{"id":44114,"date":"2023-03-20T17:30:23","date_gmt":"2023-03-20T14:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/?p=44114"},"modified":"2025-11-02T14:23:07","modified_gmt":"2025-11-02T14:23:07","slug":"afro-iranian-people","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/blog\/afro-iranian-people\/","title":{"rendered":"Afro Iranian People"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Afro Iranian People<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Diverse, that\u2019s the best word to describe Iranian people(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/iranian-ethnicities\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Iranian ethnics groups<\/a>). one of the most unique ethnic groups that you probably never heard of is Afro-Iranians, yes there are Iranian people with Black origins that have chosen south of Iran as their home centuries ago. So let\u2019s dive into the story of Afro-Iranians.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">History<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Iran and east Africa\u2019s relations is a tale as old as time itself! it goes back into history, almost 3000 years ago, the Persian empire had trade relations with countries like Tanzania(or Zanzibar) and Ethiopia, after Islam these relations developed more and groups of Africans Immigrated to Iran as well as some Iranian Groups immigrated to the east of Africa(check out <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Shirazi_people\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Shirazis of Zanzibar<\/a> for more information).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Shirazis-zanzibar-tanzania.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-44132\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Shirazis-zanzibar-tanzania.jpg\" alt=\"Shirazis - zanzibar - tanzania\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During\u00a0 Safavid Era, the south of Iran got conquered by Portuguese for a period of time and they had black slaves with them. even after the Portuguese left the south of Iran, some of the African people stayed and became the citizens of Iran.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/1_afroiranian-in-qajar-era-1.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-44128\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/1_afroiranian-in-qajar-era-1.jpg\" alt=\"AfroIranians - in - qajar - era\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Afro-Iranians Background<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most of Afro-Iranians have origins in North and Northeast of Africa, from countries like Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Somalia.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/afroiran-mehdi-ehsaie.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-44122\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/afroiran-mehdi-ehsaie.jpg\" alt=\"AfroIran - mehdi - ehsaie - Hormozgan\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Geography<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most of Afro-Iranian people live in southern parts of Iran. in Cities like like Hormozgan, Sistan and Baluchistan, and Khuzestan. Afro Iranians in Baluchistan mostly speak Baluchi but black people from Bandar abbas or Hormozgan speak Bandari and Arabic.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/800-600-Template-for-Posts-2.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-44119\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/800-600-Template-for-Posts-2.jpg\" alt=\"AfroIranian - women - Baluchistan\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ZAR<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Afro-Iranian\u2019s Music and Culture had a huge impact on the south of Iran Culture, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The most famous Tradition among Afro Iranians is \u201cZAR\u201d ceremony.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Bandari Language\u201d ZAR\u201d Means devil Winds. the winds that go into Humans body and make them Sick or force them to do strange things.to make the winds come out of their bodies, people of the village make a ceremony with special music and dance movements. They sing special prayers to make devil Winds goes away. This unique tradition mostly happens in Qeshm Island. its famous among Afro-Iranian people. the music instruments, songs, and dance movements are originated from Swahili cultures . there are some great documentaries about ZAR ceremony, such as Baad e Jen <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aparat.com\/v\/FfNWR\/%DB%B1%DB%B3%DB%B4%DB%B8_%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AF_%D8%AC%D9%86_-_%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B5%D8%B1_%D8%AA%D9%82%D9%88%D8%A7%DB%8C%DB%8C\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u201cthe Jinn\u2019s wind \u201c<\/a> directed by Nasser Taghvaie.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/ZAR-ceremony-Iran.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-44129\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/ZAR-ceremony-Iran.jpg\" alt=\"ZAR - ceremony - Iran\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Music\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Music is a huge part of South of Iran&#8217;s culture. it has its own unique rhythm and instruments and you can not anywhere else in Iran. the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=tNSUJwd2ezE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sanbehzadeh Ensemble<\/a> is a folk music band from Bushehr Iran.they are mostly performing the Music of Persian Gulf region specially Bushehri Music. the lead musician and singer of the group, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=wLl3XKG2DWM\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Saeed Shanbehzadeh<\/a> is an Iranian Musician with African origins. Their Music has Huge fans across the world. They have performed\u00a0 amazing concerts\u00a0 in Middle East and across Europe.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/shanbehzadeh.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-44126\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/shanbehzadeh.jpg\" alt=\" saeed - shanbehzadeh - Ensembe - Bushehr\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0Ney anbaan ( similar to\u00a0 bagpipe ), ney djofti (flute), damm\u0101m (some kind of Drum), Senj (cymbal) and boogh (a goat\u2019s horn) are some of the musical instruments from South of Iran.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you ever traveled to the South of Iran , You can enjoy their little live concerts by Persian gulf beaches.\u00a0 in places like Bushehr, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/qeshm\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Qeshm<\/a> Island, and Lavan Island. People\u2019s\u00a0 hospitality , amazing Food and great music will make your Travel to South like a Huge , Endless party!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/afroiran-music-bushehr.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-44130\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/afroiran-music-bushehr.jpg\" alt=\"Afroiran - music - Bushehr\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Modern days<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Just Like other Iranian people, Afro-Iranians refer to themselves as Iranian. they are fully accepted and blended in today\u2019s Iranian society. They celebrate and embrace Their unique Culture by Pride . some of the most brilliant Artists and Musicians in Modern Iran have Afro-Iranian background. \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/modernAfroIran.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-44125\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/modernAfroIran.jpg\" alt=\"modern - AfroIran - Iraniangirl\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Afro-Iran In Media\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unfortunately, until recent years there was no accurate portrait of Afro Iranians in media. even other Iranian people was not informed about Afro Iranian Groups . in 2015 a book named <a href=\"https:\/\/vimeo.com\/140308521\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u201c Afro Iran\u201d<\/a> got published by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.mahdi-ehsaei.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mahdi Ehsaie,<\/a> a German-Iranian photographer. That Book contains the portraits of today Afro Iranian people\u00a0 in their homelands like Hormozgan or Baluchistan. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/afroiranianchild.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-44121\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/afroiranianchild.jpg\" alt=\"afroiranianchild - Bushehr\" width=\"299\" height=\"224\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And with Black Iranian Celebrities in Hollywood ( like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/name\/nm2780578\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Yara Shahidi<\/a> who has black American and Iranian heritage), the world is getting familiar with Afro-Iranian stories.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/yarashahidi.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-44127\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/yarashahidi.jpg\" alt=\"yarashahidi - BlackIranian - Hollywood\" width=\"301\" height=\"226\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Iran is diverse and full of untold stories. all of them need to be Heard. Just like this one, the story of Iranian people with African heritage.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Diverse, that\u2019s the best word to describe Iranian people. one of the most unique ethnic groups that you probably never heard of is Afro-Iranians.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":642,"featured_media":59563,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[75,76,77],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-44114","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-qeshm1","category-qeshm-night-life","category-qeshm-top-attractions"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44114","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/642"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44114"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44114\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":95236,"href":"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44114\/revisions\/95236"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/59563"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44114"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44114"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tappersia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44114"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}