♘امیرحسین♞
♘ مدیریت انجمن اسب ایران ♞
I wonder whether you have ever heard the name Turkmen Sahara? Did you know that, in the region located in the north of Iran, there are living 2 million Turks? Indeed, there are living 2 million Turks deriving from the Oguz tribe in the Turkmen Sahara region and they have carefully preserved all their traditions, their language and their culture.
Although this region is located on Iranian territory, it is completely different from the other regions in Iran in terms of the special dresses of the people, the Turkmen language and the peculiar traditions. Someone who visits this region for the first time would feel as if (s) he is in one of the Central Asian countries. Moreover, there is no trace of cultural change and innovation that has occurred in Central Asia as a result of the press imposed by Russian culture. So, Turkmen Sahara is an intact Turkic region that has preserved its language and culture with great conservatism. It is possible to say that there is no other place in the Turkic world that has been able to preserve its dignity and identity in this extent.
Turkmen Sahara is the place where the great classic and national Turkmen poet Makhdum Gholi Pragi was born and died. Makhdum Gholi Pragi was born in the village Haji Qovshan in the northeast of Qombad Kavos. The grave of this great poet of the Turkic world is located in the Aqtoqay village of Turkmen Sahara and every year hundreds of thousands of Turkmen and Iranians visit this grave. Many of the other great classic Turkmen poets, that have shaped the classic literature of the present Republic of Turkmenistan, have also grown into a poet in this region. In spite of this fact, Turkmen Sahara is not sufficiently known in the Turkic world and this region has not received the required attention. Therefore, maybe, the people of this region could not sufficiently establish contact with the outside world and had to live an introverted life. Perhaps, this was the reason why the cultural heritage could be preserved so carefully. Therefore, Turkmen Sahara constitutes a good example for Turcologists in terms of representing the dignified Turks today.
The Turkmen Sahara population has a great interest in Turkey and Turkmenistan since these are countries that have the same religious sect and speak the same language. If, one day, you would have the chance to visit Turkmen Sahara; you will come across with people that are admiring Turkey watching Turkey’s television channels with their illegal satellite antennas. On the streets, you will hear the songs of Turkish singers. The rooms of Turkmen youth are full with posters of Turkish artists. In spite of this, most of the Turkish researchers are not aware of the presence of 2 million Turkmen people living along the border with Turkmenistan and focus all of their attention to Central Asia. When speaking about Iranian Turks, when presenting the Turks in this region, Iranian Turkmen people are ignored.
This research article aims at briefly introducing this wonderful realm by opening a door to Turkmen Sahara that is famous in Iran for her ambling horses, beautiful carpets and double stringed guitar-like instruments called “dotar”.
Turkmen Sahara from a Historical Perspective:
Turkmen Sahara, located in the northeast of Iran, covers a great part of the Golestan province and Northern Khorasan.
Archeological discoveries, consisting of hand-made pottery and goods that were found in the north of the city Qombad Kavos, indicate that at least for seven thousand years there have been people living in this area.
The remains of the antique city of Jorjan, the Kabos Monument in Qombad, the grave of Vashimgir, the old grave and archeological hill in Kochic Gomish Tapah, the Red Wall in the north of the town, the strategic Ashour Island in the west of Bender Turkmen and many other features indicate that there has been life in this region for many many years.
Turkmen Sahara consists of the following cities:
Gomish Tapah, Bandar Turkmen, Siminshehr (Gharghi and Omchali), Akkalah, Naginshahr, Qombad Kavos, Kalalah and Marava Tapah. Among these, Qombad Kavos is accepted as the center and biggest city of Turkmen Sahara in terms of geographical and population size.
The history of Turkmen Sahara, located across the northern border of Turkmenistan, has not a different history than that of Turkmenistan. In fact, until the end of the 19th century the territories of Turkmenistan and Turkmen Sahara were not divided. However, when the Turkmens were defeated by the Russians in the Goktapah castle, the Akhal agreement was signed in 1881 among Turkmenistan, Iran and Russia as a result of which Turkmen territories were given away to foreign hands and divided into three parts. Part of Turkmen territory was attached to Afghanistan, another part to Iran and present-day Turkmenistan and another big part to the Russian Empire. The Turkmen people divided in these territories were now distant from each other. But the Turkmen have never forgotten the pain and wounds of this defeat. The idea of the liberation and reunion of the Turkmen people has always been on the minds of the Turkmen. Throughout history, whenever the Turkmen had the opportunity to show presence, they endeavored to realize their aim. On May 20, 1924, Osman Ahond - the leader of the Iranian Turkmen – started the resistance against the regime and declared the Autonomous Republic of Iranian Turkmenistan. All the Turkmen tribes and Aksakalli groups took place next to Osman Ahond. Osman Ahond elected the Turkmen National Presidency Council and the military leaders. He set up the National Resistance Front consisting of Turkmen tribes to strive again Riza Khan who did not want to give up the territorial integrity of the country. The primary goal of Osman Ahond was to achieve internal independency by defending his territories and national identity. In achieving his national rights he adopted the modus of struggling and negotiating. But this lasted only for 18 months. As a result of the subsequent attacks by Riza Khan, the Turkmen country became a heap of ashes. Thousands died for the freedom of their people. Young people, one after the other, were on the gibbet. Some military leaders who took shelter in the north were killed by Stalin together with their soldiers.
The movement for liberty that started on May 20, 1924 was suppressed in 1925, but its ideal and fame was conveyed from heart to heart and became eternal in the minds and memories.
The period, when the Pahlavi government was in power, was an unfortunate and dark period for the Turkmen Sahara people. During this period, most of the agricultural areas and land was confiscated by the soldiers of the palace or given to Sistan migrants settling among the Turkmen provoked by the government. In this period, the government opened schools giving education in Persian language trying to eliminate the language and culture of the Turkmen by means of cultural propaganda. Yet, it could not succeed, because the Turkmen owned a wealthy literature and a rooted culture.
In 1979, during the initial days of the Islamic revolution in Iran, the Turkmen people had once again the opportunity to come forth with their social and political demands. This time, the Turkmen tried to attain the right of autonomy. However, the regime responded to their demonstrations with bullets. This constituted the beginning of a new war between the central government and the Turkmen. This time the Turkmen could stand for one year and the they were violently suppressed by the government since they were poor in weapons and strategy. Four Turkmen leaders called Tomach, Makhdum, Jorjani and Vahedi were invited for negotiations by the regime. But when they came for negotiations they were treacherously arrested and shot to death.
In this way, one again, a period of pressure and intimidation started for Turkmen Sahara. On the one hand, the Shiite government implemented religious and ethnic discrimination to the Sunnite Turkmen minority. On the other hand, Persian chauvinism caused ethnic discrimination for the Turks. A hard time was faced by the Turkmen people. In this period, Turkmen people were subject to extreme atrocities. In order to change the demographic structure of the Turkmen Sahara, land owned by the Turkmen were taken from their hands and given to the other migrant groups. Turkmen young people were employed in the lowest levels. Not any Turkmen was appointed to high level positions within the province or given any authority. Unemployed young Turkmen people were volleyed for months in the sea on the pretext that they were illegally fishing. 2 million Turkmen people were treated as prisoners of war. However, these extreme pressures and atrocities led to the fact that the Turkmen resorted to their ethnic identities, that they strengthened their national unity and coordination, and that they manifested heroism whenever they had the opportunity to do so. In September 2005, the village of Oykitapah showed a huge resistance since territories of the people in this village was usurped. As a result of the practices of the Iranian security forces many Turkmen fishers lost their lives one after the other. Hereupon, in September 2007, the Turkmen living in Bender Turkmen staged a big demonstration to protest these developments.
The Turkmen Sahara people strive to draw a successful graphic under the existing political and social conditions of Iran and to preserve their own identity and presence in spite of all the restrictions, discrimination and injustices.
The Situation of the People from a Geographical Perspective:
This region, covering an area of 16.375 km2, is surrounded by the Caspian Sea in the west, by the Republic of Turkmenistan in the north, by Khorasan and half-droughty Bojnord region in the east, and the forest skirts of the Northern Elburz Mountains in the south. From east to west the length is 400 km.
The Bender Turkmen and Gomishtapah Turkmen are mainly engaged in fishery since they are close to the Caspian Sea. The economy of Qombad and Kalalah Turkmen people is mainly based on agriculture since they have fertile land. Throughout Turkmen Sahara there are also engaged in stockbreeding.
The region where Iranian Turkmen are living can be divided into two areas: mountainous areas and plain areas. The mountainous area east to the Gorgan Plain consists of villages and settlements in and around Kalalah, Gollidag, Qara Balkan, Maravah Tapah and Hisarja. It also comprises part of the east and northeast mountains of Bojnord. The plain region where Iranian Turkmen are living is located south to the Atrak River. Atrak, comes from the north end of the plain and flows westward into the Caspian Sea. This rives is located between Chat and Incha Borun at the Iranian-Turkmenistan border.
This region which is called the Gorgan Plain or the Turkmen Sahara is surrounded in the west by the Caspian Sea and in the southeast by the forest skirts of Elburz. Of course, it also covers the Gorgan river.
The Turkmen Sahara is located in an area between North Elburz, which is watery and covered with trees, Turkmenistan in the North, which is droughty and desert-like, and the half-droughty hills in the east of Bojnord making this region suitable for stockbreeding. For example;
Stockbreeding of horses and cattle in the grassy and watery regions (south of Gorgan and east of Qombad),
Stockbreeding of small-cattle in half-droughty and half-watery regions (center, south and east of the region)
Camel-breeding in the north of the Gorgan river and the southern areas of the region, especially the droughty and low humid places.
Turkmen Sahara people are generally engaged with agriculture and stockbreeding. Carpet weaving is important in the lives of Turkmen women. Turkmen carpets have an important place in the Iranian handcrafts with its designs, natural colors and its graceful weaving.
Turkmen living at the coastal cities of Gomish Tapah and Bandar Turkmen are mainly engaged with fishery.
Horse-breeding has always had a special place in the lives of Turkmen. In the three big Turkmen Sahara cities of Qombad Kavos, Bender Turkmen and Akkalah; there are horse racing arenas where twice a year – in spring and autumn – big and popular races are being organized. Turkmen horse races are popular throughout Iran and all the people that love horses flow to Turkmen Sahara at these times. The famous Iranian art photographer Nasrollah Qasrayan has written the following in the introduction part of his book entitled Iranian Turkmen covering his own photograph album:
“Turkmen people are in love with horses. This interest that they have for horses have led to the fact that they are named in history as nomads. The horse of the Turkmen has been his loyal friend while crossing the gravel paths and outlandish deserts. The horse was with him in the war arena. The horse was always with him when being happy, drunk, afraid or alone. Far-distance horse scurries do not exist anymore today, but occasionally in weddings and celebrations there are horse racing attractions. Today selective horses can only be seen in races organized on the occasion of special celebrations in villages or in official horse races in the city of Qombad Kavos.”
The Turkmen are living today both in the villages and in the cities. In the cities where Turkmen are living, you can come across with many Turkmen doctors, engineers, shop owners and artists. The number of high-educated Turkmen is high in comparison with the habitants of the other Iranian towns.
Turkmen Sahara Tribes and Clans:
One of the greatest Turkmen tribes in Iran is the Yamot tribe, and an other one is the Goklan tribe. The Yamots are mainly living at the coastline of the Caspian Sea and around Qombad Kavos. The eastern parts of Turkmen Sahara, especially the city of Kalalah, are the places where the Goklans are mainly living.
The Yamots and the Goklans are different in their way of living since they are engaged in different areas in terms of agriculture, stockbreeding, production and relations. It is noteworthy that these people coming from the same kindred, talking the same language, being members of the same religion-sect have differences in traditions, behavior and habits.
The Takah tribe and the Nohorlou tribe are other two Turkmen tribes who live mainly in the Daz and Jargalan areas. The Salir Turkmen are located in the province of Northern Khorasan, especially the town of Torbad-e Cam and around.
Iranian Turkmen are Muslims of the Hanafi sect.
The Change of the Demographic Composition of Turkmen Sahara:
The change of the demographic composition of Turkmen Sahara is a project that was initiated against the Turkmen during the Pahlavi period. It was continued intensely after the revolution as well. In this framework, many Sistanis were made to migrate from the Sistan and Baluchestan province to the Afghan border. This flow of migration is still going on and the Turkmen are forced through various means to sell their land and move away.
The Cultural-Literary Situation of the Turkmen Sahara:
In spite of all the efforts, this people of Turkish origin are showing all kind of resistance to preserve the cultural heritage of their ancestors. It can easily be stated that among the ethnic groups in Iran, the Turkmen are the most successful in preserving their cultural heritage, language, traditional clothings and traditions. The religious-sectional discrimination applied to the Sunnite Turkmen people by the Iranian Shiite regime is causing strong reactions by the Turkmen.
Iran, in an effort to change the traditional clothes of the Turkmen women, has implemented the rule of one-model-dress in school and for the last twenty years Turkmen girls are forbidden to wear Turkmen dresses. However, outside school hours, Turkmen girls wear their rosy and colorful dresses instead of the black Iranian dresses.
The Turkmen have a weekly magazine entitled Sahra and two seasonal magazines entitled Yaprak and Pragi. Turkmen publishing houses such as Kabus, Pragi and Talayi try to publish Turkmen books.
In Turkmen Sahara, it is not permitted to give education in the Turkmen language. They learn this language in the family and improve it with the works of their writers and poets. These works are mainly belonging to classic Turkmen poets and writers such as Makhdum Gholi, Kaminah, Miskin Qilich, Zalili, Molla Nafas as well as contemporary young poets.
Turkmen youth are extremely interested in Turkmen songs of Turkmenistan and Turkish songs of Turkey. Ibrahim Tatlıses, Sibel Can, Ebru Gundes and Muslum Gurses have many fans among young Turkmen.
The most interesting thing that can be said about Turkmen Sahara is that the shrine of the great classic Turkmen poet Makhdum Gholi Pragi is located in this region, as some Turkish literary researchers may guess.
The shrine of Makhdum Gholi Pragi is located in the Aqtoqay village north to Qombad Kavos. Every year, the week between 20-27 May is being celebrated in Turkmen Sahara as the Mahdum Gholi week and throughout the region in all the cities there are festivals and seminars. On May 27, a big commemoration event takes place at the shrine of Makhdum Gholi Pragi with the participation of 100 thousand Turkmen. This is such an incredible huge crowd! On that day every educated or intellectual Turkmen goes to the shrine of Mahdum Gholi to commemorate him. High level officials of Turkmenistan also participate in this ceremony. The late Turkmenistan President Saparmurad Niyazov had participated several times with an official delegation to this ceremony of Mahdum Gholi in Turkmen Sahara. As a matter of fact, the presence of Mahdum Gholi among the Iranian Turkmen is a great blessing for this aggrieved people. Mahdum Gholi is a visiting place for Turkmen nationalists. Mahdum Gholi is a reminder of Turkmen language, literature and history. Mahdum Gholi is the place where the hearts of Turkmen are bound together. This day resembles the commemoration day of Babaq Horramaddin by the Azerbaijan Turks.
The Political-Social Situation of the Turkmen:
The Turkmen Sahara constituency has been arranged by attaching each Turkmen city to a Persian city. In general elections, there is a continuous competition and struggle between the Turkmen and the Persians. However, the Iranian administration is exploiting all of its means in the elections to provide that their own candidates win.
In the 8th Majlis elections held on March 14, 2008, a Turkmen candidate from Qombad won the elections and entered the Majlis. However, although the Turkmen candidates from Bender Turkmen and Akkalah gained the majority of the votes, the Protection Council changed the results of the elections and Persian candidates were elected instead of Turkmen ones and this all happened after the initial votes were counted and it was announced that the Turkmen candidates had the highest votes. The Iranian Turkmen with a population of 2 million only have one deputy in the Majlis. Whereas, taking into consideration the population of Turkmen Sahara, the Turkmen should be represented in the Majlis with at least four deputies.
The Iranian Administration is not providing sufficient opportunities for the Turkmen Sahara to create areas of industry and employment. It is stated that the rate of unemployment in Iran is at least 20 %. This rate is twice as high as the other regions in the Turkmen Sahara region. It is very difficult for Turkmen to find jobs in state offices. It is impossible for them to be appointed to high-level positions. Some of the unemployed Turkmen young people try to make a living by fishery in the Caspian Sea. However, here they are subject to acts of violence by units of the security forces of the Coastal Guards.
Epilogue:
It is observed that in Turkey only a few researches have been carried out with respect to the Iranian Turkmen and Turkmen Sahara. These kindred, that derives from the Oguz tribe and that is authentically Turkish, is expecting some interest from Turkey. At least they want to know that Turkey is aware of them….
Although this region is located on Iranian territory, it is completely different from the other regions in Iran in terms of the special dresses of the people, the Turkmen language and the peculiar traditions. Someone who visits this region for the first time would feel as if (s) he is in one of the Central Asian countries. Moreover, there is no trace of cultural change and innovation that has occurred in Central Asia as a result of the press imposed by Russian culture. So, Turkmen Sahara is an intact Turkic region that has preserved its language and culture with great conservatism. It is possible to say that there is no other place in the Turkic world that has been able to preserve its dignity and identity in this extent.
Turkmen Sahara is the place where the great classic and national Turkmen poet Makhdum Gholi Pragi was born and died. Makhdum Gholi Pragi was born in the village Haji Qovshan in the northeast of Qombad Kavos. The grave of this great poet of the Turkic world is located in the Aqtoqay village of Turkmen Sahara and every year hundreds of thousands of Turkmen and Iranians visit this grave. Many of the other great classic Turkmen poets, that have shaped the classic literature of the present Republic of Turkmenistan, have also grown into a poet in this region. In spite of this fact, Turkmen Sahara is not sufficiently known in the Turkic world and this region has not received the required attention. Therefore, maybe, the people of this region could not sufficiently establish contact with the outside world and had to live an introverted life. Perhaps, this was the reason why the cultural heritage could be preserved so carefully. Therefore, Turkmen Sahara constitutes a good example for Turcologists in terms of representing the dignified Turks today.
The Turkmen Sahara population has a great interest in Turkey and Turkmenistan since these are countries that have the same religious sect and speak the same language. If, one day, you would have the chance to visit Turkmen Sahara; you will come across with people that are admiring Turkey watching Turkey’s television channels with their illegal satellite antennas. On the streets, you will hear the songs of Turkish singers. The rooms of Turkmen youth are full with posters of Turkish artists. In spite of this, most of the Turkish researchers are not aware of the presence of 2 million Turkmen people living along the border with Turkmenistan and focus all of their attention to Central Asia. When speaking about Iranian Turks, when presenting the Turks in this region, Iranian Turkmen people are ignored.
This research article aims at briefly introducing this wonderful realm by opening a door to Turkmen Sahara that is famous in Iran for her ambling horses, beautiful carpets and double stringed guitar-like instruments called “dotar”.
Turkmen Sahara from a Historical Perspective:
Turkmen Sahara, located in the northeast of Iran, covers a great part of the Golestan province and Northern Khorasan.
Archeological discoveries, consisting of hand-made pottery and goods that were found in the north of the city Qombad Kavos, indicate that at least for seven thousand years there have been people living in this area.
The remains of the antique city of Jorjan, the Kabos Monument in Qombad, the grave of Vashimgir, the old grave and archeological hill in Kochic Gomish Tapah, the Red Wall in the north of the town, the strategic Ashour Island in the west of Bender Turkmen and many other features indicate that there has been life in this region for many many years.
Turkmen Sahara consists of the following cities:
Gomish Tapah, Bandar Turkmen, Siminshehr (Gharghi and Omchali), Akkalah, Naginshahr, Qombad Kavos, Kalalah and Marava Tapah. Among these, Qombad Kavos is accepted as the center and biggest city of Turkmen Sahara in terms of geographical and population size.
The history of Turkmen Sahara, located across the northern border of Turkmenistan, has not a different history than that of Turkmenistan. In fact, until the end of the 19th century the territories of Turkmenistan and Turkmen Sahara were not divided. However, when the Turkmens were defeated by the Russians in the Goktapah castle, the Akhal agreement was signed in 1881 among Turkmenistan, Iran and Russia as a result of which Turkmen territories were given away to foreign hands and divided into three parts. Part of Turkmen territory was attached to Afghanistan, another part to Iran and present-day Turkmenistan and another big part to the Russian Empire. The Turkmen people divided in these territories were now distant from each other. But the Turkmen have never forgotten the pain and wounds of this defeat. The idea of the liberation and reunion of the Turkmen people has always been on the minds of the Turkmen. Throughout history, whenever the Turkmen had the opportunity to show presence, they endeavored to realize their aim. On May 20, 1924, Osman Ahond - the leader of the Iranian Turkmen – started the resistance against the regime and declared the Autonomous Republic of Iranian Turkmenistan. All the Turkmen tribes and Aksakalli groups took place next to Osman Ahond. Osman Ahond elected the Turkmen National Presidency Council and the military leaders. He set up the National Resistance Front consisting of Turkmen tribes to strive again Riza Khan who did not want to give up the territorial integrity of the country. The primary goal of Osman Ahond was to achieve internal independency by defending his territories and national identity. In achieving his national rights he adopted the modus of struggling and negotiating. But this lasted only for 18 months. As a result of the subsequent attacks by Riza Khan, the Turkmen country became a heap of ashes. Thousands died for the freedom of their people. Young people, one after the other, were on the gibbet. Some military leaders who took shelter in the north were killed by Stalin together with their soldiers.
The movement for liberty that started on May 20, 1924 was suppressed in 1925, but its ideal and fame was conveyed from heart to heart and became eternal in the minds and memories.
The period, when the Pahlavi government was in power, was an unfortunate and dark period for the Turkmen Sahara people. During this period, most of the agricultural areas and land was confiscated by the soldiers of the palace or given to Sistan migrants settling among the Turkmen provoked by the government. In this period, the government opened schools giving education in Persian language trying to eliminate the language and culture of the Turkmen by means of cultural propaganda. Yet, it could not succeed, because the Turkmen owned a wealthy literature and a rooted culture.
In 1979, during the initial days of the Islamic revolution in Iran, the Turkmen people had once again the opportunity to come forth with their social and political demands. This time, the Turkmen tried to attain the right of autonomy. However, the regime responded to their demonstrations with bullets. This constituted the beginning of a new war between the central government and the Turkmen. This time the Turkmen could stand for one year and the they were violently suppressed by the government since they were poor in weapons and strategy. Four Turkmen leaders called Tomach, Makhdum, Jorjani and Vahedi were invited for negotiations by the regime. But when they came for negotiations they were treacherously arrested and shot to death.
In this way, one again, a period of pressure and intimidation started for Turkmen Sahara. On the one hand, the Shiite government implemented religious and ethnic discrimination to the Sunnite Turkmen minority. On the other hand, Persian chauvinism caused ethnic discrimination for the Turks. A hard time was faced by the Turkmen people. In this period, Turkmen people were subject to extreme atrocities. In order to change the demographic structure of the Turkmen Sahara, land owned by the Turkmen were taken from their hands and given to the other migrant groups. Turkmen young people were employed in the lowest levels. Not any Turkmen was appointed to high level positions within the province or given any authority. Unemployed young Turkmen people were volleyed for months in the sea on the pretext that they were illegally fishing. 2 million Turkmen people were treated as prisoners of war. However, these extreme pressures and atrocities led to the fact that the Turkmen resorted to their ethnic identities, that they strengthened their national unity and coordination, and that they manifested heroism whenever they had the opportunity to do so. In September 2005, the village of Oykitapah showed a huge resistance since territories of the people in this village was usurped. As a result of the practices of the Iranian security forces many Turkmen fishers lost their lives one after the other. Hereupon, in September 2007, the Turkmen living in Bender Turkmen staged a big demonstration to protest these developments.
The Turkmen Sahara people strive to draw a successful graphic under the existing political and social conditions of Iran and to preserve their own identity and presence in spite of all the restrictions, discrimination and injustices.
The Situation of the People from a Geographical Perspective:
This region, covering an area of 16.375 km2, is surrounded by the Caspian Sea in the west, by the Republic of Turkmenistan in the north, by Khorasan and half-droughty Bojnord region in the east, and the forest skirts of the Northern Elburz Mountains in the south. From east to west the length is 400 km.
The Bender Turkmen and Gomishtapah Turkmen are mainly engaged in fishery since they are close to the Caspian Sea. The economy of Qombad and Kalalah Turkmen people is mainly based on agriculture since they have fertile land. Throughout Turkmen Sahara there are also engaged in stockbreeding.
The region where Iranian Turkmen are living can be divided into two areas: mountainous areas and plain areas. The mountainous area east to the Gorgan Plain consists of villages and settlements in and around Kalalah, Gollidag, Qara Balkan, Maravah Tapah and Hisarja. It also comprises part of the east and northeast mountains of Bojnord. The plain region where Iranian Turkmen are living is located south to the Atrak River. Atrak, comes from the north end of the plain and flows westward into the Caspian Sea. This rives is located between Chat and Incha Borun at the Iranian-Turkmenistan border.
This region which is called the Gorgan Plain or the Turkmen Sahara is surrounded in the west by the Caspian Sea and in the southeast by the forest skirts of Elburz. Of course, it also covers the Gorgan river.
The Turkmen Sahara is located in an area between North Elburz, which is watery and covered with trees, Turkmenistan in the North, which is droughty and desert-like, and the half-droughty hills in the east of Bojnord making this region suitable for stockbreeding. For example;
Stockbreeding of horses and cattle in the grassy and watery regions (south of Gorgan and east of Qombad),
Stockbreeding of small-cattle in half-droughty and half-watery regions (center, south and east of the region)
Camel-breeding in the north of the Gorgan river and the southern areas of the region, especially the droughty and low humid places.
Turkmen Sahara people are generally engaged with agriculture and stockbreeding. Carpet weaving is important in the lives of Turkmen women. Turkmen carpets have an important place in the Iranian handcrafts with its designs, natural colors and its graceful weaving.
Turkmen living at the coastal cities of Gomish Tapah and Bandar Turkmen are mainly engaged with fishery.
Horse-breeding has always had a special place in the lives of Turkmen. In the three big Turkmen Sahara cities of Qombad Kavos, Bender Turkmen and Akkalah; there are horse racing arenas where twice a year – in spring and autumn – big and popular races are being organized. Turkmen horse races are popular throughout Iran and all the people that love horses flow to Turkmen Sahara at these times. The famous Iranian art photographer Nasrollah Qasrayan has written the following in the introduction part of his book entitled Iranian Turkmen covering his own photograph album:
“Turkmen people are in love with horses. This interest that they have for horses have led to the fact that they are named in history as nomads. The horse of the Turkmen has been his loyal friend while crossing the gravel paths and outlandish deserts. The horse was with him in the war arena. The horse was always with him when being happy, drunk, afraid or alone. Far-distance horse scurries do not exist anymore today, but occasionally in weddings and celebrations there are horse racing attractions. Today selective horses can only be seen in races organized on the occasion of special celebrations in villages or in official horse races in the city of Qombad Kavos.”
The Turkmen are living today both in the villages and in the cities. In the cities where Turkmen are living, you can come across with many Turkmen doctors, engineers, shop owners and artists. The number of high-educated Turkmen is high in comparison with the habitants of the other Iranian towns.
Turkmen Sahara Tribes and Clans:
One of the greatest Turkmen tribes in Iran is the Yamot tribe, and an other one is the Goklan tribe. The Yamots are mainly living at the coastline of the Caspian Sea and around Qombad Kavos. The eastern parts of Turkmen Sahara, especially the city of Kalalah, are the places where the Goklans are mainly living.
The Yamots and the Goklans are different in their way of living since they are engaged in different areas in terms of agriculture, stockbreeding, production and relations. It is noteworthy that these people coming from the same kindred, talking the same language, being members of the same religion-sect have differences in traditions, behavior and habits.
The Takah tribe and the Nohorlou tribe are other two Turkmen tribes who live mainly in the Daz and Jargalan areas. The Salir Turkmen are located in the province of Northern Khorasan, especially the town of Torbad-e Cam and around.
Iranian Turkmen are Muslims of the Hanafi sect.
The Change of the Demographic Composition of Turkmen Sahara:
The change of the demographic composition of Turkmen Sahara is a project that was initiated against the Turkmen during the Pahlavi period. It was continued intensely after the revolution as well. In this framework, many Sistanis were made to migrate from the Sistan and Baluchestan province to the Afghan border. This flow of migration is still going on and the Turkmen are forced through various means to sell their land and move away.
The Cultural-Literary Situation of the Turkmen Sahara:
In spite of all the efforts, this people of Turkish origin are showing all kind of resistance to preserve the cultural heritage of their ancestors. It can easily be stated that among the ethnic groups in Iran, the Turkmen are the most successful in preserving their cultural heritage, language, traditional clothings and traditions. The religious-sectional discrimination applied to the Sunnite Turkmen people by the Iranian Shiite regime is causing strong reactions by the Turkmen.
Iran, in an effort to change the traditional clothes of the Turkmen women, has implemented the rule of one-model-dress in school and for the last twenty years Turkmen girls are forbidden to wear Turkmen dresses. However, outside school hours, Turkmen girls wear their rosy and colorful dresses instead of the black Iranian dresses.
The Turkmen have a weekly magazine entitled Sahra and two seasonal magazines entitled Yaprak and Pragi. Turkmen publishing houses such as Kabus, Pragi and Talayi try to publish Turkmen books.
In Turkmen Sahara, it is not permitted to give education in the Turkmen language. They learn this language in the family and improve it with the works of their writers and poets. These works are mainly belonging to classic Turkmen poets and writers such as Makhdum Gholi, Kaminah, Miskin Qilich, Zalili, Molla Nafas as well as contemporary young poets.
Turkmen youth are extremely interested in Turkmen songs of Turkmenistan and Turkish songs of Turkey. Ibrahim Tatlıses, Sibel Can, Ebru Gundes and Muslum Gurses have many fans among young Turkmen.
The most interesting thing that can be said about Turkmen Sahara is that the shrine of the great classic Turkmen poet Makhdum Gholi Pragi is located in this region, as some Turkish literary researchers may guess.
The shrine of Makhdum Gholi Pragi is located in the Aqtoqay village north to Qombad Kavos. Every year, the week between 20-27 May is being celebrated in Turkmen Sahara as the Mahdum Gholi week and throughout the region in all the cities there are festivals and seminars. On May 27, a big commemoration event takes place at the shrine of Makhdum Gholi Pragi with the participation of 100 thousand Turkmen. This is such an incredible huge crowd! On that day every educated or intellectual Turkmen goes to the shrine of Mahdum Gholi to commemorate him. High level officials of Turkmenistan also participate in this ceremony. The late Turkmenistan President Saparmurad Niyazov had participated several times with an official delegation to this ceremony of Mahdum Gholi in Turkmen Sahara. As a matter of fact, the presence of Mahdum Gholi among the Iranian Turkmen is a great blessing for this aggrieved people. Mahdum Gholi is a visiting place for Turkmen nationalists. Mahdum Gholi is a reminder of Turkmen language, literature and history. Mahdum Gholi is the place where the hearts of Turkmen are bound together. This day resembles the commemoration day of Babaq Horramaddin by the Azerbaijan Turks.
The Political-Social Situation of the Turkmen:
The Turkmen Sahara constituency has been arranged by attaching each Turkmen city to a Persian city. In general elections, there is a continuous competition and struggle between the Turkmen and the Persians. However, the Iranian administration is exploiting all of its means in the elections to provide that their own candidates win.
In the 8th Majlis elections held on March 14, 2008, a Turkmen candidate from Qombad won the elections and entered the Majlis. However, although the Turkmen candidates from Bender Turkmen and Akkalah gained the majority of the votes, the Protection Council changed the results of the elections and Persian candidates were elected instead of Turkmen ones and this all happened after the initial votes were counted and it was announced that the Turkmen candidates had the highest votes. The Iranian Turkmen with a population of 2 million only have one deputy in the Majlis. Whereas, taking into consideration the population of Turkmen Sahara, the Turkmen should be represented in the Majlis with at least four deputies.
The Iranian Administration is not providing sufficient opportunities for the Turkmen Sahara to create areas of industry and employment. It is stated that the rate of unemployment in Iran is at least 20 %. This rate is twice as high as the other regions in the Turkmen Sahara region. It is very difficult for Turkmen to find jobs in state offices. It is impossible for them to be appointed to high-level positions. Some of the unemployed Turkmen young people try to make a living by fishery in the Caspian Sea. However, here they are subject to acts of violence by units of the security forces of the Coastal Guards.
Epilogue:
It is observed that in Turkey only a few researches have been carried out with respect to the Iranian Turkmen and Turkmen Sahara. These kindred, that derives from the Oguz tribe and that is authentically Turkish, is expecting some interest from Turkey. At least they want to know that Turkey is aware of them….