Mallay
Qara Saj is an old Turkmen woman who is well-known for her skills in weaving traditional Turkmen carpets. Qara Saj is also singing work songs as she works on her carpets.Work songs are an important part of Turkmen culture and are used to accompany a variety of daily tasks, including carpet weaving. These songs often […]
Hajjilar Qaleh
Jew’s harp (The Zamburak or Gopuz) The zamburak, known among Turkmen communities as the gopuz, is a small instrument with a distinctive sound and a long history across different musical cultures. In Turkmen life, however, its significance cannot be understood through its physical construction and musical characteristics alone. Its place in women’s everyday lives raises […]
Gonbad-e Kavus
Ay Mohammad Moghimi: Master Luthier and Musician from the Turkmen Regions of Iran Ay Mohammad Moghimi is a renowned craftsman and musician, specializing in the Dutar and kamancheh, crafted in the Turkmen tradition. Residing in the village of Gadamabad near Gonbad-e Kavus in northeastern Iran, he has spent the past four decades crafting over two thousand […]
Bandar-e Torkaman
Haji Mohammad Iri, known as Mokhi Jan, is a singer, musician, and director from Bandar Torkaman in the Golestan province of Iran. . . Now in his sixties, he is considered an integral part of the intangible cultural heritage of the Turkmen people in northeastern Iran. Mokhi Jan is a multi-instrumentalist, playing instruments such as […]
Behshahr
Mohamadreza Eshaghi: is one of the most important masters of regional music from northeastern Mazandaran, Iran. He is a player of the Mazandaran Dotar, a singer, poet, and composer. He was born in November 1947 in Gorji Mahalleh, near Behshahr, Mazandaran, in northern Iran. Mohammadreza learned to play the Dotar from his mother during his […]
Sari
Hosein Ali Ramezani (Kadkhoda) is a performer of traditional ritualistic dance in Mazandaran. In the lush landscapes of Mazandaran, a province nestled along Iran’s northern coastline, dance serves as a vibrant expression of cultural identity and communal heritage. Among the myriad traditional performances, the “Chakeh Sema” stands out for its intricate movements and profound storytelling. […]
Meshkabad
Ali and Mohsen Alizadeh are masterful players of the Desarkoten, the traditional Mazandarani naqqara, with over sixty years of dedication to this ancient musical art. Their impeccable synchronization and deep cultural commitment have made them guardians of Mazandaran’s rhythmic heritage. The Alizadeh Brothers: Guardians of the Desarkoten Art in Mazandaran In the verdant heart of […]
Amol
Nurallah Alizadeh is a distinguished figure in the realm of Mazandarani music. Renowned as a master vocalist and an accomplished player of the laleh-wa (shepherd’s flute), Alizadeh has dedicated his life to preserving and promoting the rich musical heritage of northern Iran. Noorollah Alizadeh, born in 1953 in Shah-Mahalleh, a village near Amol in Mazandaran […]
Qaem Shahr
Tahere Rad: is a guardian of Mazandaran’s oral traditions, preserving the epic tales passed down by her father, the renowned minstrel Mohammad Ali She’r Khoon. As one of the few female khonyagars, her voice carried the lost echoes of Hejabr Sultan’s legend, ensuring that these stories remained alive despite the absence of written records. Tahereh […]
Shirgah
Rahim Hoseinzade is a gifted Mazandarani singer who carries forward the rich vocal traditions of his homeland, deeply influenced by his master, Abolhasan Khoshroo. His voice, shaped by the land and its people, breathes life into ancient melodies of love, longing, and devotion. Mazandaran, a land of mist-laden forests and rolling green hills along the […]