July 31, 2003

Qazvin isn't alone

Houman Younessi writes: Given our rich culture, the citizens of just about any city are the butt of jokes for those of some others. Here are some and their stereotypes (my apology to all fellow Iranians):

* Qazvini -- Anal sex
* Rashti -- Impotent husbands, cheating wives
* Isfahani -- Clever, stingy
* Mashhadi -- Unfriendly
* Tabrizi / Ardabili (Azarbaijani)-- Not the sharpest tool in the shed
* Abadani (Khuzestani) -- Self-absorbed, well-endowed (Arabs)
* Qomi -- Insincere, religious
* Hamadani -- Stingy; unrelenting
* Yazdi -- Stingy
* Lur (not quite a city) -- Simpleton; kind-hearted
* Kurd (again, not quite a city) -- Hot-blooded
* Tehrani -- Roguish (laat, daash-mashti), over-westernized
* Araki -- Criminally minded
* Kermani -- Opium addiction
* Kashi -- Cowrdly

The contemporary poet Shahriyar has a good one on this topic. He says (and I quote)

Be rashti kale-maahi khor, be tousi kale-khar gofti
qomi ra bad shomordi, esfahani raa batar goft

Javaanmardaan azarbaaijaan raa tork e khar gofti
Ala Tehraaniaa ensaaf meekon khar toee yaa man?

Winner: Jafar Alavi. Sad Afarin!
Honorary Sad Afarin to Houman Younessi

Answers to previous quiz questions >>> HERE
Do you have an interesting question to suggest for this page? Email us

* Send this page to your friends