invaded the Bahrain islands, but it is often said that it started during the 1600s in a time when Abbas I of Persia invaded Bahrain. After settling in Bahrain, the Persians were effectively Arabized, even having Arabic patronymics. They usually settled in areas inhabited by the indigenous Baharna, probably because they share the same Shia Muslim faith, however, some Sunni Ajam settled in areas mostly inhabited by Sunni Arab immigrants such as Hidd and Galali. In Muharraq, they have their own neighborhood called Fareej Karimi named after a rich Ajami man called Ali Abdulla Karimi. Many Ajam intermarried with the Baharna and the Sunni Arab immigrants which is why they speak either Bahrani Arabic or Gulf Arabic.
In the 1905 census, there were 1650 Bahraini citizens with Persian ancestry.
Ali Bushahri estimates that the Ajami population is about 100,000 or 20% of 550,000 Bahraini citizens. (Not the whole population)
[edit] Immigration to Bahrain in the early 20th century
Nasser Hussain says that many Iranians fled their native country in the early 20th century due to a law king Reza Shah issued which banned women from wearing the hijab, or because they feared for their lives after fighting the English, or to find jobs. They were coming to Bahrain from Bushere. This was between 1920 to 1940. It takes 18 hours to arrive at Bahrain by boat from Bushere.[2]
[edit] Language
They speak southern Persian dialects distinctive to the cities they have originated from, e.g.: Lari, tajiki kalani, lori kalani, etc. For example:
- "Why" in official Persian dialect is "baráye che" (Persian: برای چه؟) while in southern Persian dialect is "seche" (Persian: سیچه؟)
- "Money" in official Persian dialect is "Púl" (Persian: پول) while in southern Persian dialect is "payse" (Persian: پِیسه)
- "Do you want water?" in official Persian dialect is "áb mikháhi" (Persian: آب می خواهی؟) while in southern Persian dialect is "ow mikhay" (Persian: اُو مي خای؟)
In addition to this, many names of ancient villages in Bahrain are in Persian. It is said that these names were influenced during the Safavid rule of Bahrain (1501–1722). i.e. Karbabad, Salmabad, Karzakan, Duraz, Barbar, etc., which indicates that the history of the Ajams is much older. The local Arabic dialects of Bahrain had also borrowed many words from the Persian language in the past, examples are chandal (woods used in constructing the roof of old buildings), baadgeer (towers with single or two, three or four sided openings above dwellings in order to let wind air into the building to create a current and hence cool the air inside the lower floor rooms), noghida [never heard this word, perhaps meant to be Naakhodaa, meaning the captain of a sea vessel (head of a pearl diving crew).
[edit] Food
One of the notable local delicacies of the Persians in Bahrain is "Mahyaveh" , consumed in Southern Iran as well , is a watery earth brick coloured sauce made from sardines and consumed with bread or other food. Persians are known and are famous in bahrain for bread-making . Another local delicacy is "Pishoo" made from rose water (Golab) and agar agar . Other food items consumed are similar to Persian cuisine.
[edit] Notable people
- Ghada Jamshir (Arabic:غادة جمشير), women rights activist
- Zainab Ghulum Al Askari (Arabic:زينب غلوم العسكري), author and actress
- Lulwa Al Awdhi (Arabic:لولوة العوضي), lawyer
- Majeed Karimi (Arabic:مجيد كريمي), a member of Al Wefaq
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Fuccaro, Nelida (2005), "Mapping the transnational community: Persians and the space of the city in Bahrain c.1869-1937", in Al-Rasheed, Madawi, Transnational Connections and the Persian Gulf, Routledge, pp. 39–74, ISBN 9780415331357
[edit] External links
- Ajam Al Bahrain
- Ajam Al Bahrain Group
- Forum for Bahrain Ajam
- Ajam AlBahrain
- Matam Al Ajam Al Kabeer, officially recognised in 1881
- Matam Al Ajam Al Kabeer
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