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Persian Heritage Vol. 16, No. 63 Fall 2011 www.persian-heritage.com Persian Heritage, Inc. FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK 8 110 Passaic Avenue Letters to Editor 10 Passaic, NJ 07055

E-mail: [email protected] Telephone: (973) 471-4283 News Fax: 973 471 8534 Iranian-American Professor Helps Paralyzed Student 11 The Passing of Reza Badiyi 12 Editor 104th Birthday Dr. Abolghassem Ghaffari 13 Shahrokh Ahkami

Editorial Board COMMENTARY Dr. Mehdi Abusaidi, Shirin Ahkami Raiszadeh, Dr. Mahvash Alavi Naini, Heart of Darkness 14 Mohammad Bagher Alavi, Dr. Talat Bassari, Mohammad H. Hakami, (David Yazdan) Ardeshir Lotfalian, K. B. Navi, Dr. Kamshad Raiszadeh, Farhang A. “We Speak Parsi” 16 Sadeghpour, Mohammad K. Sadigh, (Fred F. Arzideh) Dr. David Yeagley. Master Composer Loris Tjeknavorian 17 Managing Editors Pirooz in China 18 HALLEH NIA

advertising (Frank Wong) HALLEH NIA Cultural Behavior Equals Musical Behavior 20 (Hassan Bakhtari) * The contents of the articles and ad­ver­ tisements in this journal, with the ex­ception of the edi­torial, are the sole works of each in­di­vidual writers and contributors. This maga­ THE ARTS & Culture zine does not have any confirmed knowledge as to the truth and ve­racity of these articles. Persepolis, a Personal History 22 all contributors agree to hold harmless and (Bahman Joorabchi) indemnify Persian Heri­tage (Mirass-e Iran), Persian Heritage Inc., its editors, staff, board Reviews: of directors, and all those indi­ ­viduals directly­ associated with the publishing­ of this maga- Ghazel Games 24 zine. The opinions ex­pressed in these articles are the sole opinions of the writers and not the Assassins of the Turquoise Palace 24 journal. No article or pic­ture submitted will be returned to the writer or contributor. All articles submitted in English­ must be typed. The Last Ascent of Leila Esfandyari 25 * The appearance of advertising in this maga­ zine does not constitute a guar­an­tee or en­ Dr. Peyman Nojoumian New Assistant Professor of Persian 26 dorsement of the products by Persian Heri­tage. In addition, articles and letters published do not Nader Shah 27 reflect the views of this publication. (Ernest Tucker) * Letters to the Editor should be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to the above addresses and num­bers. Interview with Justine Shapiro 30 The journal reserves the right to edit same for space and clarity or as deemed appro­priate. (Shahrokh Ahkami) * All requests for permissions and reprints must be made in writing to the managing editor. Published by persian heritage, inc. IMPORTANT NOTICE A corporation organized for cultural and All written sub­missions to Persian Heri­tage with the ex­pec­tation of literary­ purposes publication in the magazine­ must include the writer’s name, address Cover Price: $6.00 Subscriptions: $24.00/year (domestic); and telephone number.­ When an article is submitted we assume the $30.00 & 50.00/year (International) author has complete ownership of the article and the right to grant Typesetting & Layout permission for publication. TALIEH PUBLICATIONS

Fall 2011 7 From the Editor’s Desk

Every day I receive many e-mails and letters from Iranians richness and success in the lands they now call home. They are abroad. It usually takes hours of my time to get through them. listed in the statistics as the most prominent ethnic group. And, Some of the letters bring me joy and happiness, some cause me they are defined as prominent figures in the fields of research, to become agitated and others have such amazing depth, that medicine, technology, engineering, finance, space and the arts. you disbelieve or are shocked by their words. I was silently screaming at myself, “how could I NOT A few days ago, while I was deciding on the subject of this be ashamed to show this picture to the children of those who editorial, I received an e-mail from Mr. Houshang Bafekr, an immigrated? If I did show them the picture, what would I say, old childhood friend in Iran. He contributes articles to Persian when they asked me why these are now the conditions in Iran? Heritage and has a large following. In this e-mail he included Should I tell them that we are the guilty ones? Should I tell a picture, and for the first time I decided to put the picture in them it is our fault because we left Iran out of selfishness and the magazine. The picture was both shocking and interesting. desire for comfort, wealth, personal success and achievements? The picture showed the face of a young boy, innocent and Should I tell them that this is our fault because we made a “so hopeless. He was selling band-aides in the streets of Tehran, called revolution” to change a regime in order to bring equal- simple BAND-AIDES, which are used to cover wounds. This ity, liberty, peace and harmony to the Iranian people? Should young innocent child was selling these band-aides for income, I tell them it is our fault because we made the mistake of not to support himself and probably to support his mother, father, knowing what to do and therefore ended up giving the destiny sisters and brothers. This child was not old enough to legally and government of Iran, to people who now rule in the name work. He should have been under the protection of his parents, spending quality time with his family, spending his day in school and his nights studying and sleeping in a warm soft bed. Instead, he was selling band-aides in the streets, in the bitter cold, in the terrific heat, in the snow and rain, night and day. He sits in a corner and then runs after people, hoping that they will buy the handful of band-aides he carries in his hand. He sells them to help cover the wounds of his customers and his own physical and emotional wounds. He sells them to raise a few pennies in order to put food on his family’s table and prevent malnutrition. Underneath the picture was the following writing, “ I’m afraid even if I buy all your band -aides, my dear son, not only will they not cover my wounds, but it is possible they will not take care of your wounds either.” This picture caused such emotional and internal turmoil for me that for hours I had no desire to do or say anything to anyone. I hope no one was insulted by this. I truly, had no courage to share this picture that showed the poverty, misery and despair being experienced by the people and children in the country where I was born. Would it even be possible for me to make my children and their families understand that this is life today for those who live in Iran, a country that ranks third in the world on production of oil? How could I explain to them that this young child lives in a Even if I buy your all band-aids, country that could be one of the richest and advanced countries in the Middle East, if not the world? This young child lives in a neither my wounds get healed, country that has seen two generations immigrate to other parts nor yours... of the world. These immigrants have achieved high levels of

8 No. 63 F R O M T H E E D I T O R ’ S D E S K of “God” and religion? To those whose meaning of ruling is the erase Iran’s past. They hope to divert and confuse its younger increase of oppression, the addition of prisons and filling them generation. with citizens who challenge the present government, because I ask you to look at the Persian side of this issue. There they are dissatisfied with their agenda? Should I tell them that is an article by Mr. Sebt. The article discusses how Persians we are the ones who abandoned this young child, leaving him superficially became Arabs in the Caliph’s Royal Courts. to live in a country that is ranked first in the rate of teenage An example is Ibn Moqafa, the historian and other Iranians executions and second to China in total executions? translated the books of the Persian Empire Period, to the Arab For hours tears filled my eyes and I suffered from a pain language, in order to teach the Arab rulers how to run their in my heart. I finally decided to leave the room where I was kingdoms. Even if you want to be proud of our Iranian glory, sitting and take a walk to be with nature and perhaps lower post Islam, you must still acknowledge the great accomplish- my boiling pressure. At the beginning of my walk I looked ments and history produced during the Pre Islam Period. It down and noticed a 10-cent coin. The head was up and as we includes the poets Ferdowsi, Rumi, Hafez and Saadi; Razi, the say in America, “heads up pick it up, tails down leave it on the inventor of alcohol, Avicenna the physician and philosopher, ground.” I wanted to pick it up and put it in my pocket, but Khayyam poet and inventor of algebra and mathematics: and instead made a decision to walk some more and pick it up on scientists and astrologist such as Birouni, Farabi and Zaryab in my return. I didn’t think the dime would be in jeopardy since the courts of the Arab Empire, in Spain. They were all proud the area where I was walking was isolated, absent of cars and of pre- Islamic Iran and tried always to separate and revive people. I now wonder if one of the reasons I failed to pick the the Persian language and culture from the Arab language, coin up at first chance was so I would walk longer and not rush which occurred in Egypt, Lebanon and Syria, who were not back to the house. Arab before Islam. Their great works are permanent part of After about twenty minutes I returned to the spot where the world’s history, literature and science. I found the coin. Strangely enough it was not there. I thought I must ask the following question. When the Romans and for a moment that I had the wrong spot, so stubbornly I walked the Greeks accepted Christianity did they deny the greatness up and down for another thirty minutes looking for the dime. of their past? Do the Romans of modern day, who remain Having no success I conceded that someone else picked up the Christian and live in Rome, the capital of Christianity deny coin and was now enjoying the luck alleged to accompany it. the past greatness of their history? Have they forgotten the Defeated by not finding the coin, I remembered the old proverb, names of Alexander and Cesar? No, instead they continue to “chance or luck only knocks once on your door.” I reached the be proud of their past and teach their history to future genera- conclusion that I had the opportunity to pick up this coin. It was tions, constantly exposing this greatness in museum exhibitions at the tip of my foot, but my lack of determination and inability and archeology. to make an instant decision caused me a lost opportunity; the The world knows very well about the Persian Cyrus the coin was no longer available to me. Great and his famous cylinder which contains the first dec- For the next hour the ten cent coin occupied my mind and laration of human rights. They know of the Emperor Darius kept me in turmoil. Then, suddenly I started to laugh at my- who was the first builder of present Suez Canal. Is it fair of self. How could I allow a ten-cent coin to affect me this way? the present government in Iran to ask its people to ignore this Eventually I calmed myself and returned home. BUT, the real greatness and the greatness of Persepolis and the Tomb of issue of my turmoil, the picture of the young boy, remained in Cyrus the Great? Should we not constantly expose the world my heart and mind. and our younger generation Iranians to the greatness of Iran’s Today as I am writing this editorial I found out that the accomplishments and contributions, rather than erase them from present leader of Iran while at a gathering with his cabinet, our history books? Is it right for the present rulers to want to made a speech. He stated, if you want to talk about Iran and ignore the past chapters of Persian history, which is the essence the identity of Iranians, you should talk about Iran after Islam. of our identity and begin a new identity with Persian Islam? He repeated again, that you should not talk about Iran before I truly do not know any longer what pain is more troubling. Islam, because all of the glory of Iran happened after, not before Is it the picture of the innocent and desperate child selling Islam and that Iran had no glory or history before. band-aides to survive? Is it losing my “good luck” by not im- Isn’t it amazing that in this 21st century, that while the mediately picking up the ten-cent coin? Or is it the suggestion “so called” civilized and advance countries of the world move that we deny and ignore the glorious civilization Pre Islamic forward, the people of Iran continue to struggle and fight for Iran, throwing it away as if it were garbage. their honor and the honor of Iran’s history- thousands of years of history that Iran’s present rulers wish to erase. How could this be possible when today’s modern societies agree that they owe so much to the accomplishments of the Persians thousands of years ago. But Iran’s present rulers have a reason for trying to

Fall 2011 9 L e t t e r s t o E d i t o r EXCEPTIONAL the Spring edition of Persian very interesting and use- health, success, and happi- I would like to take this Heritage Magazine. I admire ful. Unfortunately, I could ness! opportunity to once again your patriotism, care and only read the English text. It Yahya Kamalipour thank you for a job well love for our country, our peo- would have taken too long done. The Summer issue ple and the responsibility you for me to read the Persian EXCELLENCE was filled with a number have been carrying on your one. Dear Editor: of interesting articles. It is shoulders for many years. I Claudine Shafa Excellent editorial. interesting that through the admire you for selecting such Ardeshir Lotfalian years there has been a lack of wonderful words, sentences BA DOROOD public thanks and apprecia- and material in order to edu- Dear Editor: PATRIOTIC tion for the individual who cate the people, who do not Ba dorood, thank you SENTIMENTS sets up your covers. They are know much about Iran. I ad- very much for the digital Dear Editor: consistently interesting. The mire your dedication, efforts copy of the summer issue I just finished reading summer cover, with Bijan, and time that you have been of Persian Heritage and the your editorial; concise and to was just terrific and paid him spending in this direction for inclusion of my commentary the point, and full of patriotic a wonderful tribute. I want to many years and never have and review of my latest book. sentiments. Thank you ask you to send my apprecia- given up. We, Iranians need Wishing you continued Jahangir Jon Sedaghatfar tion to your staff. No one re- more like you Sir, and I am ally understands the amount proud to know you and I sa- Thank you for your support of of work it takes to put some- lute you from my heart. thing like this together. Yadi Sharifirad KS Persian Heritage MANY THANKS I ADMIRE Dear Editor: Dr. Mehdi Saghafi (Ohio), Dr. Ali Khojasteh (Missouri) Dear Editor: Many thanks for sending Dr. Mehdi Ahmadi , Murray Oncology Associates, Kentucky) As usual I enjoyed read- me the 2011 summer issue Dr. David Yazdan, (Ocean Neurosurgical, New Jersey) ing your beautiful article in of Persian Heritage, always

28Years of Telling the Truth

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10 No. 63 N E W S Iranian-American Professor Helps Paralyzed Student Walk Again

Niloofar Farrokhpay Senior Editor/Translator ustin Whitney, a UC performance in coordinated Berkeley student who haptic-visual virtual environ- Awas paralyzed in an ments under several contracts auto accident four years ago, from NASA. Other research walked across the stage at his interests are biomimetic commencement ceremony us- design, haptics, non-linear ing the “Austin” exoskeleton, control systems, embedded developed by Berkeley’s Ira- systems, networked control nian-American Professor and systems, power regeneration, Researcher Dr. Homayoon monopropellant and portable Kazerooni and his team of me- energy generation methods chanical engineering students. for mobile platforms. One of the world’s lead- Early in his career, Dr. ing experts in Robotics Human Kazerooni was a recipient Augmentation, Dr. Kazerooni, of the outstanding ASME conducts research on robotics, Investigator Award, and has control sciences, exoskeletons, also won Discover Maga- human-machine systems and its user to carry 200-pound weights zine’s Technological Innova- augmentation, bioengineering, me- over any sort of terrain for an extended tion Award, and the McKnight-Land chatronics design, artificial locomo- period of time without undue effort. Grant Professorship. His research tion, intelligent assist devices, and These exoskeletons reduce the possi- was recognized as the most innova- power and propulsion. Dr. Kazerooni bility of the wearer becoming fatigued tive technology of the year in New is a Professor in the Mechanical Engi- and reaching their physiological en- York Times Magazine. He has served neering Department at the University durance limit during critical military in a variety of leadership roles in the of California, Berkeley and director or industrial missions. HULC technol- robotics community notably editor of the Berkeley Robotics and Human ogy is currently licensed to Lockheed of two journals: ASME Journal of Engineering Laboratory. The laborato- Martin for military applications. Dr. Dynamics Systems and Control and ry’s mission is to develop fundamental Kazerooni is currently working on ex- IEEE Transaction on Mechatronics. scientific and engineering principles tending this technology to aid persons Dr. Kazerooni holds a Doctorate for robotic systems that augment hu- who have experienced a stroke, spinal in Mechanical Engineering from MIT man capability. Dr. Kazerooni is also cord injuries or medical conditions and has over 30 years of mechani- the founder and Chief Scientist of that obligate them to use a wheelchair. cal engineering experience. He has Berkeley Bionics. Prior to his research work on published more than two hundred Dr. Kazerooni’s latest work fo- lower extremity exoskeletons, Dr. articles, delivered over 70 plenary cuses on the control of human-ma- Kazerooni led his team to success- lectures in the U.S. and internation- chine systems specific to lower human fully develop robotics systems that ally, and holds seventeen pertinent extremities. After developing BLEEX, enhance human upper extremity patents. As a noted authority on ro- ExoHiker, and ExoClimber – three su- strength. The results of this work botics, he is frequently profiled and per-light, load-carrying exoskeletons led to a new class of intelligent as- quoted in the media. ■ – Berkeley Bionics and his team cre- sist devices currently being used by ated HULC (Human Universal Load workers worldwide for manipulating Source Carrier). It is the first energetically- heavy objects in distribution centers May 17, 2011 autonomous, orthotic, lower extremity and factories. Dr. Kazerooni has also http://www1.cw56.com/news/articles/ exoskeleton, providing the ability for been conducting research on human national/12004321213723

Fall 2011 11 N E W S

The Passing of Reza Badiyi

Reza Badiyi, 81-year old legendary film and television director died peacefully on Saturday, August 20th at the UCLA Medical Center due to medical complications. Reza Badiyi was born on April 17, 1930 in Arak, Iran. Reza Badiyi graduated from the Academy of Drama in Iran and received the presti- gious golden medal of art from the Shah of Iran. He was then invited by the United States government in 1955 to pursue a film career. A gradu- ate of Syracuse University in Audiovisual Studies, Mr. Badiyi began his American experience as a cinematographer. This career took him through New York, Kansas City and finally to Los Angeles. Mr. Badiyi worked with well known directors such as Robert Altman and Sam Pekinpah. In 1963, Mr. Badiyi began his directorial career. In the last six decades, he directed over 430 episodes of Television and several movies. His works include classics as, Mission Impossible, Hawaii Five-0, Bar- retta, The Six Million Dollar Man, Cagney & Lacey, The Trails of Rosie O’Neill, Falcon Crest, Star Treck,Baywatch, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, La Femme Nikita, Steinbeck’s of Mice and Men and many more. Mr. Badiyi is the recipient of the Humanitas Award and The Directors Guild of America Award for directing the most hours of television.

12 No. 63 N E W S

A Lifetime Of Achievements: Happy 104th Birthday Dr. Abolghassem Ghaffari!

r. Abolghassem tiple midcourse maneuvers in Ghaffari helped interplanetary guidance. He DNASA to put a man later investigated the effects on the moon for the Apollo of solar radiation pressure on 11 mission. That was a cel- the Radio Astronomy Explor- ebrated day in his life and re- er Satellite Booms as well as cently, an equally important the effects of General Relativ- one arrived this past June 15; ity on the orbits of Artificial he turned 104 years old! Earth Satellites. Born in Teheran, he was He was awarded in Iran educated at Darolfonoun the Imperial Orders of the School (Teheran). In 1929, late Mohammad Reza Shah he went to France and stud- Pahlavi, and the U.S. Special ied Mathematics and Physics Apollo Achievement award at Nancy University, where (1969) at a White House cer- he took his L-es-Sc. in Math- emony with President Nixon. ematics in 1932. After ob- He has published more than taining post-graduate diplo- 50 papers on Pure and Ap- mas in Physics, Astronomy, plied Mathematics in Ameri- and Higher Analysis, he ob- can, British, and French, and tained in 1936 his doctorate Persian periodicals. In addi- from the Sorbonne (Doctor tion to two textbooks, he is of Sciences with “Mention author of the mathematical tres honorable”) for basic book “The Hodograph Meth- research on Mathematical od in Gas Dynamics” (1950). Study of Brownian Motion. In 2005, Ghaffari re- Dr. Ghaffari lectured as a ceived an award from the Research Associate at King’s Association of Professors College (London Univer- the Unified Field Theory of Gravitation and Electromagnetism. and Scholars of Iranian sity), where he received his J. Robert Oppenheimer, who headed the U.S. atom bomb pro- Heritage at UCLA. He is Ph.D. from the Mathematics gram during World War II, was director of the Institute at the also a past member of the Department on the “Velocity- time and interviewed Ghaffari before the latter became a mem- Iranian National Commis- Correction Factors and the ber of the Institute (Oppenheimer later befriended Ghaffari). sion of UNESCO. Ghaffari Hodograph Method in Gas He has lectured as a Professor of Mathematics at Ameri- is a Fellow of the New York Dynamics.” As a Fulbright can University in Washington, DC and at Teheran University, Academy of Sciences, the Scholar, he worked at Har- where he joined the Faculty of Sciences and was appointed full Washington Academy of vard University as a Research Professor of Higher Analysis from 1941 to 1956. Sciences, and the Ameri- Associate to lecture on Dif- In 1956, Ghaffari moved permanently to the U.S. to take up can Association for the ferential Equations and to a position as a senior mathematician at the U.S. National Bureau Advancement of Sciences continue his research on Gas of Standards. Part of his work there involved calculations of and a member of the Lon- Dynamics. He was a Research the motion of artificial satellites. In 1964, three years into the don Mathematical Society, Associate in Mathematics at manned space program, he joined, as aerospace scientist, the Na- the American Mathematical Princeton University, and at tional Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Society, The Mathematical the Institute for Advanced Space Flight Center, where he studied the mathematical aspects Association of America, and Study; he worked in the early of different optimization techniques involved in the Earth-Moon the American Astronomical 1950s with Albert Einstein on trajectory problems, and different analytical methods for mul- Society. ■

Fall 2011 13 C O M M E N T A R Y ith regard to Mahmoud’s claim of seeing the Hidden personally one of the guys that thought invading Iraq was Imam and the after death visiting the Prophet, Woody justified, found out that I was mistaken; he simply invaded the WAllen comes up with this statement, “I don’t believe wrong country. By going into Baghdad, he simply eliminated in an after life although I am bringing a change of underwear.” one of the main enemies of the Islamic Republic, and indeed In April 2007, just before he announced that Iran had they were celebrating. Of course, the individual who was really gatecrasher the “nuclear club,” Mahmoud Ahmadinejad disap- behind that invasion was Tony Blair. That is of course, another peared for several hours. He was in Natanz, the nerve center of matter for another time to discuss. Going back to Ahmadinejad Iran’s nuclear project, where Iranian scientists are producing the while “waiting for Bush to finish “ the Islamic Republic did enriched uranium needed for atomic warheads. The ceremony all it could to consolidate its gains in the region. Iran became was delayer because the president was having a khalvat (tête- gradually the strongest presence in both Afghanistan and Iraq, à-tête) with Hidden Imam, the twelfth and last of the Imams after the United States. It has turned Syria and Lebanon into of Shiism, who went into his Grand Occultation in the year part of its conspiracies, which means that for the first time 941. According to Shiite lore, the Imam, although in hiding, since Khosrow Parviz, the Persian King of Kings in the sev- remains the true Sovereign of the World and Master of Time. enth century, Iran is militarily present on the Mediterranean In every generation, the Imam chooses thirty-six men (and coast. The Islamic navy is building a base in the Syrian port of no women, for obvious reasons) as the owtadl or “Nails” whose Latakiya to keep an eye on the U.S. Sixth Fleet and, when the presence, hammered into mankind’s existence by the “Hidden time comes, to project power on the doorstep of Europe. The Hand,” prevents the universe from “falling off’ into eternal chaos. IRGC already controls the Beirut airport and, through Hamas No one knows how the “nails” are chosen. One theory is that the and Hezbullah, controls firepower on the Mediterranean. Dur- Hidden Imam appears to the elect in their dreams and informs ing this celebration the massive political jamboree, in Tehran in them of the awesome blessing bestowed upon them. Although February 2007, the Islamic Republic also assumed the control the “nails” are not know to common mortals and do not know of the so-called, “Jerusalem Cause,” which includes, “wiping one another, at times it is possible to Israel off the face of the map,” on identify one of them by his deeds. behalf of the Muslim world. Ad- It is on this basis that some dressing the IRGC commander in of Ahmadinejad’s more passion- HEART 1981 Khomeini said: “The Imam of ate admirers claim that he is one the Time, the Awaite~ Mahdi, may of the “nails,” a claim he does not OF DARKNESS my soul be sacrificed to him, is per- discourage at all. For example he sonally your Commander. He looks has maintained that in September Mahmoud Ahmadinejad after you personally and the reports 2006, as he addressed the United of your activities are sent to him on Nation General Assembly in New part one a daily basis.” It is amazing how York, the Hidden Imam was present this has been so affective that these in the audience and “drenched the David Yazdan revolutionary guards believe indeed place in a sweet light.” In 2005, it that the Hidden Imam is watching was after another khalvat with the and of course, no one knows how he Hidden Imam that Ahmadinejad an- gets a daily report, because neither nounced his intention to stand for president. After the first round the CIA or the MI6 are involved in that situation, so it must be of voting, he barely even made 12 percent, and had come in a something very special which is totally unknown to infidels. very poor second, it was again the Hidden Imam who informed You must suffer from either visual or auditory hallucinations him that he would win in the second round. Ahmadinejad claims to be able to communicate with the Hidden Imam. Indeed, that the Imam has elevated him to .the presidency of the Islamic Muhammad was suffering from the same problem when he Republic for a single task; provoking, a clash of civilizations” In was encountering the visit by the angel Gabriel. which the Muslim world, led by Iran, takes on the infidels, led by They continue with this and according to the tradition of the United States, and defeats them in a slow contest, in military Shiite, the Imam will return when seven wonders appear. First jargon, sounds like low-intensity asymmetrical war. comes the massive storm of Locusts that destroys all cultivation, John McCain would have loved to have this guy during his this is followed by the invasion of snakes and serpents that ap- election because he came in second, not the third or fourth one, pears all over the place as if they are pouring from the sky. Next but the second. But of course, he was not chosen as the “nail” comes a high fire that burns several cities. An unprecedented as this misbegotten midget claimed. In case some of our readers famine follows, triggering a pandemic of many hitherto un- do not know what happened to this guy in the United Nations, known diseases. Finally, Shiite girls suddenly lose their virginity he was simply hallucinating. Following his hallucinations he for no clear reason. Ahmadinejad sees the “seven wonders,” begins to prevaricate. as a metaphor for actual contemporary events. In speech after He continued and boasted that the Iranian game plan was speech he passes the coded message about the imminence of simple: dancing the diplomatic dance for another two years until the Imam’s return to audiences that see the growing hardship of Bush became a “lame duck,” unable to persuade his people to life and constant talk of martyrdom and war as confirmations take military action against the Khomeinist regime. of the presidents messianic vision. Speaking about George Bush, although at the time, I was In a sense, Ahmadinejad is a creature of the shah’s regime,

14 No. 63 C O M M E N T A R Y a kind of Frankenstein’s monster that ended up threatening to there was too much sexual freedom. kill its creator. He was born in 1956 in the village of Aradan, Personally, I wasn’t aware that the Hidden Imam is so con- a suburb of Garmsar, itself a dusty hamlet in Semnan, one of cerned about the girl virginity. I do not believe in this , but it Iran’s poorest provinces on the edge of Kavir Lut, a lunar desert is indeed what is going on and is being inculcated into a lot the size of Germany. Originally, the family was known by the of people’s minds, particularly the Revolutionary Guards. The name Sabrian. A year after Mahmoud’s birth, an earthquake majority strictly rejects this entire phenomenon over 95 percent struck their village and razed most of its mud-brick houses. The of the Iranian people, but they have no voice. A very peculiar Ahmadinejads had to leave, and after months of peregrination phenomenon was occurring at that time, the SAVAK was trying to they ended up in Tehran, there Ahmadinejad senior started work play the Islamic card against the left, especially among teenagers as an apprentice ironsmith. In the capital, Mahmoud and his and students. This might have been the case as indicated by the siblings became the first in the history of their family to go to militant anti-left positions of Ahmadinejad within the Khomei- school, along with millions of other Iranians who had come of nist student movement. At any rate, Ahmadinejad’s generation age at a time that the country was able to offer all of its children was the first to be economically comfortable enough to indulge primary education for the first time. in political activities against the regime. Unlike his father, who The most recent book by our distinguished publisher and had worked since the age of 5, Ahmadinejad did not need a job editor, Amir Taheri, is a fantastic book from which I am quoting to pay for his keep. The government paid for his school fee plus most of these paragraphs, my personal thanks to him. I have generous stipend, providing him with ample time and resources enjoyed all of his books and articles in the Wall Street Journal. to devote himself to the overthrow of the regime. By the time Ahmadinejad had completed his primary edu- At the university, Ahmadinejad joined the radical Islamist cation, Iran was on the threshold of what was to become its and anti-Marxist group led by Hussein Esrafilian, a young economic and social golden age. Thanks to a series of reforms lecturer close to the religious authorities, and became an editor backed by rising oil revenues, the booming economy was of their monthly newspaper by the name of Jigh va Daad. This generating enough growth to finance a massive expansion of was in opposition to the monthly Ahangar, which was the organ public services. These included free education for all, from of the representative of his representative of his university in primary school to university. Between 1968, when Ahmadinejad an audience granted by Khomeini to leaders of over a hundred graduated from secondary school, and 1978, when the mullahs student organizations. After the audience, he was elected as one launched their revolt, the average annual income per capita in of the five members of the Council for the Consolidation of the Iran was more than doubled, lifting millions of people out of Students’ Unity, known by its Persian acronym, Tahkim. It was poverty and creating a new middle class. The Ahmadinejad at this time that the students and one of the council members prospered beyond their wildest dreams. claimed that he had seen a large quantity of diplomatic boxes Mahmoud’s father, now a skilled worker earning good coming from Mehradad Airport in Tehran to he U.S. embassy. wages, was able to move the family to Narmak, a new neigh- They thought that this was a plot by the United States to seize borhood built by French town planners east of Tehran with control of the revolution with the help of the Bazargan gov- easy access to the center of the capital on one side and the near ernment, five of those people who were present were either by ski slopes on the other. All the children of the family were pro-American or holders of American “green cards.” The two able to receive secondary and university education while also radical leftist members of the council suggested the occupation discovering such middle-class privileges as annual holidays of the U.S. embassy compound for two or three days to probe and foreign travel. the so-called “suspicious activities” there and attract public As the Khomeinist revolt started in 1978, Ahmadinejad attention to whatever plot was being hatched. The suggestion was where none of his ancestors would have dreamed of being: led to a heated debate in which Ahmadinejad was one of them. in an undergraduate course at the University of Science and This eventually of course, led to the occupation of the em- Technology in Tehran, where he was to obtain his Doctorate bassy and this was by permission of Khomeini, although initially in transportation and engineering after the revolution. He had it was thought that he did not order it, but he did approve of it every reason to be happy, but he was not. In fact, he claims that afterward. Later reports and investigations show that indeed, he felt “a deep sense of sadness” as he observed what he calls it was his suggestion to begin with, to make sure there was “the process of de-Islamicization” under the shah. Although his no counter-revolution by the army or the United States. But at family was not religious, Ahmadinejad claims that they too were the same time of course, he decimated the entire armed forces, concerned about what they feared was an “irrevocable West- thousands and thousands of people were being executed on a ernization” of the country and yet he was especially shocked daily basis. There were two reports regarding the participation of to see girls wearing hot pants and mini-skirts in the streets of Ahmadinejad in the embassy take over. In one version that was Tehran and on the campus of the university. “It was as if we witnessed by the several hostages he was one of them. In fact, were in Paris, not in Tehran, the capital of a Muslim country.” when he was elected for the first time as you recall, several of He wondered what was going to happen. Was this a sign that the hostages during George Bush Administration came forward the Mahdi was about to return? It was as if the prophecy about and reported that he was one of the so-called students who took Shiite girls suddenly losing their virginity were being fulfilled. care of the embassy and was torturing them. The other version Ten years earlier, a student in Paris had revolted partly to de- of course, was written in this beautiful book of, “Persian Night” mand greater sexual freedom. In the late 1970s, many Iranian by Amir Taheri, who indicated indeed, that Ahmadinejad was students, like Ahmadinejad, were in revolt because they thought overruled by radical martial students and he was left out of it. In

Fall 2011 15 C O M M E N T A R Y any event, it was at this time when Sad- dam Hussein saw the decimation of the armed forces, was a good opportunity to “We speak Parsi” invade Iran. Indeed he did that, and it was at this time that Ahmadinejad, joined in Fred F. Arzideh 2003, had got himself elected as the mayor of Tehran after which he came under the This is in reference to the article written by Feresheh Davaran (HAMZ- actual limelight. He presented himself ABOON.COM) in the issue #61 Of the Persian Heritage. She is mentioning as the son of a poor Blacksmith (Iron- about the change of word of Parsi to Farsi due to Arab invasion and lack of worker?) from a poor district of the capital P sound in Arab language. that had known hundreds of depravation. I would like to add a note to her comment about some of Persian word He attacked the new rich and accused the adopted by other countries. Our northern neighbor (Russian) beside the bigwig’s whom he never named of plun- dering the nations in the name of Islam. use of last warning call and expression of chess game, (Shah mate meaning This demogocery worked to some extent king is stupefied and surrendered), and using it as the name of game while because the people in Tehran gradually making it Shakh to mate; they have used other Persian words as follows. saw that here is a guy who came from a The word of Samavar an special Urn for tea making is one of them. But poor background and is against the Islamic that is not all. One other acquired word is luggage (Jameh dann making leaders at least theoretically and using the it Tchama dann). The word Jameh dann in Persian meaning the clothing Hidden Imam as his leader. He was every- container-exactly what it is. They took it from Iran and writing it with thing that most other Grand Bee’s were their Russian alphabet with cedillas so this way got the pronunciation of not. He refused to get a salary as a mayor Tchmadann. Eliminating one syllabus and making it more attractive then preferring to depend on the income as a exported it back to Iran. part time lecturer at his alma mater: he Another noteworthy word is the verb of writing. It seems that they drove his own car, a battered old Peugot: did not have proper word for it. I beg your pardon. I didn’t mean to and he continued to live in his modest insult the country of Pushkin, Tolstoy and Dostoevsky .1 had read several house rather than in the mayor’s official books of Russians origin by the time I was 24. I have respect for their residence. The man who manufactured culture, literatures and their arts. The word of writing in Russian comes Ahmadinejad’s image as an Islamic Robin from the Persian word of writing from the era of middle Persian (Pahlavi) Hood was Mojtaba Hashemi Samareh, a when the word P was not replaced by other Arab word. From inscriptive friend from his student days. He encour- words written on carved stone sheet of Sasanids era one can see the word aged Ahmadinejad to think of standing for Nepesht as an Iranian word for verb of writing. So final word is that it the presidency. In 2005, most Iranians felt wasn’t taken 50 or 100 years ago – but at least 1700 years ago and before betrayed by the ruling elite, symbolized by Khatami and his promises of reform. the coming of Islam. Also, they were fed up with the mullahs. Speaking of borrowing word our northwestern border (Turkey) are In the subsequent presidential comparing, the most prolific nation when comes to foreigner word. At early the 20 a woman approached Hashemi Rafsan- century, when Ataturk, the leader of this nation, decided to change the jani, the candidate of the establishment, Alphabets he borrowed almost from every western countries of Europe. This and knocked his turban off with the cry “ way he made it easy for his nation to communicate with others. Their word No More Mullahs!” for the money was taken from Span, as Para-when the Spain was a super In fact, Ahmadinejad does go power for himself and ruling part of south and Central America not mention- through these trances, during these ing the Philippines islands at Pacific. trances he does see these things and he Speaking of Spain it is opportune to mention another well-known word does hear things. This kind of trance is borrowed from Spain and used in most European countries and in fact all over one of the components of a temporal lobe the worlds. This also has something to do with the time and the era. When the seizure, which is not uncommon among locomotive was invented, in early nineteen century in England, Spain was a those religious leaders. However, when super power and they call it like a Crazy horse and it stayed with it and went he describes this phenomenon it is so real all the way to bank. The word Locomotive in Spanish is composed of loco that one must admit that he does indeed motive. Meaning crazy without reason or unreasonable burst of energy .The see things. The amazing thing is what if early locomotive were also running by horse. he is pretending Then he is an excellent Finally the word Cohen meaning older and elder in today’s world and actor. Thank you. its derivatives (Kahen or Kahn) are originally a Persian word. There are verb, to be continued adjective and adverb of it in today’s Persian language. Most probably an old reference: Persian of Darius and Cyrus era and the acquisition were made a long time ago The Persian Night, by Amir Taheri to Wall because of Jewish existence from old times. ■ Street Journal.

16 No. 63 C O M M E N T A R Y In 1965 Tjeknavorian began to study conducting at the University of Michigan. From 1966 to 1967 he was Master Composer appointed composer in residence at the Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, and from 1966 to 1970 head of the instrumental and opera departments at the Moorhead Loris Tjeknavorian University in Minnesota. In 1975 Tjeknavorian signed an exclusive conducting contract with the RCA recording company and made many successful recordings with leading orchestras, such as the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Or- chestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, etc. Maestro Loris Tjeknavorian conducts his “Rostam and Sohrab” Opera in Tehran. The Opera video above (which features English subtitles) is towards the end of the perfor- mance, which outlines the final tragedy of Sohrab’s funeral. In 1989, Tjeknavorian was appointed Principal Con- ductor and Artistic Director of the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra. During his eleven years of collaboration with the orchestra, his recordings for ORF (the Austrian radio and television station) and ASV (an English recording company) achieved worldwide recognition. In 2010 Tjeknavorian was oris Tjeknavorian was born in 1937, in Iran, to an appointed Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the immigrant Armenian family. He lived most of his Glendale Symphony Orchestra in California. Llife in Austria, the USA, the UK, and Armenia. Iranian opera singer Darya Dadvar sings the tragedy Tjeknavorian studied violin at the Tehran Conservatory of of Rostam and Sohrab in Tehran. She currently resides in Music, before moving to Vienna to study at the Vienna Music France. Academy where, in 1961, he graduated with honors. Shortly In the course of his career, Tjeknavorian has made nu- upon graduation, a number of Tjeknavorian’s works were merous recordings (with RCA, Philips, EMI, ASV, etc.) and published by Doblinger Publishing in Vienna written more than 70 compositions (symphonies, operas, a Maestro Loris Tjeknavorian is one of the world’s leading requiem, chamber music, concerto for piano, violin, guitar, composers. For more information on the Maestro’s works cello and pipa (Chinese lute), ballet music, choral works and consult his website here. an oratorio, and over 40 film scores. His works have been In 1963 Carl Orff granted him a scholarship, which performed by some of the world’s major orchestras (includ- allowed him to reside in Salzburg and to continue working ing the Vienna Symphony, the London Philharmonic, the on his opera “Rostam and Sohrab“, one of the major epics American Symphony, etc.) and have received high critical of Firdowsi’s Shahname, known as the “Iliad of Persia“. acclaim. Among his many honors, Tjeknavorian was recently Note that the Shahname epics have parallels in the presented with the Austrian Presidential Gold Medal for Legend of King Arthur. Artistic Merit.■

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Fall 2011 17 C O M M E N T A R Y In 651 A.D., the Persian Emperor Beijing or Taiwan. to be stationed on western border gar- Yazdgerd III was captured and mur- Pirooz finally made it to China. risons by the new Chinese emperor. dered after the Arab invasion of Iran In the Chinese capital, he encountered Immediately, they started to clash with in what is today’s Turkmenistan. His long-established Persian, Sogdian, and the Umayyad Arabs. They solicited the son, Pirooz survived and fled east to Bactrian merchant communities in aid of Turkish tribes and fought border China. Here’s an account from Chi- China. He was accompanied into the skirmishes against the Arabs. nese historians. imperial palace. Going through the Pirooz died sometime around 700 read the story of Pirooz written in a long and beautiful halls. At last, he saw A.D. He was buried facing west Persia. formal and ancient aristocratic Chi- the Chinese emperor seated on a high People in China today still don’t know I nese language. It was quite tough, golden throne wearing golden boots where his resting place is located. Some but with the help of my Chinese friends and robes. The little boy Pirooz knelt say that he was buried atop the Pamir and associates I got through it. It was and prostrated before the emperor. The mountains so that he could be close to written by Prince Nah-shieh (Narseh), emperor then picked up the boy Pirooz the spirit of his father and where he got who was the son of Prince Pirooz, who and embraced and kissed him on the killed by the Arabs. But, in the diary, was the son of King Yazdgerd III-- the cheeks. He said: “You’ve come a long Narseh says: last Sasanid king of Persia. Narseh was way. Have no more fears. For you are Pirooz requested only a simple a Chinese general stationed in the Tang my brother and this is your new home.” burial and the Chinese emperor ap- Chinese military garrisons in what are With tears in his eyes, Pirooz knelt again proved. The entire exiled court was today’s Afghanistan, Tajikistan and and thanked the emperor. The emperor in attendance along with the Chinese parts of Uzbekistan. emperor. The Chinese em- In 751 A.D., the Chinese peror held Piro0z’s shaking lost a decisive battle to the Ar- hands. Pirooz looked west abs at Talas (now in Uzbeki- PIROOZ IN CHINA and said: “I have done what stan), and they retreated from I could for my homeland their colonies in Central Asia. Defeated Persian (Persia) and I have no re- All the garrisons shut down, grets.” Then, he looked east and the armies fled back into rmy akes efuge and said: “I am grateful to China. Many Persians and A T R China, my new homeland.” Sogdians followed the Chi- By: Frank Wong Then he looked at his imme- nese back into China and aban- diate family and all the Per- doned their homes in Central “Our lives begin to end the day we become sians in attendance and said: Asia in wake of the Muslim “Contribute your talents and Arabic invasions. Some Sogdi- silent about things that matter.” devote it to the emperor. We ans came as widows who then Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. are no longer Persians. We married Chinese soldiers along are now Chinese.” Then, he with their orphaned children. died peacefully. A beautiful Narseh recounts in his diary of how then allowed Pirooz and his people to horse was made to gallop around his his father set foot in China around the settle in 38 villages and rebuild their coffin 33 times before burial, because 660s A.D. Pirooz was only a little boy communities. They were allowed to set this was the number of military victo- when the Arabs beheaded his father. up a mini royal court in exile. ries he had during his lifetime. Pirooz Pirooz, scared and was awaiting the Pirooz learned Kung Fu (martial was a great Chinese general and great help of Chinese armies. He had written arts) and grew up to be a general in the Persian prince devoted and loyal to to his sister who was the wife of the emperor’s court. Chinese armies still his people. Chinese emperor. With the Arab armies held military garrisons in areas of what Narseh’s daughters and sons all in sight, he waited no longer. They de- are today’s Tajikistan, Afghanistan and married into Chinese royalty and aris- cided to cross the Pamirs. Their families parts of Uzbekistan. The Chinese em- tocracy. This was the case with all the along with other noble Persian clans peror never allowed Pirooz to be sta- noble Persian exiles in China. The great and the soldiers crossed the treacherous tioned there because he knew that he spirit of Persia is now in China, and all snowy mountains. Many of the impe- would immediately cause trouble with the Chinese people appreciate it. This rial treasures were either abandoned or the Arabs. However, Pirooz financed was the story of Pirooz, and how he lost. Recently, Chinese research teams most of the garrisons there with his own ended up in China. recovered some of the lost items. They money. When the Chinese emperor died, I have studied another topic regard- are now housed in various museums in Pirooz and his son Narseh were allowed ing the similar features often seen in

18 No. 63 C O M M E N T A R Y both Persian and Chinese art. I know Chinese have a prevalence of the heredi- They all passed through the snowy that the style was brought into Persia tary thalassemia disease also common Pamir mountains in today’s Tajikistan by Chinese artisans during Mongol throughout the Middle East and India. and made it into China to seek the em- (Ilkhan Period) in the 13th cent. A.D. Other Asians such as Japanese and Ko- peror’s help. The Chinese king had a When Kublai Khan conquered China, reans don’t have much occurence of this wife who was the sister of Pirooz. So, he “kicked out” and sent away all the blood disease. the court of Pirooz was allowed to set up former army, government officials, tax This demonstrates that color did in exile in western China. Many villages collectors, engineers, scientists, arti- not have meaning in the past. There today in northwestern China (Xinjiang, sans, musicians and court doctors of is even a tradition in Armenia, that Gansu, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Henan prov- the defeated Chinese Sung Dynasty. says one of their lordly families (the inces) bear marks of Persian ancestry All these Chinese were sent to Hulagu Mamikonians) were originally de- or influence. Khan’s (Kublai’s brother) court in scended from Chinese princes who For example, in my village, they Persia. Kublai didn’t trust the native fled to Persia and sought refuge after found a 9th century A.D. tombstone of Chinese, so he eliminated the elite and an unsuccessful rebellion in China. I the daughter of a Chinese general. She is sent them away to distant parts of the am still doing some research on this. a descendant of the noble Persian Garen Mongol empire. In return, he trans- In fact, it was common in the past for family clan and her tombstone has bi- ported many soldiers from Turkestan both Chinese and Persian aristocracy lingual inscriptions on it (presumably (Central Asia), tax collectors, scien- to intermarry. The sister of Pirooz was ancient Persian). The village next to tists and government officials (from married to the Chinese emperor as an ours is entitled “Xi Wang Chuan.” This both Turkestan and Persia), Armenian example. Unfortunately, Ashkanid and means “village of a western king.” The and Jewish merchants all into China Sasanid records are scarce because the villagers look Chinese, but many have to serve his court. The story of Marco rulers of Persia never have the habit of pretty big noses. They are Buddhists and Polo is a vivid example. keeping track records. After the Arab some are Christian. Their Buddhism is While in Persia, the Chinese offi- invasions and Islam, the trade ceased. It different from local tradition. cials and soldiers served their Mongol was revived a little bit during the Mon- On Chinese Spring Festival, we masters well. The Ismaili castles were gol period, but it was never the same. normally burn incense and paper mon- very well fortified and the Mongol Well, this much I can say. I just ey. This village only lights on fire the horsemen did not know how to break wanted to give a description of what rest of the evening, which is strange to through the thick walls. They were happened in the past. Back then, China our tradition. They also often do not get only accustomed to lightning sieges and Persia were the dominant civiliza- along with Chinese Muslims for what- and quick attack. Thus, they had to use tions on earth. Children should know ever reason. I heard that they claim to Chinese siege machines and engineers about this and be proud. have the burial site of Pirooz, the son along with Chinese foot infantrymen. source: Old Book of Tang of Yazdgerd. The Chinese general Kuo Kan helped Anyways, there is a lot of Pre-Is- the Mongols very much in Persia. He Persians in China lamic Persian heritage in every Chinese then went to put down rebellions in I am Chinese from China. My fam- region and families. It is probably in all Georgia. Then, his armies were crucial ily lives in Xuajiulan county, about 28 of us. But, they made a commitment to for the Mongol destruction in Syria miles west of Xian (formerly Chang’an) become Chinese and forget their pain- and Iraq. Only recently, they found the city. Chang’an was the capital of many ful memories after they left Iran from grave of General Kuo Kan in Azerbai- Chinese dynasties in the past. Many Arabic invasions. jan where his armies reportedly retired foreigners once lived there, especially My village and people would wel- and settled. from Iran. Some came as merchants, come any Iranian visitors. Perhaps, we The Chinese had intimate relations entertainers and religious missionaries. can bridge back the lost connections. I with Persia since the Ashkanid (Ar- In 651 A.D., King Yazdgerd III was have the story of Peroz’s family biog- sacid) Dynasty in Persia. Camel and captured by Muslim Arabs in today’s raphy and story. I am just beginning to donkey caravans travel back and forth Turkmenistan and beheaded. His son, read it. It’s in ancient Chinese language both directions for almost a thousand Pirooz survived and fled east to China. and may take some time. When finished, year before the coming of Islam to this He gathered and assembled other pow- I want to share it with the Iranian people. region. People mixed with each other erful Iranian clans: Garen, Suren, Sp- Let them know and understand Pirooz without regards to race and color. The abad, Varazpor, etc. was a good man too.■ Don’t Forget Your Persian Heritage! Subscribe Today!

Fall 2011 19 C O M M E N T A R Y Cultural Behavior Equals Musical Behavior

A Brief Study of the Impact of Music on Culture

By: Hassan Bakhtari, Ph,D., CPA

ulture is defined as “The set of learned values, behav- listening for the first time to the music of a different culture, iors, and beliefs that are characteristic of a particular will not be able to hear the subtleties of tone and rhythmical Csociety or population.” This definition, although ac- structure that members of that culture hear with ease. curate, is very broad. This author’s understanding of culture Religion and music are connected and interrelated. is “A combination of a group’s language, general knowledge, In Islamic countries, for example, music is chanted in the religion, work habits, food, and music.” This study focuses mosques. The rise and fall of a voice chanting the Koran on the impact of music on culture. The trust of this study is (the book of prayers) often times follows the formal musical that culture and intercultural behavior of any society, along mode (known as Dastgah). with other elements, can be analyzed and studied through its Classical Persian music, from the seventh century A.D. musical behavior. Instruments, rhythms, variation in music, to the present, and melody types are heavily influenced by styles, and songs are all indicatives of cultural complexity in Islam. It is also grave and mournful, which is displayed in any society. a number of forms. One form, which may include religious Several assumptions are frequently made about culture. music is “Indigenous Theatre”, or Taziyeh, where the play- First, culture is generally reflective of the conditions of the ers perform their roles using verses and religious lyrics. The social environment. What may be reflective in one environ- players exhibit the heroic martyrdom of Moslem leaders ment may not be reflective in another. Second, culture is (imams) who fought against injustice and inequality. Another mostly integrated. That means the elements or traits that form is a combination of “Singing and Storytelling”, known make up the culture are mostly consistent with one another. as Naghali, where the performer tells stories, along with Third, culture is always changing. A close study of music chanting lyrics, to the audience. The most known form of would reveal similar assumptions. That means music, as an mournful religious music is “Sermons” known as “Rozeh art, is reflective of the particular conditions and environ- Khani”, where the religious leader, by including signing, ments, it is integrated, and it is changing. The changing promotes Islamic belief, faith, worship, and penitence. In all assumption is particularly evident in many countries where three mentioned forms, the music portion is demonstrated changes in the political structure, religious influence, and with a rhythm and special form of song which is generally social changes have severely impacted their music style. performed by a male performer. Music is a cultural and universal phenomenon. Every Most American Indian music is closely tied to religion society, simple or complex, has some form of musical activ- as well. Even game songs and dance songs may be part of ity. Cultural behavior of a society can be displayed through rituals that are concerned with thanksgiving, the growing its musical behavior. The music of a nation defines charac- of crops, or the healing of sickness. In India nothing can be teristics of that nation. In some societies music is played regarded as completely separated from religious connotation. only on happy occasions where in others it is played on sad Social structure, eating habits, and in fact every action is occasions. For example, Iranian classic music, although it related to a religious philosophy. The same holds true from has happier moments (known as Reng), generally explains Indian music. Before, a musician of the classical tradition its sadness (known as Avaz). begins to practice or to perform, he and the audience pray. When we hear the music of another culture, we often do In essence, the music is played in a religious setting. not know what to make of it. WE may say it does not “mean” Song styles seem to vary with cultural complexity. A anything to us, hardly realizing that the meaning of the music number of song styles can be correlated with cultural com- has been programmed into us by our culture. In music, our cul- plexity. For example, in societies in which women do not ture largely determines what we consider acceptable variation; contribute much to manufacturing and production, the songs what we say has “meaning” to us. Even a trained musician, are more likely to have a single melody and be sung only by

20 No. 63 C O M M E N T A R Y males. Music of the Middle Eastern countries follows this performance verses individual performance. pattern. In Middle Eastern countries, there is greater number As shown, in virtually all societies, people experience of male singers than female singers. the need to express their feelings and ideas through their Rhythm is another factor. The rhythm is associated music. Not only is there cultural variation in forms of expres- with a feeling of security or relaxation in any given society. sion, there is also variation in style. Thus, while music is In some societies, the mother or an older sister continually universally an expressive behavior, some societies produce carries the child, sometimes 1for two or three years, in a way it in rhythmic, while others produce music having a less that the child is in bodily contact with her at all times and ex- regular beat. In some societies, music tends to repeat the perience the motion of her rhythmic walking. Such societies same elements over and over in other societies it does not. tend to have a regularly recurring beat in their songs. Those This is a pattern of culture. societies in which the child is put into a cradle tend to have The musical behavior of a society is an inseparable part music based either on irregular rhythm or on free rhythm. of its cultural behavior. The correlation between musical Perhaps the most noticeable impact of music on cul- styles and cultural complexity is inevitable. As the social ture is perceived through the social and political changes. form of a society changes, through migrations, intercultural Development of civilizations, social, and certainly political marriages, and acceptance of refugees, the form and style of changes, influence the music behavior of a society. The Islamic their music changes as well. In recent years, we have wit- civilization, for example, developed n the environment of the nessed the impact of new immigrants’ music on the culture Islamic empire, had seriously affected the culture and music and music of the host country. This is an interesting and posi- of most Islamic countries. The Classical music of the Middle tive form of change in culture and intercultural behavior. ■ Eastern countries was developed under the influence of the Islamic empire. In the recent decades, we see the influence of – The author, an amateur musician, is an adjunct professor the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran on its style of music. The at the University of La Verne, California. He has completed Western-style of music has been replaced with the traditional several studies in the areas of leadership, human behavior, and classical Persian music style. The popular pop music, with and culture. He has received his doctorate degree from a fast rhythm and plain lyrics, is replaced with classical music, Alliant International University in California, San Diego. with traditional modes (Dastgah). The lyrics are chosen from Persian spiritual and mystic poets like Sadee, Hafez, and Rumi. This form of classical music, performed in many concerts and recitals, have attracted Iranians at all ages and social levels. Sotheby’s Among other aspects of impact on music on culture, the International Realty voice characteristics and the motion that music creates in a person (dance style) have special significance. For example, 516.883.2900 sexual restrictions in a socie1ty seem to be associated with voice restrictions, especially with a nasalized, or narrow, ext:174 squeezed tone. The culture’s emphasis on obedience or independence in children is another variable that may ex- plain some aspects of musical performance, such as group Direct: 917.567.8294

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Fall 2011 21 T H E A R T S & C U L T U R E

Persepolis, a Personal History

By: Bahman Joorabchi, MD

n June 21,1976 at around five tions during an exact time frame of evil? One day, among the group Dr AM, just after sunrise, I took a the year. There are no permanent liv- Dutz was giving a tour (before I be- Ophotograph of Persepolis, the ing quarters or space to accommodate came the more or less official guide) seat of Achamenian Empire. To my thousands that usually gathered there was the director of Hamburg Planetar- mind, the picture leaves little doubt for various functions. There were strict ium. He pondered on the meaning of that Alexander the Great deliberately procedures and time limits to observe. the carving. On his return to Germany, and cold-bloodedly destroyed Perse- For instance there are small inexpli- he recreated the skies of Persepolis of polis. This is the story of that picture. cably incomplete details in otherwise around 520 BC. He was astonished My interest in the history of Perse- intricate and precise carvings such as to note that starting the first day of polis was kindled by the famous Aus- a half-finished petal on a lotus blos- spring, the constellation Leo was in as- trian pathologist Dr. Werner Dutz in som or an unfinished skirt design on cendance. During the next 60 days Leo Shiraz. Having seen me fooling around a courtier. The explanation is not the rose to the top of the horns of Pleiades in the Pathology Department’s dark obvious one of a slapdash finish job the seven bright stars of constellation room, he asked me to take some pic- before some big shot inspector showed Taurus! And guess when the yearly cer- tures on his next trip to Persepolis. He up. Instead it is more likely that the cal- emonies at Persepolis started and how was well regarded on his presentations endar of events and ceremonies were so long they took? Yes, first day of spring and writings on various historical sites precise that if a job was not finished by and 60 days. in Iran treating them, as he was fond a certain date, it could not be touched One of the unexplained devia- of saying, as clinico-pathological exer- afterwards. tions from the architectural traditions cises. He was of the firm opinion that One striking example of such dat- of the time is the orientation of the nothing in Persepolis was without a ing symbolism is the well-known carv- entire complex. It was normal prac- precise plan or reason. ing of a lion goring a bull. The usual tice of the time, widely observed in It is now well accepted that Perse- explanation has been that the scene the whole of Mesopotamia, that each polis was a strictly ceremonial palace depicts triumph of good over evil. But of the four corners of any ceremonial built to serve precisely ordained func- since when is a lion good and a bull structure should precisely point to each

22 No. 63 T H E A R T S & C U L T U R E of the four cardinal directions. In Perse- are hidden inside, the Persian tombs was up to. Sure enough, as it rose high- polis the outer perimeters and the four have inner walls completely bereft of er from behind the hill its rays shone corners are off by 11 degrees from the any decorations and all the carvings are perfectly parallel with the south and expected orientation. Dr Dutz theorized outside in plain view. north walls explaining the 11 degree that this was to align the main walls of On the skyline at the midpoint deviation of the entire edifice. Some the complex with the rays of the rising of the hills is a right angle notch as if planning! sun on an important day of the year, man-made. This is hard to say given Now, how do this story and the much as is done with monuments in the passage of time. My own prejudice picture indicate intentional destruction Egypt and Mexico. is that it was indeed carved out on pur- of Persepolis? Some years later, I was giving a mini pose. There are remnants of guard posts Many ancient ceremonial, reli- lecture to a couple of English friends nearby. But even if it were a natural gious structures in Mesopotamia and when we came to this issue. The question phenomenon, the builders of Persepo- elsewhere followed a certain traditional was asked as to what days held important lis must have taken it as a heavenly architecture. These so called Ziggurats significance in the ancient Persian calen- serendipity. were built in four levels each with des- dar. I mentioned first day of spring for Well, I set up my tripod and mount- ignated function. The first level was obvious reason, a day of renewal and joy ed the 35 mm Nikon F2 FILM camera for general public who could gather celebrated to this day. I also mentioned and waited. Nothing dramatic hap- for various plebian functions and sub- the first day of summer because of the pened. The darkness gradually faded mit petitions. The second level was ancient Zoroastrian veneration of fire and away and the sky lit up. Looking up reserved for the courtiers, the well-to- light, a day with the longest light (Good) at the skyline sure enough the sun was do and the emissaries bearing messages and shortest darkness (Evil). It suddenly just peeking from behind and below and gifts. The third level was for priests occurred to us that today was June 19 and the notch. Persepolis itself was in the and religious functionaries who did if this theory was right we could observe shade. Now looking over to the west their spiritual rituals and duties there. something interesting, to say the least, in across the plane one could see a clearly The fourth, the holiest and the two days time. defined line separating the shade on our most sacrosanct level, was reserved Frankly, if it had not been for the side from sunlight now drenching the for the king himself. It was his duty enthusiasm shown by these two friends meadow beyond. This line of demarca- to communicate with the deities and I would have been hard put to get up at tion slowly but steadily marched over intercede with them in times of need one AM to pack my camera gear and toward Persepolis. Still nothing dra- and equally as important convey their trek all the way to Persepolis. Well, this matic. Then we all noticed something messages back down the line. This we did, the three of us. We got there in strange: the demarcation line of light was particularly useful when he had a good time and climbed the hill outside and shade stopped moving as it reached difficult or an unpleasant message to the south wall of the monument. the outer perimeter walls. “transmit”. In preparation for this, he To orient you a bit, Persepolis is It just stopped! And then the most would sometimes partake of psychoac- built on a plane that stretches out to amazing spine tingling spectacle un- tive agents such as mushroom extracts. the west accommodating the throngs folded. There was a powerful shaft of Details of the third level in Perse- of visitors who would camp there. In light that suddenly pierced the semi polis are well preserved. There are fact, on this plane the last Shah of Iran darkness aimed directly at the very carvings of the king walking out the built a large number of luxurious tents center of Persepolis illuminating what doorway towards the now non-existent to accommodate the royal guests at- would have been the highest point of fourth level accompanied by attendants tending the 2500th year celebration of the complex. The lit area was clearly carrying towels presumably for prepa- Iranian monarchy. On a raised platform isolated from the rest as if picked off ratory ritual baths. But there is abso- overlooking this plane is evidence for by a powerful spot light. Except that the lutely nothing remaining of this holiest ceremonial fireplaces and thrones for focal point of the light was completely level. One can only see bare ground the ancient kings to show themselves to bare and featureless, the only area in completely devoid of any details. the crowds below. To the East, rises a Persepolis totally devoid of any struc- Now, I ask you, if you had to dem- range of medium sized mountains from tural remnants or smallest artifacts. onstrate how completely you have con- behind which the sun normally rises. Fortunately, I recovered my wits quered a nation would you not attack Into the hills are carvings of tombs for in time to take the picture that attempts and totally destroy the most important several of the Achamenian kings, no- to recreate the scene. (see attachment). symbolic representation of its power tably Artaxerxes. I might make an inci- Shortly after this, I ran down the hill and at the same time sever any pos- dental observation that unlike Egyptian toward the front wall and steps and sibility of divine intervention and aid? tombs where all the fantastic carvings looked back to see what else the sun Alexander did. ■

Fall 2011 23 R e v i e w s GHAZEL GAMES men burst through the entrance. Rodger Sedarat Within moments, the roar of a ma- (Ohio University Press 2011) chine gun filled the air. After two A unique and concise collection of rounds of Fire, four single shots fol- interactive poems makes up the pages lowed, leaving four of the men dead of this book. He starts with a series of in their own blood. dedications and then continues with the Who had pulled the trigger? The interactive poetry. Unique! This new col- morning papers implicated the Iraqi lection of poetry, Roger Sedarat strikes president, Saddam Hussein. The chief federal prosecutor the perfect balance between Eastern and suspected a Kurdish rival group. But neither the press nor Western expression, between the modern the country’s top lawman knew then that these dead were and the medieval, and between the sacred not alone. Since 1980, over one hundred Iranian exiles had and the profane. A delight on every page, disappeared, or been assassinated throughout Europe and one can’t help but imagine that if Hafez, elsewhere. Their cases remained “open” and their murders Rumi, and other Sufi mystic poets — even Goethe — were treated as mysteries. transported to the twenty–first century, their tweets might But to the federal prosecutor who began investigating read something like this.” the murder, no case was unsolvable. The investigation would pit him against ubiquitous figures, who unleashed all their Assassins of the Turquoise Palace means to subvert him. Roye Hakakian(2011) The ultimate showdown was a trial, which some le- Six years ago, Roye Hakakian began what Harold Bloom gal historians call one of Europe’s most important since the prophesied would be a “major literary career.” This Septem- Nuremberg trials after World War II. The verdict that ensued ber, that journey continues with “Assassins of the Turquoise was a political earthquake whose aftershocks still reverberate Palace”, a non-fiction political murder mystery. through Iran and its relations with the west. Roya Hakakian’s On the evening of September 17, 1992, eight leading Assassins of the Turquoise Palace is a thrilling reconstruction members of the Iranian and Kurdish opposition had gathered of a brutal crime and turning point in German and Iranian at a little-known restaurant in Berlin when two darkly-clod history, and on unforgettable narrative of heroism and justice.

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24 No. 63 T H E A R T S & C U L T U R E

The Last Ascent of Leila Esfandyari taken from: wikipedia

Leila Esfandyari born in 1970 in Iran – died July 22, acclimatize and prepare herself physically for the challenge. 2011, Islamabad, Pakistan) was an Iranian mountain climber. She succeeded in climbing as far as Camp 3 at an altitude of Leila is the first Iranian woman to scale the summit of Nanga 7565 meters, covering more than three-quarters of the distance Parbat on the Himalayas, the world’s ninth highest peak with to the peak. But unfortunately, atrocious weather conditions an altitude of 8,125 meters and one of the deadliest peaks. and continual avalanches prevented her and all the other Leila was regarded as a pioneer in the women’s mountain experienced climbers from proceeding further. climbing movement, being one of few women in the world Having been unable to find a sponsor, the venture cost to have completed a similar attempt. her an enormous amount of money, for which she had to sell her share in a house, which was her only asset. Previously, Biography she had even had to give up her job as a microbiologist in a Leila Esfandyari was brought up and educated in Tehran, Tehran hospital, in order to fulfill her goal of climbing the Iran. She graduated as a microbiologist with a BS degree. She second most difficult mountain in the world- Nanga Parbat. It was a microbiologist in a hospital in Tehran before she lost her must have been a sacrifice worth making, as the expedition, job to climb K2 in Himalaya (2010). She died while descend- in the company of an Iranian team three years ago, ended ing Gasherbrum II, one the highest peaks on the Karakoram successfully. ranges of the Himalaya. Leila Esfandyari started her training as a professional climber at the Damavand Mountaineering Club ten years ago, Climbing the Wild Peak and together with the members of the Club, she climbed all Leila Esfandyari is the first Iranian woman who has at- of the mountain peaks of Iran. She was also trained in caving tempted to conquer K2- the world’s second highest mountain and rock climbing. after Mount Everest. The number of people to have reached In spite of two operations on her spinal disks, she did not the summit is only a small fraction of those who have success- give up the physical exercises. She was determined to continue fully climbed Mount Everest. K2 has also had a significantly climbing professionally, and hoped to have the opportunity to higher fatality rate in proportion to the number of those who climb several more of the 14 summits with altitudes of more have tried to climb it. Leila’s attempt to reach the summit than 8000 meters. took seventy-three days, including the thirty days she spent She, as a leader of a six-person group of mountain climb- at the base camp at an altitude of 5000 meters, in order to ers, had summited Nanga Parbat in 2008. ■

Fall 2011 25 T H E A R T S & C U L T U R E

USC Names Dr. Peyman Nojoumian Its New Assistant Professor Of Persian

Farhang Foundation, June 22, 2011

he Farhang Founda- has designed his own text- is delighted by the hiring of Tabataba’i University. Since tion is pleased to an- books. The first-year text- Dr. Nojoumian and grateful 2008, Nojoumian had been Tnounce that the Uni- books are ready to be pub- for USC’s decision to sup- the lecturer of Persian and versity of Southern Califor- lished and his second-year port such programs and the Persian program coordinator nia Dana and David Dornsife books are nearly ready for generosity of our financial at the University of Illinois at College of Letters, Arts and publishing. His courses come donors,” said Dr. Haleh Em- Urbana-Champaign, where Sciences has named Dr. Pey- with a suite of engaging au- rani, chair of Farhang Foun- he greatly increased enroll- man Nojoumian as assistant dio and visual materials that dation’s Iranian Studies Ini- ment in Persian courses. For professor of the teaching of can be deployed through a tiative. “By making Iranian two years prior to that he was Persian. The addition of No- language lab or online. Studies programs available a lecturer of Persian at the joumian to the new Middle “USC’s Persian courses in Southern California where University of Maryland’s East Studies Program at will be the testing ground for so many Iranian-Americans Persian Flagship Program. USC has been made possi- the next generation of Per- live, we are taking a sig- He is one of the leading ble through funds donated by sian instructional materials, nificant step towards ensur- authorities on establishing Farhang Foundation as part and they will be taught by a ing that second- and third- ACTFL standards for Per- of its Iranian Studies Initia- gifted teacher. Our deepest generation Iranians, as well sian. His exemplary teaching tive at USC. thanks go to Farhang Foun- as non-Iranians, are able to style is based on rigorously “Peyman Nojoumian dation for making this pos- receive a systematic educa- tested methods. ■ stood out of the pool of sible,” van Bladel said. tion in Persian language and more than 30 applicants In November 2010, culture.” Farhang from around the world as Farhang Foundation, in col- With the first phase of Foundation the candidate whose exper- laboration with the USC the Iranian Studies Initiative Farhang Foundation is tise and experience fit our Dana and David Dornsife at USC officially achieved, a non-religious, non-political needs best,” said Professor College of Letters, Arts Farhang Foundation now has and not-for-profit foundation Kevin van Bladel, associate and Sciences, launched the its sights set on the second established in 2008 to celebrate professor of classics in USC Iranian Studies Initiative at phase: launching an Iranian and promote Iranian art, cul- Dornsife and director of the USC. This initiative was the Studies specialization at the ture and heritage for the benefit new Middle East Studies first program of its kind at university. of the community at large. The Program. “Our search com- the university, aiming to add foundation supports academic mittee of specialists in lan- Persian language classes to About Dr. Peyman activities in Southern Califor- guage pedagogy and Middle the curriculum and to create Nojoumian nia by funding university pro- East Studies were thrilled to a specialization in Iranian Dr. Peyman Nojoumian grams, publications and con- select him to launch new Per- Studies at USC. Through the holds a Ph.D. in Linguistics ferences. The foundation also sian courses at USC that will generous support of donors, from the University of Ot- supports cultural programs get students using Persian ac- Farhang Foundation was able tawa, with a dissertation on such as celebration of Nowruz tively through proven meth- to achieve the first phase of the automatic diacritization and Mehregan, theater, dance ods and bring high enroll- this initiative by raising the of Persian texts. He also has performances, films screenings ments within a short time.” funds needed to ensure that an M.S. in Speech and Lan- and poetry reading in Southern According to USC, the Persian language classes guage Technology from KU California. Farhang Founda- curriculum Dr. Nojoumian would be offered at USC in Leuven (Belgium), an M.A. tion, in cooperation with vari- has developed is based on Fall 2011 and the appropri- in Linguistics and Teaching ous cultural and academic in- current research on the com- ate faculty member would be Persian as a Foreign Lan- stitutions plans major programs municative approach to lan- hired to lead these classes. guage and B.A. in Trans- and exhibitions about Iran and guage teaching for which he “Farhang Foundation lation, both from Allameh its culture.

26 No. 63 T H E A R T S & C U L T U R E Nāder departed substantially from God) would be prohibited. In contrast to Safavid precedent by redefining Shiʿism the shah’s letters to foreign rulers, this as the Jaʿfari maḏhab of Sunni Islam proclamation did not even mention the and promoting the common Turkmen Safavids (Qoddusi, p. 540). descent of the contemporary Muslim Nāder’s domestic policies intro- rulers as a basis for international re- duced major economic, military, and lations. Safavid legitimacy depended social changes. He ordered a cadastral on the dynasty’s close connection to survey in order to produce the land reg- Twelver Shiʿism as an autonomous, self- isters known as raqabat-e Nāderi. Be- contained tradition of Islamic jurispru- cause of the establishment of the Jaʿfari dence as well as the Safavids’ alleged maḏhab, the Safavid framework of pious descent from the seventh Imam Musā foundations was suspended (Lambton, al-Kāżem (died between 779 and 804). p. 131), although their revenues were Nāder’s view of Twelver Shiʿism as a the main source of financial support mere school of law within the greater Nader Shah for important ulama. Only in the last Muslim community (umma)glossed year of his reign did Nāder decree the over the entire complex structure of part two resumption of pious foundations. Af- Shiʿite legal institutions, because his ter his accession to the throne, Nāder main goal was to limit the potential of Professor Ernest Tucker claimed the ruler’s privilege to issue Sunnite-Shiʿite conflict to interfere with Source: Kaveh Farrokh website coinage in his name. His monetary pol- his empire-building dreams. The Jaʿfari icy linked the Persian currency system The article below is by Pro- maḏhab proposal also seems intended to the Mughal system, since he discon- as tool to smooth relations between the fessor Ernest Tucker and was tinued the Safavid silver ʿAbbāsi and Sunni and Shiʿite components of his originally posted in the Ency- minted a silver Nāderi whose weight own army. In addition, the proposal had clopedia Iranica, on August 15, standard corresponded with the Mughal economic implications, since control of 2006. Kindly note that version rupee (Rabino, p. 52; see COINS AND a ḥajj caravan would have provided the printed below is different in COINAGE, in EIr. VI, p. 35). Nāder shah with access to the revenue of the that in the Encyclopedia Irani- also attempted to promote fixed sala- lucrative pilgrimage trade. ca in that it has pictures, maps ries for his soldiers and officials instead Nāder’s focus on common Turk- and captions not seeing in the of revenues derived from land tenure. men descent likewise was designed to Encyclopedia Iranica version. Continuing a shift that had begun in the establish a broad political framework late Safavid era, he increased substan- that could tie him, more closely than tially the number of soldiers directly his Safavid predecessors, to both Ot- the expanding power of Europe at that under his command, while units under tomans and Mughals. When describing time, however different his view of the command of provincial and tribal Nāder’s coronation, Astarābādi called Muslim unity was from later concepts leaders became less important. Finally, the assembly on the Moḡān steppe a of it. But both ideas had less domestic he continued and expanded the Safavid quriltāy, evoking the practice of Mughal importance. On coins and seals, and in policy of a forced resettlement of tribal and Timurid conclaves that periodically documents issued to his subjects, Nāder groups (Perry, 1975, pp. 208-10). met to select new khans. In various offi- was more conservative in his claim to All these reforms can be viewed cial documents, Nāder recalled how he, legitimacy. For example, the distich on as attempts to address weaknesses that Ottomans, Uzbeks, and Mughals shared one of his official seals focused only on had emerged in the late Safavid era, but a common Turkmen heritage. This con- the restoration of stability: Besmellāh – none solved the problems that were tied cept for him resembled, in broad terms, nagin-e dawlat-e din rafta bud čun az jā / to larger trends in the world economy. the origin myths of 15th century Anato- be-nām-e Nāder Irān qarār dād Ḵodā (In Iran had suffered from a swift rise in the lian Turkmen dynasties. However, since the name of God – when the seal of state popularity of Indian silk in Europe dur- he also addressed the Mughal emperor and religion had disappeared from Iran / ing the last few decades of Safavid rule, as a “Turkmen” ruler, Nāder implicitly God established there order in the name a shift that dramatically reduced Iran’s extended the word “Turkmen” to refer, of Nāder; Rabino, p. 52). In a proclama- foreign income and indirectly contrib- not only to progeny of the twenty-four tion sent to the ulamaof Isfahan soon uted to the draining of bullion away Ḡozz tribes, but to Timur’s descendants after the coronation, the Jaʿfari maḏhab from Persian state treasuries (Matthee, as well. was depicted as nothing more than an pp. 13, 67-68, 203-06, 212-218). This Nāder’s novel concepts regarding attempt to keep peace between Sunnites crisis, in turn, put more pressure on the the Jaʿfari maḏhab and common “Turk- and Shiʿites. The document explained provinces to produce tax revenue, which men” descent were directed primarily that ʿAli would continue to be vener- led provincial governors to take oppres- at the Ottomans and Mughals. He may ated as one especially beloved by God, sive measures and fueled the Afghan have perceived a need to unite dispa- although henceforth the Shiʿite formula revolt that had resulted in the Safavid rate components of the omma against ʿAli wali Allāh (ʿAli is the deputy of collapse in the first place.

Fall 2011 27 T H E A R T S & C U L T U R E After his ascension to the throne title šāhānšāh. To further strengthen his When the would-be assassin claimed Nāder’s main military task was the ul- ties to the Mughals, Nāder married his that he had been recruited by Reżā-qoli, timate defeat of the remaining Afghan son Naṣr-Allāh to a great granddaughter the shah had his son blinded in retalia- forces that had ended Safavid rule. After of the Mughal emperor Awrangzēb (r. tion, an act for which he later felt great laying siege to Qandahar for almost a 1658-1707). His chroniclers represent remorse. Marvi reported that Nāder be- year, Nāder destroyed it in 1738—the his victory over Moḥammad Šāh as an- gan to manifest signs of physical dete- last redoubt of the Ḡilzi, who were led other sign of his similarity to Timur. rioration and mental instability. Finally, by Shah Ḥosayn Solṭān, the brother of The shah himself was so obsessed with the shah was forced to reinstate taxes Shah Maḥmud, who had been the first emulating Timur that he moved, for a due to insufficient funds, and the heavy Ḡilzay to rule Persia (1722-1725). On time, to Mashad (Lockhart, pp. 188-89, levies sparked numerous rebellions. the site of his camp Nāder built a new note 4). In spite of mounting problems, in city, Nāderābād, to which he transferred While Nāder was invading India, 1741 Nāder sent an embassy to the Ot- Qandahar’s population and Abdāli Af- Reżā-qoli was securing more territory tomans to resubmit his 1736 proposal ghans. for Nāder north of Balḵ and south of for a peace treaty. But Maḥmud I had The destruction of Qandahar com- the Oxus river. His campaign aroused just won wars against Russia and Aus- pleted the reconquest of territory lost the ire of Ilbars, the khan of Khwarazm tria and was not receptive. The sultan since the reign of Shah Solṭān Ḥosayn. (see CHORASMIA, in EIr. V, p. 517), rejected the shah’s claim to Iraq (a claim Nāder’s career now entered a new and of Abu’l-Fayż (r. 1711-47), the based on Timur’s earlier control of the phase: the invasion of foreign territory Toqay-Timurid khan of Bukhara (see province). Then the Ottomanlegal au- to pursue dreams of a world empire that BUKHARA, in EIr. IV, p. 518). When thority, the šayḵ al-Eslām, issued a fatwā could resemble the domains of Ching- they threatened counterattacks, Nāder (legal opinion) formally declaring the his Khan (d. 1227, see ČENGIZ) and engaged in a swift campaign against Jaʿfari maḏhab heretical. In response, Timur. After the fall of Qandahar, many them on his way back from India. He Nāder besieged several cities in Iraq in Afghans joined his army. His pursuit of executed Ilbars and replaced him with a 1743, with no results, and in Decem- Afghans who had fled across the Mu- more compliant ruler, but this new vas- ber of that year he signed a ceasefire ghal frontier grew into an invasion of sal would soon be overthrown. Abu’l– with Aḥmad Pāšā, the Ottoman gover- India when Nāder accused the Mughals Fayż, like the Mughal emperor, accepted nor of Baghdad (d. 1747; cf. EI2 I, p. of providing them with shelter and aid. his status as Nāder’s subordinate and 291). Subsequently, Nāder convened a Nāder had appointed Reżā-qoli as his married his daughter to Nāder’s nephew. meeting of ulama from Iraq, Iran, Af- deputy in Iran. While his father was After the campaigns in India and ghanistan, and Central Asia in Najaf at away, Reżā-qoli feared a pro-Safavid Turkestan, particularly with acquisition the shrine of ʿAli b. Abi Ṭāleb (d. 661, revolt and had Moḥammad Ḥasan (the of the Mughal treasury, Nāder found q.v.), the fourth of the Rightly-Guided leader of the Qajars between 1726 and himself suddenly wealthy. He issued Caliphs and the first Imam. After several 1759) execute Ṭahmāsb and his sons. a decree canceling all taxes in Iran for days of lively debate on the question After a successful offensive that three years and decided to press forward of the Jaʿfari maḏhab, the participants culminated in the final defeat of the Mu- on several projects, such as creation of signed a document which recognized ghal forces at the battle of Karnāl near a new navy. Nāder had sent his naval the Jaʿfari maḏhab as a legitimate legal Delhi in February 1739, Nāder made commanders at various times on expe- school of Sunnite Islam. The Ottoman the Mughal emperor Moḥammad Šāh ditions in the Persian Gulf, particularly sultan, however, remained unimpressed (r. 1719-48) his vassal and divested him to Oman, but these missions were un- by this outcome. of a large part of his fabulous riches, successful, in part because it was dif- Nāder soon had to leave Iraq to including the Peacock Throne and the ficult to secure naval vessels of good suppress several domestic rebellions. Koh-i-Noor (q.v.) diamond. When the quality and in adequate numbers. In the The most serious of these began near rumor spread that Nāder had been as- summer of 1741, Nāder began to build Shiraz in January 1744 and was led sassinated, the Indians attacked and ships in Bušehr, arranging for lumber by Moḥammad Taqi Khan Širāzi, the killed his troops. In retaliation, Nāder to be carried there from Māzāndarān at commander of Fārs province and one of gave his soldiers permission to plun- great trouble and expense. The project Nāder’s favorites. In June 1744, Nāder der Delhi and massacre its inhabitants. was not completed, but by 1745 he had sacked Shiraz, and by winter he had The peace treaty restored control of In- amassed a fleet of about thirty ships pur- crushed these revolts. He resumed his dia to Moḥammad Šāh under Nāder’s chased in India (Lockhart, p. 221, n. 3). war against the Ottomans and defeated distant suzerainty; it proclaimed M However, Nāder experienced sev- them in August 1745 at Baḡāvard near oḥammad Šāh’s legitimacy, citing the eral major setbacks after his return to Yerevan. Although Nāder’s victory led Turkmen lineage that he shared with Iran. In 1741-43 he launched a series of to new negotiations, his bargaining po- Nāder (Astarābādi, p. 327). Nāder ar- quixotic attacks in the Caucasus against sition was not strong because of new, ranged a ceremony in which he placed the Dāḡestānis (see DĀḠESTĀN, in large-scale domestic uprisings. The shah the crown back on Moḥammad Shah’s EIr. VI, p. 570-71) in retaliation for his dropped his demands for territory and head. To further emphasize Moḥammad brother’s death. In 1741, an attempt was for recognition of the Jaʿfari maḏhab, Šāh’s subordinate status, he assumed the made on Nāder’s life near Darband. and the final agreement was based only

28 No. 63 T H E A R T S & C U L T U R E on the long mutually acceptable posi- plethora of internal revolts. He also In June 1747, a cabal of Afšār tions regarding frontiers, protection of oversaw the construction of a treasure and Qajar officers succeeded in kill- pilgrims, treatment of prisoners, and house for his Indian booty at nearby ing Nāder. The succession struggle em- exchange of ambassadors (Lockhart, Kalāt-e Nāderi (see EI2 V, p. 103). broiled Persia in civil war for the next p. 255). The agreement recognized the The building complex that Nāder con- five years. Two months before the as- shared Turkmen lineage and ostensibly structed within this natural mountain sassination, Nāder’s nephew ʿAli-qoli, proclaimed the conversion of Iran to fortress, near his birthplace in north- son of his brother Ebrāhim (d. 1738), Sunnism. Yet the necessity to guaran- ern Khorasan, became his designated had risen in revolt, and in July he fol- tee the safety of pilgrims to the Shiʿite retreat, and he created there a secure lowed his uncle on the throne as ʿĀdel shrines (ʿatabāt-e ʿāliya) in Iraq reveals showplace for his accomplishments. Shah (r. 1747-48). Nāder’s grandson the formal character of this concession. Nāder followed the nomadic custom of Šāhroḵ, although blinded after an ear- The treaty was signed in September not staying long in any permanent capi- lier coup attempt, finally secured the 1746 in Kordān, northwest of Tehran. tal city, and Kalāt and Mashad (in, as he throne in Khorasan in 1748 as a vassal It made possible the official Ottoman saw it. a complementary relationship) of the Afghan Aḥmad Shah Dorrāni (r. recognition of Nāder’s rule, and the served as his main official sites in ways 1747-73, q.v.). This former deputy of sultan dispatched an embassy with a that resembled capital cities of other Nāder founded the Dorrāni dynasty and huge assortment of gifts in the spring nomadic empires. Under Nāder’s pa- is credited with being the first ruler of of 1747, although the shah did not live tronage, Mashad flourished at the mid- an independent Afghan state. Šāhroḵ to receive it. point of a trading route between India ruled for almost fifty years until 1795, Nāder had spent the winter and and Russia and grew in importance as a when Āqā Moḥammad Khan Qajar (r. spring of 1746 in Mashad, where he major pilgrimage center with its Emam 1779-97) deposed him, marking the end formulated a strategy to suppress the Reẓā shrine complex. of the rule of the Afsharids (q.v.) in Iran.

Bibliography vols., Tehran and Karachi, 1979-82, II, destruction in Daghestan), Makhachkala The following list is a supplement pp. 74-107. – Koca Rağib Mehmed Paşa, (Russian Federation), 1996. – Moham- to the extensive bibliography in John R. Tahkik ve tevfik: Osmanli-Iran diplomtik mad Ali Hekmat, Essai sur l’histoire des Perry, “Nādir Shāh Afshār,” in EI2 VII, münasebetlerinde mezhep tartişmalari, relations irano-ottomanes de 1722 à 1747, 1993, p. 856, which itself is an addition to ed. Ahmet Zeki Izgöer, Istanbul, 2003; Paris, 1937. – Ann K. S. Lambton, Land- the bibliographies of Vladimir Minorsky in romanized Ottoman. – Abd al-Ḥosayn lord and Peasant in Persia: A Study of (“Nādir Shāh,” in EI1 III, pp. 813-14) and Navāʾi, ed., Nāder Shāh o bāzmāndagānaš: Land Tenure and Land Revenue Adminis- Laurence Lockhart (Nadir Shah: A Critical Hamrāh bā nāmahā-ye salṭanati o asnād-e tration, London, 1953, pp. 129-33, 164. – Study Based Mainly Upon Contemporary siāsi o edāri, Tehran, 1989. – Moḥammad- Rudolph P. Matthee, The Politics of Trade Sources, London, 1938, pp. 314-28). It Amin Riāḥi, ed., Safarāt-nāmahā-ye Irān: in Safavid Iran: Silk for Silver 1600- uses Perry’s categories for new materials, Gozarešhā-ye mosāfarat o maʾmuriyat-e 1730, Cambridge, 1999, pp. 175-230. yet also includes already known works if sāferan-e ʿoṯmāni dar Irān, Tehran, 1989, – John Perry, “Forced Migration in Iran cited in this article. pp. 205-42. during the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries,” Iranian Studies 8, 1975, pp. Persian Studies not mentioned in 199-215. – Moḥammad Ḥosayn Qoddusi, narrative sources: other articles. Nāder-nāma, Tehran, 1960. – Hyacinth – Mirzā Mahdi Khan Astarābādi (q.v.; Chahryar Adle, “La Bataille de Louis Rabino di Borgomale, Coins, Med- more correctly, Estrābādi), Tāriḵ-e Mehmândust (1142 /1729),” Stud. Ir. als and Seals of the Shâhs of Îrân, 1500- jahāngošā-ye nāderi, ed. ʿA. Anvār, Teh- 2, 1973, pp. 235-41. – Layla S. Diba, 1941, London, 1945, pp. 51-56; repr., ran, 1962. Ḵᵛaja ʿAbd-al-Karim Kašmiri, “Visual and Written Sources,” in Carol Dallas, 1973. – Reżā Šaʿbāni, Tāriḵ-e Bayān-e wāqeʿ, ed. K. B. Nasim, La- Bier,ed., Woven from the Soul, Spun from ejtemāʿi-ye Irān darʿaṣr-e afšāriya, 2nd. hore, 1970. – Moḥammad Kāzem Marvi, the Heart: Textile Art of Safavid and Qa- ed., Tehran, 1986. – Manṣur Sefatgol, Tārīḵ-e ʿālam-ārā-ye Nādirī, 3 vols., Teh- jar Iran 16th-19th Centuries, Washing- “Baroftādan-e farmānravāʾi-e Afšāriān ran, 1364/1985-86. – Moḥammad Reżā ton, 1987, pp. 84-97. – Naimur Rahman az Ḵorāsān va satizahā-ye pāyāni-e Nāṣeri, ed., Asnād o mokātebāt-e tāriḵi-e Farooqi, Mughal-Ottoman Relations: A Afšāriān ba Qājāriān,” Farhang 9/3, Irān: I – Dawra-ye afšāriya, Tehran, Study of Political and Diplomatic Rela- Fall 1375/1996, pp. 293-338. – Ernest 1985. – Moḥammad Šāfeʿ Wāred Tehrāni, tions between Mughal India and the Ot- Tucker, “Explaining Nadir Shah: King- Tāriḵ-e nāderšāhi, ed. Reżā Šaʿbāni, Teh- toman Empire 1556-1748, Delhi, 1989; ship and Royal Legitimacy in Muham- ran, 1990. – Selected non-Persian sources originally, Ph.D. diss., University of Wis- mad Kazim Marvi’s Tārīkh-i ʿālam-ārā-yi and documents. – Erewants’i Abraham, consin–Madison, 1986. – Willem Floor, Nādirī,” Iranian Studies 26, 1993, pp. History of the Wars: 1721-1738, tr. George Ḥokumat-e Nāder Shah: Be rewāyat-e 95-117. – Idem, “Nadir Shah and the A. Bournoutian, Costa Mesa, Calif., 1999. manābeʿ-e holandi, tr. Abu’l-Qāsem Ser- Jaʿfari Madhhab Reconsidered,” Iranian – Kretats’i Abraham, The Chronicle of ri, Tehran, 1989. – Idem, “The Iranian Studies 27, 1994, pp. 163-79. Idem, “The Abraham of Crete, tr. George A. Bourn- Navy in the Gulf during the Eighteenth Peace Negotiations of 1736: A Concep- outian, Costa Mesa, Calif., 1999. – Ri- Century,” Iranian Studies 20, 1987, pp. tual Turning Point in Ottoman-Persian azul Islam, A Calendar of Documents on 31-53. – Vladilen G. Gadzhiev, Razgrom Relations,” Turkish Studies Association Indo-Persian Relations: 1500-1750, 2 Nadir-shakha v Dagestane (Nāder Shāh’s Bulletin 20/1, 1996, pp. 16-37.

Fall 2011 29 T H E A R T S & C U L T U R E An Interview with My students inspired me to take the discourse was about politics not TV the next step in my life. Everyday in the shows. Just growing up in Berkeley in classroom they shared stories of life back the 70’s was a huge education. I felt proud Justine home, and I wanted to capture their sto- to have come from South Africa because ries on-camera. I quit acting, left LA, and many members of the Jewish community returned to the Bay Area, where documen- were political activists and artists opposed Shapiro tary filmmaking was thriving. to Apartheid. Their work inspired me to Back in the Bay Area, I studied docu- consider how I could make a difference The Filmmaker of: mentary filmmaking and I interned on sev- in the US where ignorance and racism eral documentary projects. Amazingly, at was so rife. “Our Summer in Tehran” around the same time, I was cast as host of a new travel series, called “GlobeTrekker. When did you first become part one As host of the show, I traveled to over 40 interested in film? countries. And the series was broadcast on By: Shahrokh Ahkami PBS and in over 30 countries around the I grew up 10 minutes from one of world. Our crew was small, just five of us the great movie theaters in the USA. The on the road. I learned so much about where Pacific Film archives at UC Berkeley to put the camera, how to shoot and tell a showed all the classics and my mother story using video. This job was a dream introduced my sister and I to Kurosawa, comes true. My nickname growing up was Billy Wilder, and Mel Brooks and Woody “Barbara WaWa” because I always asked Allen. I fell in love with Gene Kelley and people, guests, taxi drivers, shopkeepers, Judy Garland. In college I started watch- anyone who got in my line of fire, ques- ing more documentary films. I thought I tion after question. I am so curious about wanted to be an actress in film and then people and in this job I was able to meet decided I want to go behind the camera and talk and interview hundreds of locals and tell ‘true’ stories. from all walks of life. I hosted the show My work with “GlobeTrekker” gave for 10 years from 1994-2004. me a view of our world as I had never seen My family supported all my aspira- it before on TV news. Through “Globe- tions. My families own story certainly in- Trekker” I was able to challenge my own fluenced my choices. Today my father is a ignorance about the world and offer a fresh psychologist, my mother is an artist and an perspective to our TV audience. I began to executive coach. My sister, mother and fa- see how powerful the media was in terms ther and I immigrated to the United States of introducing the world to the millions of from South Africa when I was young. My people who can’t or won’t travel. I knew grandparents were from Lithuania and my that most people know the world strictly father’s mother was from Ireland. Our through the narrow lens of news media so Please tell our readers about family is Jewish, our grandparents spoke I felt a tremendous responsibility to show yourself including your back- Yiddish, and while my grandmother was my audience a human portrait. ground and education and orthodox, the rest of our family did not Each “GlobeTrekker” took 3 weeks family. practice Judaism in a formal sense. to shoot, and because we covered so much My parents encouraged my sister and ground, we spent no longer than 2 days on I was born in South Africa and grew I to follow our hearts even if that meant any one story. There were many rich sto- up in Berkeley, California. After graduat- not following the status quo. My sister ries, which screamed for more attention. ing Magna Cum Laude with honors and and I grew up in Berkeley California at One story in particular was PROMISES. with degrees in History and Theatre from a time when people were encouraged to PROMISES was nominated for an Tufts University, I moved to Paris to study work for social justice, to work to make Academy Award for “Best Documentary” theater with renowned teacher, Philippe the world a better place, to participate in and won two Emmy Awards. PROMISES Gualier. I supported my acting habit by the political process and to aspire to a took six years to make, and was com- teaching English, waiting tables and dub- greater good rather than for material gain. pleted in 2001. In April 2001 I gave birth bing French films. After two years in Paris My mother taught us to value art, and the to another baby, my son Mateo was born I moved to Los Angeles to see if I could process of creation. and six months later the events of 9/11 make a living as an actress. I was tired of I am grateful that we grew up at a changed all of our lives. As wars raged in waiting tables so I got my teaching cre- time when people felt a sense of respon- Iraq and Afghanistan, I asked myself what dential to become an ESL teacher (English sibility to the community at large. Money I could possibly do that might contribute as a Second Language). My students were was not the guiding force. Young people towards building a more peaceful future adult Russian, Armenian, Central Ameri- weren’t as status conscious as they seem for Mateo and his peers. can and Mexican immigrants. By day I to be now, girls weren’t as hung up on In 2005 I began work on a new docu- was auditioning for ridiculous fluffy TV their bodies, young people read books mentary film, completed in 2010, called shows and by night my students were shar- (rather than spending 20 hours a week OUR SUMMER IN TEHRAN. This film ing their deeply moving real life stories. on computer games and FaceBook) and tells the story of the summer that Mateo

30 No. 63 T H E A R T S & C U L T U R E and I spent in Tehran, Iran with three Ira- a single image of an Iraqi family at home. did in Iran, in wonder, rather than in fear.” nian families: a religious family from the Around the world, in refugee camps, in Revolutionary Guards (the right-wing of slums, and in hardship, I had witnessed Why did you decide to go to the government); a cosmopolitan, secular mothers, fathers, children and grandpar- Iran? family; and a single mom who is an ac- ents struggling, but also I had seen them tress. The film was shot in kitchens, a day joking, laughing, cooking, playing, read- There was so much talk about the US care center, a shopping mall, the bazaar, ing, watching TV and hanging out. going to war with Iran that it seemed quite on the subway, on a soccer field — realms What I have observed with my own urgent to go there to show the Iranians as of Iranian life that rarely receive media eyes, I rarely see in the news media, in human beings. Because once a war begins, attention. Our Summer in Tehran invites anti-war campaigns, or in advertising by everyone becomes a one-dimensional us into the seldom seen realm of middle- humanitarian organizations. I see the or- character: a victim, an insurgent, a rebel, class family life in Iran transcending overt dinary, I see families taking care of each and a refugee. Thus it seemed imperative politics in favor of subtle, human, and other, and I see people doing well. I see to make a film in Iran, with a focus family often humorous moments. mothers with their head held high even life, before a war started there too. OUR SUMMER IN TEHRAN pre- when carrying 40 pounds of water on her I wanted to show a less radical, more miered on public television in April 2011 head. Images that capture family life can “ordinary” side of the country. normally with broadcast continuing through 2011. be more powerful and inspire us to work you don’t think of Iran as a boring place, The film is starting to make its way in for peace, than images of disconnection a place where people go to the supermar- the world. It was selected as an official and despair. The picture of poverty, of ket. I wanted to be able to show mothers selection in competition at the prestigious war-stricken people may inspire us to sign and fathers and children and grandparents documentary film festival in Amsterdam a petition, and write a check, or shrug laughing, smiling and living their lives. (IDFA) International Documentary Film our shoulders in helpless sadness. In the The birth of my son in 2001 prompted Festival Amsterdam. United States our response when we see me to establish the Global Moms Project, photos of “those poor people over there a venture that I hoped would help show What sparked your interest in with flies in their eyes” is not, “Yes, that the common bond families share all over Iran and to make this film? could be me.” the globe. As a mom, I started to look at In both PROMISES, GLOBETREK- this big picture. I thought, my son is grow- My inspiration for making Our Sum- KER and in my most recent work OUR ing up in this world where the cycles of mer in Tehran had a lot to do with how SUMMER IN TEHRAN I strive to re- violence seem almost inevitable, where I saw the lead up to the war with Iraq. move the notion of ‘exotic’ from our the headline news is people’s window Anti-war groups and humanitarian orga- view of people around the world. I hope into the world.Maybe one way to con- nizations disseminated, most commonly, to create connection. I aim to give voice to nect Americans with the rest of the world images of Iraqi children who had suffered children, to mothers, to fathers, to grand- is to remind them that everyone around malnutrition as a result of US sanctions parents, to the non-experts. My goal is the world is doing what we are doing. against Iraq. Images of cowering, ravaged, to provide audiences and educators with They are raising kids. The sense of fam- war torn faces, were designed to motivate a resource that can open eyes and open ily and the sense of taking care of one us to donate money, to march against war, hearts. I see myself as a ‘citizen diplomat’, another are absolutely fundamental in the to write letters to our politicians. I tried to introducing audiences to the subjects in survival of the human species. We have no find images of everyday family life in Iraq; my films so that they can discover one consciousness that educated people live I desperately wanted to find a reminder another as fellow brothers and sisters, in developing countries and that a middle that these people, beneath our bombs, multi-dimensional human beings, with class exists in many of these developing were like us. I wanted to find a simple individual thought, a sense of humor and countries. It may not be middle class in image of the ordinary. I looked on-line, who are, as we all are, consumed by the the sense that they have two cars in their and I researched image libraries at the demands and rewards of family life. garage, but whatever disposable income UC Berkeley Library. But I couldn’t find The first scene in OUR SUMMER they have goes toward education and im- IN TEHRAN shows me proving their kids’ futures. Developing packing to go to Iran. countries are not synonymous with war, In voice over I say, “I famine, disease, poverty and death. want to meet Iranian mothers in their homes, How much difficulty did you before our sons meet on meet in the process of obtaining the battlefield.” In the your documents for travel? final scene of the film I am putting Mateo to It took over one year for us to get bed. We are back home the visa to work in the country. An ardu- from Iran. In voice over ous process of paperwork to the Ministry I tell him, “My hope, of Culture and Islamic Guidance and the Mateo, is that as you Foreign Ministry. I submitted my applica- get older, you’ll con- tion to shoot to the Culture Ministry using tinue moving through my Irish passport (from my grandmother’s this world, just as you side). I thought that this would secure me

Fall 2011 31 T H E A R T S & C U L T U R E a long stay visa and the ability to move to return the tapes to me. I was not being I had the feeling that the Intelligence somewhat more freely. funded by the State Department, or part Minister, Mr. M., trusted me but that his My timing was pretty good, since the of a big news conglomerate. I understood superiors did not. The reason for their cau- 2009 post-election demonstrations, for- that the only way I would get my tapes tion, he said, was that they were concerned eign journalists and filmmakers are having back was that if they understood that this that my objective was to make a ‘dark a much more difficult time gaining visas (project) was just me, Justine, with my kid picture’ of Iran. I told him that I had better to shoot. that I had worked so hard to do. I asked things to do than to try and trick Iranian Once I got to Tehran the Culture them to watch the tapes. And that they take authorities. He said, ‘You can go home and Ministry was very helpful and I was able care of them. Finally, Iran relented -- with cover this with voiceover and re-edit it.’ I to secure all the shooting permits that I huge caveats: I could get back the foot- said, ‘Of course I can. But do I look like needed. They really supported my project. age but I’d have to come to Iran, and I’d the kind of person who would give up time The difficulties really began 6 weeks into have to edit the film there, under the nose with my son so I can make a dark picture the shoot. of Iran’s Intelligence Ministry. With little of Iran? There are enough people making I worked with all-Iranian crews, and choice, that’s what I did, after picking an dark pictures of Iran. I’m doing something after 6 weeks of shooting, I received a Iranian editor, Mostafa Kherghehpoush, different. Don’t give me a reason to go call that Mateo (my 6 year old son) and who has worked on many of Iran’s most home and make a big deal of this to the I had 48 hours to leave the country. No acclaimed movies, including Leila, Two press. I understand you’re doing your job, explanation was given. A few weeks prior Women, and Turtles Can Fly. I flew to and that I’m a small pawn in this big sea to this news, the Intelligence Ministry had Iran three times in 2008 to edit Our Sum- of conflict.’” begun investigating films that members of mer in Tehran, leaving Mateo behind. During my third visit, I used a little my team had made in years prior. Several During my editing trips, I met with chess strategy on the Intelligence Min- members of my crew were being inter- an official from the Intelligence Ministry. istry official. I noticed that Iranians take rogated while they were working with We’ll call him Mr. M. He was the same great pride in their legendary hospitality. me. They recounted these interrogation official who had been interrogating my I was really exhausted and desperate to sessions. Our telephone conversations be- crew during the weeks of my shoot. He return home with my material. When Mr. came topics of the interrogations. We real- used a different name for them. Each time M asked after Mateo, I answered, “He ized that our phones were being tapped. I met with Mr. M. we asked about one an- is, to be honest, very angry with you. He Everyone was nervous. But we kept work- other’s families, especially one another’s doesn’t want me to be in Iran. I am his ing, shooting 14-hour days, aware that at children. With Iranians the conversations mother. He wants me home with him. He anytime and for no reason, the plug could entail the complex etiquette of “taarof.” wants me to give up on this film. He now be pulled. “Taarof” is a style of communication that thinks that Iran is unfriendly.” And, it was. is subtle and indirect, designed not to of- I could see how this sentiment struck As we were checking our bags in at fend and to avoid at all costs the loss of Mr. M. He looked at me and bowed his the airport, my material (all 75 hours of face. Iranians do not say ‘no’. head and smiled and after a long conversa- video tape) was confiscated by the Mili- No matter how angry or frustrated I tion with my editor he turned to me and tary Police. No explanation was given. I was with this official (or with my crew) I said, “You can take it home,” pointing to had spent 3 years fundraising and prepar- had to develop a new communication skill. the hard drives and the box of tapes. He ing for this shoot. I was truly devastated. I had to learn how to speak in “taarof” so said, “You go to airport, no problem.” I Back in the United States, I worked to that I would be heard. Jewish Americans took out my notebook and said, “I want convince Iranian officials that they should communicate in a distinctly opposite man- your cell phone number, so when I’m at release the footage to me. We knew that ner to “taarof.” We tend to be very direct, the airport and there’s a problem, I can it was the Intelligence Ministry who had and straightforward, and not always so contact you.” He laughed a little, and gave confiscated my material but couldn’t polite. We use humor and Iranians use me his number. It’s 2 a.m. at this point. So speak directly to them so for three months, poetry. I found this style of communica- that was the end of that phase of the drama. I was regularly on the phone to Iran’s Cul- tion challenging and it also revealed to me There were no conditions placed on ture Ministry from my home in Berkeley. why, perhaps, such a difficult relationship me as to what I could or couldn’t include. They would be the ones who would try exists between the governments of the US In fact, the only scene he wanted me to and get the Intelligence Ministry to release and Iran. cut from the film was the one where Ela- the tapes. And I’d begin each conversation Iran’s central government is com- heh, the daughter of the very religious with diplomatic pleasantries, even though prised of about 20 Ministries. There is couple, shows off her Barbie Doll col- I was under tremendous stress. I didn’t a great deal of chaos and power playing lection. Iran’s government has been try- know what to tell her film’s funders, and between these ministries. One Ambassa- ing to ban Barbie, but the dolls are sold at one point I was admitted to a hospital dor told me that the interpersonal politics everywhere and are a HUGE attraction. with stroke-like symptoms. within this structure of the central govern- The government would prefer girls to buy Every phone call (with the Culture ment is one reason why governance there the SARA and DARA dolls, which are the Ministry) started with, ‘How are you? is so chaotic and so hard for foreign gov- Arab world’s answer to Barbie. But Sara How is your family?” I knew I could ap- ernments to understand. In many ways, the and Dara are modestly dressed and just peal to their conscience. I knew I had noth- mess that I was in, first when they gave don’t compare. But I did not cut that scene. ing in those tapes that was anti-Islamic me 48 hours to leave Iran and later with This very simple film was born of or anti-government, which are the two my confiscated tapes, exposed me to the very extraordinary logistical machinations. criteria that would give them reason not human face of the government Ministries. to be continued

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