Local Arts of Sistan and Baluchestan: Precious Heritage at Risk of Being Forgotten

ZAHEDAN – The local arts of Sistan and Baluchestan reflect the identity and cultural authenticity of this land, yet due to neglect they face the risk of being forgotten and lost.

Arjan Ambassador - Provinces Group, Fatemeh Golvi: Native arts and handicrafts of Sistan and Baluchistan, from luxurious hand-embroidered clothes to rugs, carpets, pottery, cloth weaving and local ornaments, form an important part of the cultural identity and economic capacity of this province.

Sistani and Balochi women's clothes, which today are mostly prepared and used for special ceremonies and rituals, are among the most expensive art and handicraft products due to their handwork, elegance, mental roles and time-consuming nature.

Sistani black embroidery and Baluchi needlework, which takes months, still maintain their place among noble families, and annual orders are entrusted to special needlewomen.

Rug weaving and carpet weaving with natural colors and hand-spun wool have created rare and popular examples in the north and south of Sistan and Baluchistan.

Handmade jewelry with a combination of enameling, inlaying and goldsmithing, from breastplates and earrings to anklets and armbands, are popular in southern Balochistan.

However, the increase in costs, the decrease in daily use and the lack of a stable market have put many of these arts into oblivion.

Experience shows that art survives as long as it remains useful in people's lives; Therefore, application, decorative design and supply of collectible and gift products is considered a basic strategy to preserve the artistic heritage of Sistan and Baluchistan.

Sistan and Baluchistan; A collection of local arts and crafts

Abdul Salam Balochzadeh, Director General of Culture and Islamic Guidance of Sistan and Baluchistan, in an interview with Mehr reporter, explained the state of local arts and crafts in the province and stated: Sistan and Baluchistan province, both in Sistan and Baluchistan, has luxurious clothes. Nowadays, most of these clothes are actually used in mourning ceremonies and it seems that they were made for special occasions.

He continued: Since sewing these clothes is a manual, time-consuming and delicate work, it is considered one of the most expensive local arts and crafts. For example, a Balochi women's dress now costs tens of millions of Tomans; It all comes down to the fact that it takes months for someone to sit down, take the time, and design that outfit based on their mental blueprint.

Balochzadeh stated: Noble families still have their own needlewomen and they use less market needlework. The price of these works is also very high, and all this is due to the delicacy of the handwork, which takes several months of needlework.

He said: We have a collection of indigenous arts and handicrafts in Sistan and Baluchistan, and we still haven't been able to separate the border between art and handicrafts. But in general, handicraft is also art and there is no separation between the two.

Native arts of Sistan and Baluchistan; It is the rarest and most popular arts

The Director General of Culture and Guidance of Sistan and Baluchistan stated: From traditional handwovens to carpet weaving and rug weaving in Sistan and Baluchistan, both in the north and in the south, rugs with natural colors, dyed and woven from sheep's wool spun by the women of the province, and whose designs and patterns are completely subjective, are among the rarest, rarest and most popular examples. Balochi and Sistani rugs are also similar.

He continued discussing jewelry and said: Making jewelry is a combination of several arts. From enameling and inlaying to gilding, all these are combined; Interestingly, we have our own ornaments in Sistan and Baluchistan; As we go to the south of Baluchistan, handmade ornaments are more common; From breastplates to local earrings; From ankle to arm, forearm and wrist.

Baluchzadeh added: We also had various examples of ornaments, including "Edan" in which aromatic substances were poured and hung on clothes; Arm ornaments with tiny pebbles inside that made noises when walking, and nose and ear ornaments with several different patterns. All these are among the traditional arts that are disappearing in today's conditions due to high costs.

In the end, he stated: In addition to these, various arts such as instrument making and cloth weaving have also existed in this province; We must preserve this capacity of indigenous art as much as possible so that it is not forgotten; Most arts die when they are not used; Because an art survives as long as it is practical.

The Director General of Culture and Guidance of Sistan and Baluchistan said: Many of these arts have been revived, such as Kalpurgan pottery, which today does not have its traditional function, but has retained its decorative aspect and has returned as a decorative object in people's lives. This happens to all arts and they should be applied in any way; Even the knife making industry in this province can be used as a gift for special people; A knife that no longer has the function of being a winner and is used as a luxurious and collectible object due to various decorations.

Handicrafts of Sistan and Baluchistan; Cultural identifier and manifesting people's identity

Mohammad Ali Ebrahimi, director of the Southeast Museum, in an interview with Mehr reporter, referring to the privileged position of the native arts of this region, described the handicrafts of Sistan and Baluchistan as a cultural identifier and a manifestation of the identity of the people of the province.

Emphasizing the rare variety of handicrafts of Sistan and Balochistan, he said: Balochi needlework with geometric patterns and exquisite colors, Sistan cream embroidery dating back to the Sassanid era, Kalpurgan pottery, which is created without a wheel and only by the hands of Baloch women and has reached the world record, and hundreds of traditional wicker and textile works, constitute an irreplaceable treasure of the taste and art of the people of this land. they give

Ebrahimi added: Many handicraft products, which many people have been working in their production for years, do not have good sales and market now.

He pointed out: Observance of cultural and identity components in the design of handicraft packaging, with a better understanding of the experiences of other cultures of buyers, will provide practical and effective solutions in this field.

The director of the South East Museum of Sistan and Baluchistan, referring to the job creation role of handicrafts and native arts, said: the packaging industry can create many jobs and complete the value chain of handicrafts of the province.

In the end, he emphasized the need for the authorities to seriously support native artists and stated: If there is a special look at the anthropological research and the cultural capacities of the province, many social and economic problems of this region will be solved. Handicrafts of Sistan and Baluchistan are not just a decorative product, but a narrator of the identity, history and authenticity of the people who have connected art with life.