Manama – Can you imagine what it would be like to travel to a place called Two Seas? With the numerous beautiful landscapes from all over the world, there is a country literally named “two seas,” and that is Bahrain.
Bahrain is an archipelago of 33 islands, with shallow waters surrounding its beautiful shores. However, more than a stunning destination for tourists and travelers, the country is also home to the Ajam, or the Iranian Bahraini. They comprise an ethnic community that has preserved their traditions through generations.
Who are the Ajam of Bahrain?
The Ajam is an ethnic group composed of ethnic Persians who have Bahraini citizenship. Just like any other ethnic group around the world, they share a distinct connection within their communities that centers on their culture, beliefs, and traditions.
The Ajams have an interesting origin story. When Bahrain was under Persian rule, people assume that many Persians migrated to the country. However, there is no archeological proof or record of this Persian migration. The earliest evidence of Persians living in Bahrain was in 1828, confirmed through a record of deed of a Bahraini property in Bilad al-Qadeem. Still, the Persian migration to Bahrain dates back to the Achaemenid Persian and Sassanid empire. In this particular time in Bahrain history, it is easy to imagine the country with a constant number of Persian-speaking Shi’a.
Ajam as the Shia Persians
The Ajam of Bahrain are Shi’a Persians who have significantly influenced the history of the country. Their ancestors are among the influential minority who arrived in the country in the early 20th century. They worked as merchants, laborers, and artisans.
Throughout the decades, the Ajam have become a part of the Bahraini community. Even though they have assimilated Bahrain’s practices and culture, they still speak southern Persian dialects that are distinct to their cities of origin, such as that of Lari, Lori Kalani, and the like. There are also plenty of Persian names for various villages throughout the country, which may have been the result of the influences during the Safavid rule as well as previous Persian control.
As for their language, almost all the Ajam are bilingual in Arabic and Persian. The language taught in school, spoken in the workplace, and used in daily affairs may be Arabic, but the Ajam members speak Persian within their familial domains. They have learned to work alongside the ethnic majority without forgetting their ethnic roots. The Ajam may possess Bahraini citizenship since birth, but in most cases, they have remained loyal to their cultural treasures, language, and beliefs. Thus, they may live side by side with the ethnic majority, but the Ajam have worked to preserve their traditions for future generations.
Image from visitbahrain.bh, https://www.instagram.com/visitbahrain.bh/
