Achomi people

Achomis

Larestanis - Khodmoonis
Total population
120,000 (2021)
Regions with significant populations
Southern Iran, GCC countries
Languages
Achomi, Persian, Arabic
Religion
Majority Sunni Islam, minority Shia Islam
Related ethnic groups
GCC (Ajam of Bahrain, Ajam of Kuwait, Iranians of UAE) Iranian Peoples (Lur, Baluch, Kurds, Azeris)

Achum’s (Persian: اَچُمِی), also called Khodmooni (Persian: خُودمونی) or Larestani (Persian: لآرِستَانِی), are an Iranian sub-ethnic group of Persians who inhabit primarily in southern Iran in a region historically known as Irahistan. They are predominantly Sunni Muslims, with a Shia minority.

Achomi people speak the Achomi language. The language has reported eight dialects and it is mostly intelligible with Persian proper. The Achomi people are of Persian descent.

Etymology

Achomi people refer to themselves as Khodmooni, a term literally meaning "part of ourselves" In the UAE and Qatar they are known as Ajam, which is the standard name for GCC citizens of Iranian origin. In Bahrain Sunni Achomis are referred to as "Holi" (not to be confused with the Arab Huwala) in order to assimilate. While Shia Achomis are known as Ajam. In Kuwait, they fall under the name 'Ayam which is what Kuwaitis of Iranian origin are called; the Shia Achomi are known as "Tarakma". The most notable Sunni families are Al-Kandari and Al-Awadhi; they frequently interbreed.

Geographical distribution

The historical region of Irahistan consists of several counties in Fars Province (Larestan, Khonj, Gerash, Lamerd) and in the Hormozgan province (Parsian County, Bastak County, Bandar Lengeh County).

Since the 1940s, significant numbers of Achomi people have migrated to UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and other Arab states of the Persian Gulf.

History

In the thirteenth century, Lar briefly became a center of trade and commerce in southern Persia. Irahistan was nearly always an obscure region, never becoming involved in the politics and conflicts of mainstream Persia. This was due to independent rule during the Safavid times, but that has failed due to the British Empire "Anti Piracy Company" and continued to decline due to Reza Shah Pahlavi's centric policies and the Ayatollah policies.

Iranian historian and geographer Ahmad Eghtedari noted in his book Ancient Larestan (1955):

"To those people of the towns, villages, and ports of Larestan who have stayed in the land of their ancestors, with its glorious past and its desolate present. And to those who have endured the hardship of migration to earn a living on the islands of the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean and in the towns of India, Arabia and other places. They remember with joy their beloved birthplace and still grieve for its ruin."