What is "kumzar"

Kumzar , also written as Kumza, is a village located in Musandam, the northernmost province of Oman. It is the most northerly inhabited part of the country, located on the Strait of Hormuz. The village is isolated and only accessible by boat.

Kumzar has been inhabited for approximately 500 years, although exact records are difficult. Early Portuguese maps of the area highlight a settlement in the area.

The isolated location of the village has harboured a separate language, Kumzari, which is the only Persian language native in the Arabian Peninsula. The Kumzaris religious practice is based in Islam but with traditional folk culture values. The culture is distinct from the other arabic settlements in the area.

Fishing is the dominant source of income, tuna and sardines being the major catch. Most families have two houses, one in Kumzar and the second in Khasab. The extreme heat in the summer makes Kumzar almost uninhabitable and from May to September most people leave Kumzar to stay in Khasab. In Khasab the Kumzari are typically isolationist, having their own district; which is close to the sea and where all the houses are grouped.