TEHRAN – The second edition of a tribal festival dedicated to Shahsevan nomads will be held in Ardabil province on April 25 and 26.

The Shahsevan, aka Shahsavan, are a number of Azarbaijani-speaking Turkic groups that live in northwestern Iran, mainly inhabiting the districts of Mughan, Ardabil, Kharaqan, and Khamsa.

The festival is aimed at bringing together thousands of locals and domestic travelers to Jafarabad, which is about 26 km northwest of Bileh Savar county in the Mughan plain.

“Displaying the values of tribal life is one of the goals of organizing this festival….,” the provincial tourism chief said on Saturday.

“Symbolic representation of nomadic migration, everyday life of nomads, tribal wedding ceremonies, setting up tents of different tribes, and holding various indigenous sports competitions are among the programs planned for this festival,” Hassan Mohammadi-Adib explained.

The official said in addition to the tribes of Ardabil province, in this edition of the festival, we will be hosting nomads and local music groups from other Iranian provinces and other countries to showcase the diversity of tribal communities.

Iranian nomads mainly live in the provinces of Fars, Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari, Khuzestan, Isfahan, and some other provinces. They usually change between their winter quarters in steppes (Qishlaq or warmer areas) and summer quarters in green mountainous regions (Yeylaq or cooler countryside).

Sightseers may visit nomads at different times of the year. However, the best seasons are spring and summer. There are several nomadic tribes you can meet or stay with, each of them having its own unique lifestyle, culture, customs, foods, and musical performances.

AM