Laft Village
Laft is one of the villages in Qeshm Island in the province of Hormozgan and is located 56 km west of the island and 85 km from the center of the province, Bandar-Abbas.
Like most of the villages in Qeshm Island, this one is also situated near the shore on the island's border. Regarding its natural configuration the village is like a headland jutting out into the sea, and it is connected to the sea from the north, east, and west and is surrounded by arid lands. Laft has a hot and humid weather; it is finer during winter and early spring. Its inhabitants speak with a special local accent and are Sunni Muslims. According to the monuments found in some old buildings of Laft, the village is about a thousand years old. The main reason behind the formation of this village is the existence of sea lanes, Hara forests, sweet water wells, cisterns, and seasonal winds. Because of the geographical situation of the village, its economy is based on sea trade, fishing, gardening, making boats, and handicrafts such as unique types of embroidery and needle-work. Men folk of the village do not wear particular clothes; however some of them, especially the older ones, wear traditional clothes such as white turban, and long overalls called Deshdasha. But women in Laft village wear traditional clothes like those worn by women of Qeshm and cover their faces with Burqa to protect them from the severe sun heat. However wearing Burqa is not common among younger women.
The natural feature of laft village among tropical green trees and high palm groves, in addition to the dazzling beauty of the sea and Hara floating forest is of special attraction to any traveler visiting the area. Moreover, the architectural style of the houses is fantastic and as the major architectural characteristic of the village mention can be made of numerous traditional ventilation systems in various sizes.
Laft village consists of two textures: old and new. The old texture or the core of the village has taken shape with wells and waterways parallel with the shore and have an adjoining and well-knit context. With the passage of time, there have been some constructions in northern and south eastern parts of the village; factors such as The Rural Development Plan and economic growth have played role in the current developments of Laft village. Mosques are the most noticeable buildings in the village.
In the old texture of the village, houses are built very close to each other in narrow lanes. Small and big ventilation-shafts on the houses located among gardens and palm groves have given a special grandeur and magnificence to this village. What is eye- catching in this texture are the white Mosques most of which have a single minaret. In addition to the old texture, modern urban architecture is seen in the new texture of Laft village. Buildings are constructed not in a dense pattern, and therefore lanes and pathways are wider.
Water needed by the residents of Laft village is provided in a specific fashion. Surface waters from periodic sporadic rainfalls and showers start to flow in natural or artificial canals in the hills; and pass along a man-made canal to reach the main wells and cisterns of the village. It should be pointed out that each house has an underground cistern in its yard, and water is provided for the residents by means of large portable water storages.
In spite of its limited space, due to its having pieces of plain, heights, and its proximity to the Persian Gulf, Laft village is a suitable habitat for various species of animals. From among birds we can name Indian heron, seagull, different fish-eating birds, grey heron, some types of eagle and tern. Thanks to the proximity of the village with the Persian Gulf, the bodies of water around the village are full of various species of fish used for eating, industrial, and decorative purposes and other sea animals like shrimp and oyster. In Laft village there live reptiles such as snakes, turtles, and lizards and mammals like fox, rat, jackal, and sable, too.
It is note-worthy that Hara ever-green forests near the port of Laft play a very important role in the ecosystem and the food chain of sea animals and the economy of the village. These forests have created wonderful sceneries with their calm shallow waters, and attract many tourists and travelers during the year. A collection of natural, skeletal, historical, cultural, and economic features has granted a specific advantage to the village of Laft and has made it a unique Iranian village. Some Arabic-African customs and traditions, and Iranian-Indian architectural styles are proofs of cultural merger in the village which has taken shape during long centuries.
In addition to natural tourist attractions, Laft has some valuable historical monuments as well. To mention some of them we can name Naderi Castle, Portuguese Castle, mausoleums of Sheikh Andarabi, Sheikh Musa, Sheikh Shamseddin, the old texture, an ancient cemetery, cisterns, ventilation-shafts, and wells that date back to the Achaemenid and Sassanid periods.
One of the cultural traditions followed by the people of Laft is a ceremony called Alaf-chini where both men and women take part in pruning the trees of Hara forests. The people in this village mostly eat sea foods. Handicrafts, fish, oyster, and dates are some of the souvenirs mostly taken from Laft village; the village is accessible via the main road from Qeshm and is also in connection with other ports via sea routes.
Source: irib.ir
Other links:
Geographical Position, Hormozgan
Historical Monuments, Hormozgan
Townships, Hormozgan
