Iranica Desk - IRAN DAILY
Varji was a light boat, made with palm stems and wood, that was used for daily fishing in shallow waters.
Although the last generation of varji makers is still living in the southern province of Bushehr, the method of making the small boat has been forgotten, ISNA wrote.
In the distant past, when few tools were available for manufacturing boats and lenj (a traditional handmade boat), the people of Bushehr Province used palm wood and strings to make varji for fishing, which was the source of their livelihood.
The four-meter boats, which took several weeks to build, are no longer manufactured in the province and have been replaced by fiberglass boats.
The manufacturing method of varji, described as a forgotten heritage, was registered on Iran’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2019.
Soudabeh Ma’mori, who is in charge of registering Bushehr Province’s cultural heritage, said that an old varji is kept in the Cultural Heritage Department of Siraf Port.
She said that at the time of registration, only one or two persons could use the method to build varji.
She said the important point is that in the past the locals of Bushehr used all parts of palm trees, known as the main symbol of this region, to make their needed items. However, many people do not know what varji is.
“We registered the ancient boat nationally to at least preserve its name,” Ma’mori noted.
She continued that since varji boats were very lightweight, they could only move in shallow water.
As better tools were developed, people replaced them with heavier boats that could travel in deeper water to catch more fish.
She concluded that building new boats is presently easier and no one spends several weeks to make a fishing boat.
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