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| Major Ethnic Groups of Iran |
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 Uninhabited
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Turkmen Sahra (Persian: ترکمن صحرا, Turkmen: Türkmen sähra) that means Plain of Turkmens, is a region in the northeast of Iran near the Caspian Sea, bordering Turkmenistan, the majority of whose inhabitants are ethnic Turkmen. The biggest city is Gorgan which is dominated by Persian inhabitants though in recent years there has been immigration of Turkmen and Zabuli from southern Iran. Other cities of Turkmensahra are Gonbad called Kummet in Turkmen, Aqqala (Ak Qala), Kalaleh (Kelalal) and Gomishan (Kumushdepe), meaning the "silvery hill" in Turkmen, and Bandar Torkaman (Bender Turkmen), generally just called Bandar. Bandar Torkaman should not be confused with Bandar Gaz which is also a city in Turkmensahra but inhabited by Persians. There were according to Ethnologue over 2 million Turkmens in Turkmensahra in 1997;[1] according to the opposition of Iran of Turkmen origin there are 3 million Turkmens, but these figures are disputed.
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[edit] Society
Turkmens today in Turkmensahra live fairly modern lifestyles although the effects of religion and the Muslim way of life are visible. The economy is based on industry even if agriculture still plays a great role in some Turkmens' life, like in other places of Iran. The professions among Turkmens shows the pattern of a modern economy even if there are still some shortcomings due to lack of funding from the central authorities. The economic potential of Turkmensahra is big since a vast amount of oil was discovered early in the 1930. But since there was a deal with the Soviet Union that there would be no oil extraction from Turkmensahra there is not a oil industry at the moment.
Before the revolution in 1979 the Turkmens lived a economically richer life than other areas of Iran. Even if poverty exist in small portions most people lived and could afford material goods in home something unusually for some parts of Iran. During the Shah's time the difference between cities and villages was great. Going from city like Bandar Torkaman to a nearby village the difference were so vast that tourist felt like them were back in time. In villages there were no asphalt roads nor doctors that could examinate sick people. There were no electricy either to light up the town or the houses. People used donkey and horse to travel until about 30 years ago. Buses, taxis and private cars were found only in bigger cities. The literacy rate has also increased since the revolution; it was not unusual for older Turkmen women to be analphabets. Girls began to study in school after the revolution which was unusual back than in the Shah's period. All these differences shared between a city and village was common all over Iran during shahs period not excluded only to turkmensahra.
Other cultural traits can be seen as in the weddings were turkmens still practice several day weddings. An ancient tradition hailing back to the gökturks or even the hsiung-nu, asian huns. Todays turkmens have a bride fee were they bridgroom gives away a fee for taking the girls hand which in tradition the girls family provides even greater economical starting capital to the newly weds life. For example the bridegroom buys gold for the bride to wear in return the brides family buys daily life equiments to the new household.
The wedding itself used to be before the revolution several days were often all the relatives even clan members , and in some cases the whole village would turn up celebrate. Common traits was to have races were the winner would recive a price, it would be contest in göresh traditinal turkmen wrestling, horse race and more. Today those tradidtions have perished instead there are a modern segment like private weddings hold in western countries. Even thought the modern element has been introduced some people still have several day wedding. Instead of races they now today have private party for the bride and relatives, the bridegroom and one big celebration were relavites and friends are invited not the whole village like during the shahs period.
Turkmen today seem to loose thier traditions due to westernation and persianification of the socielty not excluded to turkmens but whole Iran. People tend to watch a lot of sateliette which has a great range of variety all from poltical to cultural and ginuwine entertainment.
Women are getting educated in a higher rate , even among traditional households. Among the generation after the revolution there isnt any who are analphabtes or illerate.
Other typical turkmen traditions are the assembly of elders were u consult the elders( aq saqal) before making a task, a tradition which isnt alive today.
[edit] History
Turkmens came first to the region at the time of their forefathers, the Seljuk Turks, thought early nomads empires has existed since the early age of massagets or even earlier. According to the avesta afrasiyab the legedary king of turan hailed from turkmensahra. Before the era of Reza Khan later Reza Shah, the communication between other Turkmen and those which were part of Turkmensahra was greater there was a landmass from khiva in north to Bandar gaz in south called were turkmens inhabited the area called Turkmenistan .Due to the great game and famous resistance of turkmens to great powers as czar Russia and England turkmens lost thier independence and thier country was split in two lands. After the gökdepe battle over one million turkmens fleed threw iran over to afghanistan were thier descents still live today.During the revolution of 1979 a group of turkmens took power over the region and hailed autonomy until 1982 when the second war of gonbad the turkmens lost against khomeinies troops. The first war of gonbad the turkmens showed thier ancient guerilla tactics which has been used through history all the way back since the Mongol invasion. Turkmens used guerilla tactics in first gonbad war to defeat khomeinies troops in the region, due to political reasons their started a second war and the turkmens lost simple because of the lack of same equiment as the regular army. Turkmens are considered by outsiders who visited their area to be generous, kind-hearted thought even having the trait of being hot-headed. Ahmad Shamlou, a famous Persian writer wrote a novel about a Turkmen character, Amin. He also indicated the generousity and kind-hearted spirit of the Turkmens in his poem about Amin.
Famous Turkmens from within Turkmensahra include the spiritual leader, national poet and unifier of Turkmen society Magtymguly Pyragy who was born in a village outside Gonbad. The central Iranian authorities erected a mausoleum over his grave. Other persons born are Agha Mohammed Khan founder of the Qajar dynasty of Iran. Also there are claims of Nadir Shah being Turkmen but that's doubtgul according to his own campaigns and official biography. The Nadir Shah's first enemies were the Turkmens of Turkmensahra. Well-known visitors of the region include Ármin Vámbéry who wrote a book about his passage among Turkmens in Turkmensahra.[2]
