History of Arasbarantribe (Qaradagh):
Arasbaran with an area of 9179/07 square kilometers
includes the three cities of Ahar, Kaleybar and Varzeghan. It is located in the
geographic range of 46
47́ to 4725́ East longitude and 3820́ to 3923́ 39 North latitude. The region is confined to Aras boundary Rivers
and Azerbaijan and Armenia countries in the north, Sarab and Tabriz Counties in
the south, Ardabil province in the east, , and Marand county in the
west.Shah Ismail Safavi came into power in 906 AH with the help of different
Turk tribes of Azerbaijan and Central Asia including seven major Qizilbashi clans (Shamlu, Ustajlu, Rumlu, Takalu, Afshar,
Zolqadar and Qajar) andSafaviddynasty came to existence with the unity of these
tribes. After the death of Tahmaseb I,Safavid court became an arena for the
fights of tribes’ chiefs andQizilbash people and chaos
and insecurity was developed in all Safavidterritory, till in the period of
Sultan Muhammad, Khodabandehraised the issue of Shahsavani(the lover of King)
and stated that everyone who wants the survival of Safaviddynasty and
considersking as his master should come toward him (take the side of king). In
this way, a number of Qizilbash people gave favorable
response to the call of King and come towards him as Shahsavan.Later on,
Shahsavanibecame important politically, in particular since Shah Abbas I its
political and military importance was focused on (Dellavalle, 1969: 98]
Sir Percy Sykes writes:
".... Another force against Qizilbashwas that the king invited all members of all tribes to enroll freely to be present in "Shahsavan"or king loving tribe. This policy and management led to success completely and thousands men joined this new tribe. Also, this policy led king to be free from dependence or reliance on Qizilbash.Today Shahsvan tribe are remained as an ethnic groupand are living in a vast area between Tabriz and Ardabil and the southeast of Qazvin (Sir Percy Sykes, Bita: 251)In the twelfth century AD,Shahsavans were joined to tribal Union of Meshkinshar and Ardabil tribes.At the head of each,one ethnic group determined bycentral government had the responsibility to maintain order, collect taxes and provide tribal needs.Land reformationremoved the last resource of tribes’ headspower (Firuzan, 1983: 40)Two tribal unions were divided into 32 different tribes. They were living in a vast area of Ardabil to ArasbaranMountains (Qaradagh), OladKananBeik and Sari Khan BeikAfshar in Nader Shah time, who had the presidency of all Shahsavantribesand all provinces of Meshkin and Moghanwere under Sari Khan BeikAfshar rule (Khamachi, 1991: 379] Despite the common historical and ethnic background in official communities and offices, Shahsavan tribe and Arasbarantribe (Qaradagh) have been identified with these two different names. Of course, all tribes of Arasbaran in Safavid era were known as Shahsavan, but since Qajartime each tribe is named separately. Since the main territory of Qaradagh tribes is in Arasbaranarea, their name is taken from the name of a country in which they live and are known as Arasbaran or Qaradaghtribe (Afshar Sistani, 1987: 110-109).
Social and political structure ofArasbaran (Qaradagh) :
In tribal societies of Iran, kinship system is based on the relationship by marriage or relationship by bloodand father lineage is the dominant form of family structure. In this structure, children are cognate with their father, find social identity in relation to him and are known as the members of father racial or clan lineage. Father has power in the family and sons are the main heir of father's property and holdings (Blokbashi, 2003: 61-60).
The nomads ofArasbaran (Qaradagh)ethnic group are constituted of some tribes, a tribe is constituted of some clans; a clan is constituted of some smaller groups called Gobak, each Gobak is constituted of Oba which is constituted of some families (Afshar Sistani, 1990: 666/2), this classification is started from the smallest unit i.e. family and terminates in ethnic group.
Nowfamily, Oba, sub-clan (gobak), clan, tribe and ethnic group are introduced briefly:
Family
The smallest unit of tribal society is family. Family structure has been established based on the relations between husband and wife, parents and children. Familyformation is necessary (AfsharNaderi, 1967: 69)Family is composed of several people who make a living together in a residence and usually eat together. Therefore, by definition, it is not necessary for the members of a familyto have relationship. In other words, familyis not necessarily equal to household, since a person who lives alone is also considered asfamily. In nomadic society, living aloneis related to elderly men or women who lost their husbands, mostly are in the age group of 60 years or more.In the nomads of Arasbaran tribe, 188 familieswhich were equivalent to 2.6percent, were single, 52.6 percent were women and the rest were men (Shah-Hosseini, 2005: 71). According to census of 1366 and 1377, the number of single familywas 1.24 and 2.6 percent, respectively (Statistical Center of Iran: 1366, 1377).Among Turkmen and Shahsavans, familywas large andextended and men didn’t separate from their family and tents after marriageas long as they were not prepared for independent work in the tribal community (Richardel, 1975: 22) Some anthropologists don’t consider political structures of tribal communities of Iran related to environmental conditions, migration practice and pastoral work.They believe that the political identity of tribal communities was formed by their relations with rulers and governments in specific times of history (Blokbashi, 2003: 84).Large tribes and clans are considered as leadershipentities which are created and developed by tribes’ leaders or chiefs or governments and rulers.These entities were ascomplex political organization or economic foundation in which shepherd migrants (nomads) played an important role as the producers of additional products and providers of military resources (Taper, 1975: 16-15).Among nomads or migrants, familyis considered as the smallest and most basic social unit as well as a unit of production and consumption, whose members are working under a supervisor called Boyuk. Supervisor controls all activities, actions and decisions of members. Head of family is usually a man, who in addition to above affairs, is also known as chairman and representative of family in the community.Trade and participation in social and political activities is the most important duties of the supervisor. He is also responsible for the welfare and behavior of other members of the family as well as division of labor in terms of age and gender. Young boysdo the work of grazing lambs;and handling livestock and pastoral works is under the responsibility of youth and teenagers; girls help mother in housework and give a hand by bringing water, babysitting, cleaning inside and outside of alcove and collecting firewood from forest. Women also have a key role in the milking and preparation of dairy products, cooking, housekeeping, baking bread and a variety of crafts such as carpet weaving, Verni, Jajim, Aurkan(arope used to close the saddle of camels, horses, mules and donkeys), etc. similarly, men have a major contribution in preparing life appliances, trading, determining pastures, selecting migration time, monitoring family works and managingrelevant affairs.Sometimes, for some reasons, zealous and mannish women take the responsibility to supervise a family and manage the affairs appropriately.
The major characteristics of family among the nomadic tribes of Arasbaran
A) Common activity of members: it is clear that members of family follow a common economic, political and social goal. Thus, economically all constituent members of a familywork together and spend the resulted income with each other. In short, familyis considered as a unit socially and politicallyand is responsible for the behavior of its members.
B) Family relations: among nomads, the relationship between family members is based onmarriage relationship or blood relationship. Although, in some cases, non-relative people may join family, but members often have a close relationships. As more familiesconsist of father, mother and children, and possibly other relatives, such as grandparents, single brothers and sisters and etc.
C) Commonresidence: it is clear that in tribal community, familymembers live under one roof (alcove). But sometimes it is possible that some members, to some reasons, live separatelyfor some times (Amanullahi, 1981: 129 128).
Oba
Social units, which are consisted of several alcoves.Among tribes of East-Azerbaijanprovince, it is called "Oba" or "Obe". Usuallyeach Oba constitutes of two to ten, and sometimes up to 30 alcoves (Hafezadeh, 1997: 1/251)In conversation, the term Oba is thesettingof two or three familiesof a clan that set up some alcoves in one place.This location along with its surrounding pastures, in the light ofancestral agreements and forests and range organization (Natural Resources) belongs to them. According to definitions, it is found that Oba is the smallest economic-social unit in the tribal organization of migrant nomads. In fact, each Oba is a set of some families.Therefore, now Oba is an economic unit. In other words, keeping livestock is the main productive activities of Oba. Pasture is the main source of feed for livestock. In the past, each Oba had a clear and specific parts of pastures inwinter and summer camps as well as in migration route (Il rah).The main factors that are effective in the number of alcovesof Oba are summarized as follows:
1. The number of livestock: the much the number of livestock is, the less the number of alcoves will be. Inversely, theless the number of livestock is, the more families come together in an Oba.
2. Pasture: The more pasture is richer and covered with sweet and palatable vegetation, the more families can come together. Inversely,poor and weak pasture leads to families’ dispersion.
3. Humanforce: the shortage of human force cause more families come together in an Oba and vice versa.
4. The potential facilities of the region: in the summer when the nomads are in summer camps (ییلاق), more families come together in a camp usually due to the access to watering and abundant feed. Sometimesthere are more than 30 alcoves. Inversely, in the winter and spring, these families are dispersed and turn into asObas with three to seven tents (alcove).
5. The personality of Oba owner: This is another effective factor that impacts on the number of Oba alcoves.
6. Insecurity: sometimes due to the hostility and insecurity, it is possible that two obas to be settled completely close to each other while their alcoves in near hood.
7. Masters’ Oba: Masters have usually more alcoves, since they have some people to work and serve them.
Accordingto above, we find that unlike villagers who live in a village foe some reasons, Obas(nomadic camps) have more mobility and flexibility, so that each nomadic family can easily change its own Oba and join another (Hafezadeh, 1997: 1/252)
Gobak
Nomads are constitutedof a number of tribes, each tribe is constituted of a number of clans, each clan is constituted of some "Gobak" and each Gobak is constituted of some smaller groups called Oba and finally each Oba is constitute of a number of housholds. Therefore, the traditional tribal system of Arasbaran tribe from the largest to the smallest unit is as follows:
Ethnic group (IL)-tribe - clan - Gobak–Obe (Oba) - family.
In the present situation, clan is a political and administrative division in which "Agh Saqqal" (elder, whitebeard) is leader. The central core of clan is a fairly large group called Gobakwhich is usually formed by 20 to 30 familiesthat have common ancestors (Blokbashi,2003: 76).
It should be noted that Statistical Center of Iran considers the tribal divisions of East Azerbaijan nomads as tribe, clan and Oba. Oba is the smallest migratory class of ethnic group (IL) and in recent decades Gobak has been removed from this hierarchy.
Clan
Clan is created by a set of families who had the same ancestry. In fact, the main nomadic unit is clan and it forms the fundamental base of tribe (Afshar Sistani, 2002: 35). The second group of father ancestry is clan that is formed by a number of linages (Oba,Gobak]. Usually the population of each linage (Oba) has increased over time, resulting in new lineages which form a clan.The members of each clan are usually known by the name of its founderwho lived five to eight years ago. Each clan is constitutedof a number camps which live in a certain area. It is possible that each clan, in addition to its own main members, include a number of other clans’ families thathave turned to these clans due to different reasons like internalconflict, drought, famine and etc. All members of clancan use the pastures and lands belonging to clan. But some f members, especially clan leaders (Agh Saqqal) are more benefited.Altogether, each clanis as a social-political unit whose members collectively defend their interests against the attack of other groups. In general, clan is the main base of tribe and ethnic group (IL) and in fact, any ethnic group (IL) and tribe is a collection of various clans(Amanullahi, 1981: 159)Each clan migrates collectively and often have shared pastures. In addition, almost 40 percent of marriages are done within clan (Afshar Sistani, 2002: 35]
Tribe
Clan is the fundamental base of tribe and as it wasmanifested tribe is constituted of clan and clan itself is constituted of Gobak and Oba. Concerning tribe, various comments has been given. Here, to clarify the social and political concept of tribe among nomads, some of these comments are presented:
1. Tribe is a social-political unit (Amanullahi, 1981: 159) which is made of a number of clan. Clans forming a tribe may have a common founder. In this situation, the tribe may be namedas this founder or itmay include a location name (Afshar Sistani, 2002: 35). On the other hand, some tribes do not have common founder, but some clans for different reasons are placedunder the dominance of a powerful clan and formed a unit. In such cases, tribe often is named by more powerful clan. Each clan has a certain land which is used by all members (Amanullahi, 1981: 161-160).
2. Tribe is the most popular-political class of nomadic community and consists of some clans. A group of nomads, who mostly are relative, have a common ancestor concerning marriage relationship or blood relationship. They attribute themselves to this ancestoractually or myth logicallyand form a tribe. Members contribute in defending tribe and preventing the violation of people rights. Similarly, tribe has a shared responsibility to protect the rights of members.In past tribal structures, a tribe was supervisedby sheriff who was appointed by Ilkhan (the supervisor of ethnic group (IL)) and was thecoordinator of ethnic group (IL) policy in tribe.
3. The most obvious and most important social framework of nomads is tribe which consists of community whom ostly have close and distant relationships and reach to a common ancestor in terms of blood relationship and marriage relationship. A nomadic person mainly refers to the name of its own tribe in communityand even boasts to this name (Hafezadeh, 1997: 1/25 7).
Ethnic group (IL)
Ethnic group in nomadic community was referred to the political alliance between tribes and was a term to introduce some of nomads and migrants (Blokbashi, 2000: 88).
Political structure or system of tribal community was raised from the formation of relationship between tribal or nomadic groups allied with each other. Hence, in fact, ethnic group is a political unit of nomadic population that is organized around the structural and functional relations between related tribes and clans under the supervision of leadersand heads (Parham, 1983: 376).
Some anthropologists don’t consider political structures of tribal communities of Iran related to environmental conditions, migration practice and pastoral work. They believe that the political identity of tribal communities was formed by their relations with rulers and governments in specific times of history.
Several tribes formethnic group. However, to form ethnic group in relation to descendants of a particular person there is no requirements.It is possible that non-relative tribesform ethnic group with various political, social, economic motivations.
Concerning the definition of ethnic,it will be beneficial to mention the following points:
1. 1-ethnic group is a political unit that is made up of several tribes. Typically thesetribes don’t have a common ancestor. However, some of them claim they are descendants of a single individual. Ethnic group is created during the passage of time due to historical events and incidents.
2. In the social organization of nomads, ethnic group is political union of several tribes which have a common land.In the social hierarchical system of nomadic divisions, ethnic group can be considered in the highest rank that is created by the union of several tribes with common history, culture and customs.Factors such as common interests, the survival of power, defense and development of tribes and etc. have a key role in the formation and establishment of ethnic group.
3. Ethnic group includes several tribes that areunified due to having blood relationship, being relative or having social and political dependencies. In addition, they live in the geographical area which is considered as the territory of ethnic group. Tribes of an ethnic group typically have distant blood relationship or marriage relationship. Sometimes, they may be united and form an ethnic group due to social and political requirements while there is no relationship between them.In many cases, different tribes of an ethnic group have similar dialects, customs and life style.
Leadership responsibility
There are two types ofleadership in thepolitical structureof tribalcommunities in Iran: one are those ethnic groups in which there is a leader in the top of powerpyramid. The person who rules byabsolute power and managesthe ethnic group; the otherare those ethnic groups which are managed and directed by a counciloftribes and clans leaders. The most commontype ofpoliticalorganization intribal community wasthe first type. In theseethnic groups, usually the political organization reinforced the power of chief or leader and a groupof task force wereunderhis command (Ferdrick, 1344:242).
According to the rules of tribal structure and ancient tribal traditions, the leader or leaders of clan, tribe and ethnic group have heavy duties in terms ofeachmember of the community, relationship with otherclans, tribes and ethnic groups, foreign factors and defense from member’s rights, determination of internal policesand etc. they are required to do all of these duties by maintaining tribal values, honoringthe culture and customs as well as protecting within organization polices of nomads. In addition, they should be responsive to members and take steps in protecting their real personality so that they can be reliableeven in personal and family matters as a consultant and compassionate leader (Hafezadeh, 1997: 1/258).
Nowadays, traditional political system in tribes and tribal unions has been detachedfor various reasons such as direct intervention of governments, the development of social-economic and political revolutions in Iran. There is no much of such tribal political organizations in tribal unionsanymore (Amanullahi, 1981: 219- 196)
RESULTS:
After reviewing the conducted studies and researches, we conclude that human life whatever simple and primary, should be organized in social, political, economic and military section in order to maintain its life within communities.Although nomads have a simple social, political and military structure, but they have been able to beeffectivein the destiny ofnations, enter historical events and form government by obeying a leader and maintainingunity and solidity.
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