Iraqi Marsh Interviews

The marshlands of Southern Iraq once covered thousands of square miles of territory. In the 1990s they were drained by Saddam Hussein’s regime, and despite efforts to reinstate the marshes, they remain a fraction of their original size. A number of tribes have inhabited the Iraqi marshes for thousands of years and the area remains distinctive for its way of life.

These recordings were made in the summer of 2024 by Haley Bobsine of King’s College London. The recordings were made with various people, including fishermen and women as they went about their daily business, and Dr. Badea, son of Sheikh Lubnan who is the head sheikh of the Al Khayoun clan of the Beni Asad tribe in Dhi Qar. The interview with Dr. Badea discusses the political history of the marshes, prior tribal leaders, the allocation of property rights over marsh lands, and various aspects of collective decision making.

There are also interviews with Abu Sitar - one of the foremost builders of the reed structures, mudhifs, which are used for communal gatherings and greeting of visitors. Abu Sitar builds mudhifs in Dhi Qar, and for many people around Iraq, including notable politicians. In the interview he discusses the methods used in their construction, their design and how it is intended to facilitate sound acoustics during communal discussions, and changes to their construction over time.