Achomi people

Achomi or Ajami people also incorrectly known as Lari or Larestani people (or Khodmooni),^[2] are a Persian ethnic group who inhabit primarily in Southern Fars, and Hormozgan Province, Iran. Significant numbers of Achomi people have migrated to Kuwait, Bahrain, UAE and other Persian Gulf Arab countries in the region.

The historical region of Irahistan consists of several counties in Fars Province (Larestan, Khonj, Gerash, Lamerd) and Bastak County in Hormozgan. In Bahrain, Sunni Bahrainis of Achomi ancestry are known as Hola.

Achomi people speak the Achomi language. The language is in decline and has reported eight dialects and it is not understood by mainstream Farsi speakers^[3]. The Achomi people are of Persian descent. The majority of Achomi people are Sunni Muslims,^[4][5][6][7] with a Shia minority. In the thirteenth century, Lar briefly became a center of trade and commerce in southern Persia.^[4] Irahistan was nearly always an obscure region, never becoming involved in the politics and conflicts of mainstream Persia.^[4] This was due to independent rule during the Safavid times, but that has failed due to the British Empire "Anti Piracy Company" and continued to decline due to Reza Shah Pahlavi's centric policies and the Ayatollah policies^[8]. Ahmad Iqtidari noted in his book Ancient Larestan (1955):

"To those people of the towns, villages, and ports of Larestan who have stayed in the land of their ancestors, with its glorious past and its desolate present. And to those who have endured the hardship of migration to earn a living on the islands of the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean and in the towns of India, Arabia and other places. They remember with joy their beloved birthplace and still grieve for its ruin."

Achomi people refer to themselves as Khodmooni, a term literally meaning "part of ourselves"^[2] but figuratively used to refer to people from the historical region of Larestan but not city of Lar itself.

References