UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO
 |
Marine Corps Intelligence Activity |
(U) Key Points:
- (U) The Qashqai (also pronounced Ghashghai) are a
confederation of pastoral nomadic tribes who live in the Fars province.
They number 400,000 to 600,000, consisting of less than 1 percent of Iran’s
population.
- (U) The Qashqai call themselves Qashqai or Turk,
but also identify with their particular tribe and sub-tribe.
- (U) The Qashqai are Shi’a Muslims and speak
Turkish mixed with some Persian.
- (U) There are three essential categories of identification
for the Qashqai: the Turki (Turkic, denoting Qashqai or related groups), the
Arab (denoting the Khamseh, a neighboring tribal group), and the Tajik (denoting
Persians and Lurs).
- (U) The confederation is united under the leadership
of the Shahilu clan, which has the hereditary title of ilkhan (paramount
tribal leader). Each tribe has its own khan (tribal leader) and blood lines.
There are no blood ties or myth of common descent between the Shahilu and
the tribes.
- (U) The traditional role of the ilkhan and khans is to mediate between the tribe and
the government to alleviate demands for taxes and military conscripts. Now
this role falls to sub-tribe leaders and local teachers who are educated and
fluent in Persian.
- (U) Most Qashqai do not identify with the concept
of Iran and see the state as merely corrupt merchants and petty bureaucrats.
Only the Qashqai leadership has a sophisticated understanding of Iranian national
politics. Still, commoners have some faith that government officials would
help if they knew of the Qashqai's plight.
- (U) The Qashqai cherish their independent migratory
lifestyle. Even rich tribesmen, who own agricultural estates and live in
the city, go on seasonal migrations to prove that they have not been corrupted
by the city and are still part of the tribe.
- (U) The Qashqai see themselves harassed by the Persian
state, which wants to force them to adopt farming and to learn Persian (also
known as Farsi). While many Qashqai have moved to the city, they still want
to preserve their customs and heritage.
- (U) The Qashqai have a tradition of banditry and
rebellion against state authority. Weapons are signs of masculinity and defiance.
- (U) They see the regular military as an oppressive
institution that would force them to fight for someone else’s cause.
The Qashqai, therefore, avoid conscription whenever possible.
- (U) The Qashqai hate thieves who steal from fellow
Qashqai, but revere rebels or outlaws who attack non-Qasqhai or government
agents.
| The Qashqai >> |
UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO