موسیقی، هویت و جهانی‌شدن در بندرعباس: مطالعه‌ای بین‌رشته‌ای درباره فرهنگ‌پذیری در گروه‌های موسیقی هیبریدی

Background: Due to its unique geographical location, BandarAbbas has always been one of Iran's most important ports, serving as a hub of cultural and commercial exchange between local inhabitants and various migrants from Africa, India, Portugal, and Spain. Throughout history, this region has experienced continuous exposure to trade, migration, and maritime flows, transforming it into a kind of “Global city” where local and transnational cultural patterns are in constant contact. These interactions have given rise to musical acculturation. However, most research on the music of southern Iran has adopted a historical approach, with less attention paid to contemporary developments and cultural interactions in urban contexts. Consequently, many dimensions related to the formation of urban popular music and the mutual influence of different cultures have remained understudied. The study of BandarAbbas's music is significant because it offers a living example of how hybrid identity is formed in the context of globalization, an identity which is not defined by the negation of tradition but by its redefinition in encounter with international musical currents.
Objectives: This research aims to examine the process of musical acculturation in BandarAbbas and its impact on the creation of hybrid genres, focusing on groups such as Leyva, Mamboleyva, Damahi, Jalboat, and Gargop. It seeks to answer the main question: How has the process of musical acculturation led to the formation of hybrid genres in the popular music of BandarAbbas, and what role has this process played in shaping the contemporary musical identity of the region? By analyzing contemporary musical pieces, from Leyva and Mamboleyva to Damahi, Jalboat, and Gargop, the study demonstrates how local musicians have created a new form of artistic identity through the creative fusion of local music with global musical currents such as reggae, jazz, and flamenco.
Method: This research is qualitative in terms of analysis and descriptive-analytical in nature. Data collection was carried out through library resources, fieldwork, and oral sources. Field studies were based on the researcher's presence among local informants and veteran artists. This was achieved by locating gathering places of artists and musicians through snowball sampling and conducting structured and semi-structured interviews with them. Additionally, musical activities were observed, and specific pieces were analyzed for hybrid characteristics based on theoretical frameworks of acculturation and hybridity strategies.
Result: The first signs of acculturation and hybridity in BandarAbbas date back to the early decades of the 20th century with the introduction of the oud from the southern Persian Gulf. A second wave occurred in the early 1960s, led by Ebrahim Monsefi (Rami), who popularized the guitar. Groups like Liwa (formed in 1969) pioneered the use of drums and guitars combined with local rhythms such as the Dohol-Kaser. Leyva's “Jooti Sefid” blended local rhythms with reggae, not jazz as commonly mislabeled. Mamboleyva (formed around 1999) revived Leyva's legacy, further integrating Latin intervals and African rhythms. What distinguishes the activities of the Mamboleyva group is its revivalist approach. Mamboleyva can be regarded as the reviver of the Leyva group and of Bandarabbasi hybrid music. One dimension of revival is related to the agency and desire for change among musicians. These individuals engage in revival driven by personal, political, or social motivations. In many cases, revival and revivalist movements in music adopt an anti‑modernist orientation. However, it appears that the revival of the Leyva group by Mamboleyva follows an orientation toward modernism, rather than opposing it. Contemporary groups include Damahi (formed 2013), whose piece “Divaneh” combines BandarAbbas rhythmic patterns with jazz and flamenco hand-clapping. Jalboat (formed later), whose “Fahmet Boba Bala” blends local dialect with jazz and reggae, using rhythmic modulation, and Gargop (formed 2019), whose “Rang-e Sehr” mixes reggae and jazz with local elements, exhibiting a strategy of distortion. These groups have faced challenges, including censorship, concert permit issues (Damahi is officially banned due to political stances), and the risk of instability due to conflicting cultural policies. Despite this, audience acceptance was evidenced by a sold-out “Show Bandari” concert (December 2024) with approximately 1,300 tickets sold.
Conclusion: The process of acculturation and hybridity in BandarAbbas's music demonstrates the dynamism and flexibility of this genre. From Gholamali Tavasoli's “Jooti Sefid” to Damahi's “Divaneh”, this music represents a continuous process of change. It shows that Hormozgani identity is not a static heritage to be preserved in a museum but a dynamic process that constantly reinvents itself at the intersection of African and reggae rhythmic patterns, Arabic and jazz intervals, Western instrumentation, and local dialect. While these groups have successfully entered Iran's mainstream popular music and even gained international recognition (Damahi performed at the London Jazz Festival and in Canada), they face structural pressures and governmental constraints. The hybrid music of BandarAbbas has built an identity in which being local is not an obstacle to globalization but rather the most important path to joining global culture. It serves not only as a symbol of cultural diversity but also as a model for musical and cultural coexistence.