Evaz
Encyclopedia
Evaz is a city in and the capital of Evaz District
, in Larestan County
, Fars Province, Iran
. At the 2006 census, its population was 14,315, in 3,297 families.
It is one of the fastest growing towns in the region due in large part to a number of Evazi individuals who provide financial support for the development of robust academic infrastructure.
, Khuz and Khuzestan. In old Persian this word called Uvaja or Uvja.
. Evaz is situated about 970 meters above sea level in a valley stretching approximately thirty kilometers in length and four kilometers in breadth with low mountains to the North and South.
Climate
Evaz receives minimal rainfall, estimated to be approximately 7.5 cm (3 inches) on average per year. Summers are hot and dry with temperatures reaching as high as 46°C during the day. Winters are usually cold and similarly dry. Spring and autumn provide a more moderate and pleasant climate. Temperatures usually drop at night time throughout the year due to being geographically situated in a valley.
and more recently the US and Canada
have also received significant migration. It has been estimated that approximately 7,000 are outside Evaz but in Iran. At least 30,000 people of Evazi origin are estimated to live in the GCC countries.
Language
The spoken dialect of Evaz is Evazi, which is distinct from New Persian
. It is also maintained by some that it is sister to New Persian
though it is difficult to verify this claim. The claim is tied to the popular belief that Evazi is historically derived from Pahlavi
. Pahlavi is an admixture of written Imperial Aramaic (from which Pahlavi derives its script, logograms, and some of its vocabulary) and spoken Middle Iranian (from which Pahlavi derives its terminations, symbol rules, and most of its vocabulary).
Today, Evazi as a mother tongue is being increasingly abandoned by the younger generation in favour of Persian, Arabic or English. Among the Evazis which have migrated to the other countries, many still speak the Evazi dialect at home. However, the large majority of migrants from previous generations have adopted their new domicile's language as either a first or second language. In many cases, the cultural roots of those whose families have migrated several decades ago have been eroded and replaced by the new language of necessity. The most prominent example of this is the large number of Gulf Arab nationals with Evazi roots that have replaced Evazi with Arabic over the years.
Education
Evaz is one of the few towns in Fars to aggressively develop its academic infrastructure. There are currently four kindergartens, ten elementary schools, eight secondary schools and six high schools in Evaz. In addition, Evaz houses a branch of Payame Noor University as well as the Islamic Azad University. Due to lack of financial resources and support in the region, several philanthropic
families have privately provided financial aid for 'Payame Noor University' in an effort to create opportunities for residents.
Religion
Sunni Islam is the dominant religion in Evaz. Historically speaking, the majority of Iranians were Sunni Muslims before the emergence of the Safavid Dynasty
about five hundred years ago around 1501 AD.
During that time, despite a large portion of Iranians converting to Shiite Islam
under pressure from the Safavids, a small number of people from peripheral provinces resisted in favor of Sunni Islam. A century later, the Safavid dynasty established complete control over Larestan, where Evaz is located, under Abbas I of Persia
in 1599 AD. Although the large majority of Iranians today are classified as Shiite Muslims, Evaz remains part of a substantial minority of Sunni Muslims spread throughout the country.
Evazis have been said to belong in the Indo-Aryan
peoples, but have gone through thousands of years of mixing with other peoples both pre Aryan groups and post Aryan invaders.
A popular story among Evazis is that residents of towns such as Marvdasht
and Bayza
, near the Achaemenid dynasty former ceremonial capital Persepolis
, migrated to Evaz in order to avoid persecution and conversion to Shiite Islam. This claim, though popular, has not been verified to date. The reason for this migration occurring after Larestan fell into Safavid control rather than before is unclear.
Evaz District
Evaz District is a district in Larestan County, Fars Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 33,346, in 6,922 families. The District has two cities: Evaz and Fishvar....
, in Larestan County
Larestan County
Larestan County is a county in Fars Province in Iran. The capital of the county is Lar. At the 2006 census, the county's population was 223,235, in 49,571 families; excluding those portions, the population was 183,887, in 40,837 families...
, Fars Province, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. At the 2006 census, its population was 14,315, in 3,297 families.
It is one of the fastest growing towns in the region due in large part to a number of Evazi individuals who provide financial support for the development of robust academic infrastructure.
Etymology
Professor Abdolmajid Arfaee, Iranian Elamologist and former professor of university of Chicago said: true pronunciation of this word is Avaz and this word has same root with AhvazAhvaz
-History:For a more comprehensive historical treatment of the area, see the history section of Khūzestān Province.-Ancient history:Ahvaz is the anagram of "Avaz" and "Avaja" which appear in Darius's epigraph...
, Khuz and Khuzestan. In old Persian this word called Uvaja or Uvja.
Geography
The town of Evaz is located in the Fars province of Iran and lies about 330 kilometers south of ShirazShiraz
Shiraz may refer to:* Shiraz, Iran, a city in Iran* Shiraz County, an administrative subdivision of Iran* Vosketap, Armenia, formerly called ShirazPeople:* Hovhannes Shiraz, Armenian poet* Ara Shiraz, Armenian sculptor...
. Evaz is situated about 970 meters above sea level in a valley stretching approximately thirty kilometers in length and four kilometers in breadth with low mountains to the North and South.
Climate
Evaz receives minimal rainfall, estimated to be approximately 7.5 cm (3 inches) on average per year. Summers are hot and dry with temperatures reaching as high as 46°C during the day. Winters are usually cold and similarly dry. Spring and autumn provide a more moderate and pleasant climate. Temperatures usually drop at night time throughout the year due to being geographically situated in a valley.
Demographics
Due to a history of mass migration, the precise number of Evazis in the world is difficult to determine at this stage. Many have migrated to other countries, mainly the GCC. SwedenSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and more recently the US and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
have also received significant migration. It has been estimated that approximately 7,000 are outside Evaz but in Iran. At least 30,000 people of Evazi origin are estimated to live in the GCC countries.
Language
The spoken dialect of Evaz is Evazi, which is distinct from New Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
. It is also maintained by some that it is sister to New Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
though it is difficult to verify this claim. The claim is tied to the popular belief that Evazi is historically derived from Pahlavi
Pahlavi scripts
Pahlavi or Pahlevi denotes a particular and exclusively written form of various Middle Iranian languages. The essential characteristics of Pahlavi are*the use of a specific Aramaic-derived script, the Pahlavi script;...
. Pahlavi is an admixture of written Imperial Aramaic (from which Pahlavi derives its script, logograms, and some of its vocabulary) and spoken Middle Iranian (from which Pahlavi derives its terminations, symbol rules, and most of its vocabulary).
Today, Evazi as a mother tongue is being increasingly abandoned by the younger generation in favour of Persian, Arabic or English. Among the Evazis which have migrated to the other countries, many still speak the Evazi dialect at home. However, the large majority of migrants from previous generations have adopted their new domicile's language as either a first or second language. In many cases, the cultural roots of those whose families have migrated several decades ago have been eroded and replaced by the new language of necessity. The most prominent example of this is the large number of Gulf Arab nationals with Evazi roots that have replaced Evazi with Arabic over the years.
Education
Evaz is one of the few towns in Fars to aggressively develop its academic infrastructure. There are currently four kindergartens, ten elementary schools, eight secondary schools and six high schools in Evaz. In addition, Evaz houses a branch of Payame Noor University as well as the Islamic Azad University. Due to lack of financial resources and support in the region, several philanthropic
Philanthropy
Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...
families have privately provided financial aid for 'Payame Noor University' in an effort to create opportunities for residents.
Religion
Sunni Islam is the dominant religion in Evaz. Historically speaking, the majority of Iranians were Sunni Muslims before the emergence of the Safavid Dynasty
Safavid dynasty
The Safavid dynasty was one of the most significant ruling dynasties of Iran. They ruled one of the greatest Persian empires since the Muslim conquest of Persia and established the Twelver school of Shi'a Islam as the official religion of their empire, marking one of the most important turning...
about five hundred years ago around 1501 AD.
During that time, despite a large portion of Iranians converting to Shiite Islam
Safavid conversion of Iran from Sunnism to Shiism
The Safavid conversion of Iran from Sunnism to Shiism made Iran the spiritual bastion of Shia Islam against the onslaughts of orthodox Sunni Islam, and the repository of Persian cultural traditions and self-awareness of Iranianhood, acting as a bridge to modern Iran...
under pressure from the Safavids, a small number of people from peripheral provinces resisted in favor of Sunni Islam. A century later, the Safavid dynasty established complete control over Larestan, where Evaz is located, under Abbas I of Persia
Abbas I of Persia
Shāh ‘Abbās the Great was Shah of Iran, and generally considered the greatest ruler of the Safavid dynasty. He was the third son of Shah Mohammad....
in 1599 AD. Although the large majority of Iranians today are classified as Shiite Muslims, Evaz remains part of a substantial minority of Sunni Muslims spread throughout the country.
Ethnicity
Due to the dearth of evidence as to the origins of Evazis, ethnicity remains a highly controversial topic magnified by the geographical dispersion of people with Evazi roots. However, a basic set of information is broadly agreed upon by most Evazis and hence forms the skeleton of information regarding Evazi ethnicity.Evazis have been said to belong in the Indo-Aryan
Indo-Aryans
Indo-Aryan is an ethno-linguistic term referring to the wide collection of peoples united as native speakers of the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-Iranian family of Indo-European languages...
peoples, but have gone through thousands of years of mixing with other peoples both pre Aryan groups and post Aryan invaders.
A popular story among Evazis is that residents of towns such as Marvdasht
Marvdasht
Marvdasht is a city in and the capital of Marvdasht County, Fars Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 123,858, in 29,134 families.- Historical background :Marvdasht is as ancient of the history of Iran and the vast Persian empire...
and Bayza
Bayza
Beyza is a city in and the capital of Beyza District, in Sepidan County, Fars Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 3,593, in 845 families....
, near the Achaemenid dynasty former ceremonial capital Persepolis
Persepolis
Perspolis was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire . Persepolis is situated northeast of the modern city of Shiraz in the Fars Province of modern Iran. In contemporary Persian, the site is known as Takht-e Jamshid...
, migrated to Evaz in order to avoid persecution and conversion to Shiite Islam. This claim, though popular, has not been verified to date. The reason for this migration occurring after Larestan fell into Safavid control rather than before is unclear.
See also
- Larestan
- Lar, Iran
- GerashGerashGerash is a city in and the capital of Gerash County, Fars Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 27,574, in 6,261 families....
- Fars province
- KookherdKookherdKukherd is a city in and the capital of Kukherd District, in Bastak County, Hormozgan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 3,144, in 637 families....
- Asr e EvazAsr e EvazAsre Evaz is the sole general newspaper of the city of Evaz, in Fars Province, Iran.-History:...
- FishvarFishvarFishvar is a city in Evaz District, Larestan County, Fars Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 5,201, in 920 families....
- bidshahr
External links
- Evaz Nama | news and analysis website of Evaz.
- Evaz4U It's maybe known as the official website of the town.
- Ewazstars Off the town running website, mostly related to the news of Evaz & Iran
- Ewaz Football Website The Official Website Of Evaz's Football. Contains Football News Of Evaz and Area.
- Asr e Evaz Newspaper website of Asr e Evaz Newspaper.