Bakhtyari

Bakhtyari

 or Bakhtiyari or Bakhtiari

Any member of a community of nomadic pastoral tent dwellers of western Iran. They speak a dialect of Luri (a language related to Modern Persian) and are mostly Shi'ite Muslims. Their two tribal groups are the Chahar Lang and Haft Lang; the position of leader of all the Bakhtyari alternates every two years between the chiefs of the two tribal groups. Many chiefs have been influential in national public affairs and have held office. Bakhtyari women are normally better-educated and freer than other Muslim women in Iran.