Both the Muslim Tat and the Mussulman Tat speak a native language known as Tati. Depending on the area in which they live, the Tat speak other regional languages in addition to their own. There may be a Christian Tat dialect, but this cannot be confirmed. The Mussulman Tat still live in their rural ancestral villages among the mountains and valleys. The availability of well water determines the village location.
Farmers living in the valleys raise wheat, barley, maize, and cattle.
Those higher in the mountains raise sheep, bulls, and buffaloes. The houses feature flat roofs and front porches supported by wooden pillars. Families living in two-story homes use the upper floor for living quarters and the lower floor for workspace. Iran is an ethnically complex country where minority groups staunchly defend their traditional differences and struggle for local autonomy. The Tat are considered a closed society because they insist on maintaining ethnic purity by allowing marriage only within the tribe.