Zargari people
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
| Zargar, Qazvin, Iran | |
| Languages | |
| Zargari, Persian, Azerbaijani | |
| Religion | |
| Islam | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Romani people |
The Zargari people are a Romani-related ethnic group deriving from Zargar, Iran and neighboring villages. They speak a distinct Zargari dialect of the Romany language, most closely related to those of Rumelia. Historical documentation of their origins is lacking, but one seemingly-accurate tradition traces their origins to three brothers, goldsmiths (Persian: زرگر, zargar), who were brought from Ottoman-held Rumelia as hostages during the reign of Nader Shah (1736-1747), and given pasture lands as a reward for their skills. As Romani, they were also exempted from taxation and military service. A late-19th century travel guide provides the only historical mention of the 'Zargari tribe', describing their propensity to road-piracy.
Although the Zargari once consisted of several clans, most of these have dispersed and lost their native language. The residents of Zargar predominantly belong to the Pāsālār clan.
See also
References
Baghbidi, Hassan Rezai. "The Zargari language: An endangered European Romani in Iran", Romani Studies, vol. 13, pp. 123–148 (2003).
Marushiakova, Elena and Vesselin Popov. 2010. Migrations West to East in the Times of the Ottoman Empire: The Example of a Gypsy/Roma Group in Modern Iran. Anthropology of the Middle East 5 (1): 93–99.
Windfuhr, Gernot. "European Gypsy in Iran: A First Report." Anthropological Linguistics 12.8 (1970): 271-292.