The Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism (RICHT), affiliated to Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHHTO) has completed the first stage of an ethnographical study on Kish Island, Hormuzgan Province.
Following a request by and under the auspices of Kish Indigenous Anthropology House, researchers from RICHT undertook a comprehensive ethnographical research on Kish, ICHHTO reported on November 6.
Researchers documented the indigenous culture of the island. They were led by A’zam Mousavi, senior expert and head of Social Anthropology Team at RICHT’s Anthropology Department.
“Ethnographical field research was conducted to help preserve the culture of the island’s indigenous people and compile a systematic documentation of their cultural heritage,” Mousavi said.
Documentation included topics such as the “rituals observed during both Solar and Lunar Hijri calendars, agriculture and husbandry, traditional crafts and occupations, vernacular techniques, clothing, residence and architecture and cuisine among others,” she added.
The second stage of the research will cover other topics including oral literature, local games and traditional medicine (also known as indigenous or folk medicine).
Results of the research will be published in a book by the end of this fiscal year in March 2017.
The Kish indigenous people’s house is 200 years old. The 1,200 square meter house situated in Seffin district has been converted into a museum to showcase indigenous culture. It has 15 rooms as well as two family and ceremonial yards.
In order to introduce the unique history, culture, traditions, livelihoods, and handicrafts of the native Kish residents, who came from Dravidian, Sumerian, Nordic and Semitic origins, the house was acquired with the owner’s consent and turned into a museum in April 2014 with permits from the Kish Free Trade Zone Organization.
Without changing the traditional native architecture, all the rooms in the house were renovated using indigenous materials and thus, the lifestyle of Kish’s native inhabitants was revived.
