A quarter of century ago, Iran’s itinerants - or nomadic people - made up a quarter of the population and, for the most part, governed the regions where they lived. Today, they form just one million of Iran’s 75,000,000 population, scattered across the country in over 100 sub-tribes.
Even though the itinerants typically move from one location to another, many have settled in one place either because they were forced to by the government or because modernity has finally caught up with them.
Many migrate to the big cities in search of work. The trend is growing all the time and it’s possible that within the next few decades there will be little left of these nomadic people.
The economy of Iran’s itinerants is based on livestock breeding, but they are mainly known for producing beautiful handicrafts. Although the signs of their traditional lifestyle are fading, traces of old popular customs can still be found.
