User:Walshaikhli/Mashhuf

The Mashhuf is a small boat that is about nine feet long and two feet wide. It has been for many centuries the primary method of transport in the wet marshes and rivers of southern Iraq by the Marsh Arabs. It is a long and thin boat with the ends tapering up. The streamlined design enables the Mashhuf to travel at moderately fast speeds even in swamps and murky waters.

Mashhufs have names according to their function; there is a space for one person called the "Tarrad," which is fast moving to its small size. It is used as a taxi for the inhabitants of the marshes. Another type is the Ka'da, which is characterized by the significant elevation of its front and its larger streamlined character. The Shakhtoura and is one of the largest and equipped with a motorized engine; it's the most expensive of all.

Driving is done by pushing a long and thin wooden paddle against the bottom of the Marsh. If the paddle is stuck in the weeds or on the banks, a Mardi is used to help the initial propelling (Mardi is long and sturdy cane).

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