Soudabeh Ma’muri, who is in charge of registering the monuments of the province, briefed an Iran Daily reporter on the local clothing and costumes, saying traditional clothes in Bushehr are part of the people’s culture, reflecting their ideas, beliefs, tastes, and arts.

“On the other hand,” she said, “the style and kind of clothing of the people have been compatible with the hot and humid climate of the region.”

Bushehr lies in a vast plain running along the coastal region on the Persian Gulf coast in southwestern Iran. The capital of the province, Bushehr is the chief port of the country. The port city has been the main trade center of Iran.

Referring to the linguistic and ethnic diversity in Bushehr, the official said, the people of the province’s southern cities, including Dashtestan, Tangestan, Dashti, Deir, Kangan, and Jam, speak Persian, while the people of the two northern cities of Ganaveh and Deylam speak Lori.

Due to this cultural diversity, the province is full of different varieties of beautiful traditional clothing, she added.

Bushehr also enjoys a high cultural richness in women’s garments due to its proximity to the Persian Gulf, ethnic diversity, and its trade with countries such as India, Ma’muri said, adding that this is evident in the province’s traditional clothing.

The official from the southwestern province’s Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Department also said that the documentary filing of local clothing and costumes began early this Iranian year (started on March 21), explaining that it includes documentary film production, photography as well as field and library research. She said that the work is being completed.

According to Ma’muri, the documentation has started from the northern ports of Deylam, Ganaveh, and Rig, while documenting the local costumes of other regions is also underway.

The goal of this project is to record the culture of the past and transmit this valuable culture to future generations, she said.

The official said that after completing the documentation and filing the local clothing, the cultural heritage department will submit the file for national registration.

Speaking about women’s traditional dress, she said the fabric used in most of these clothes is made of silk. Called golabtun, these fabrics have a great variety of colors, with very beautiful designs and patterns, she said.

Bushehr women’s garments comprise long pleated skirts, vests, and jar-shaped pants, decorated with beads and sequins embroidery [monjooq-duzi and pulak-duzi]. At the bottom of women’s pants, gold chains and bells are used in celebrations and weddings.

Bushehr men’s traditional clothing, which has indeed been forgotten, is the same thing that was worn by Ra’is Ali Delvari [an Iranian independence fighter and anti-British colonialism activist (1882-1915)].

It included long clothes that were tied with a cloth belt around the waist and a felt hat.

But Bushehr women’s traditional dress is still common; women use this type of clothing, especially in celebrations and weddings, she concluded.


Source: Iran Daily