Iranian of the Day

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دوستِ گرامی‌،مطالبی‌ را که فرمودید،خواندیم و از شما تشکر می‌کنیم که ما را روشن فرمودید.

کاش روزی فرا رسد تا ایرانیان به سرِ عقل بازگردند،مملکت را آزاد و هنرِ اصیل را بسط دهند.

همیشه سبز باشید.

Shemr had a microphone in Karbala? Wow, did not know

I guess you learn something new every day...

Re Tazieh

Dear RW, I commend your interest in Iranian arts and candid view in that regard. I too am passionate about original arts and cultures, especially when it comes to Iran, and the post below, brash and hasty as it seems, is my account of a personal epiphany (for lack of a better word) I experienced with regards to Tazieh ! I know that's not a thorough estimation on the origins of the issue, but hopefully, someday some of us would have the drive to write a proper blog on it with a thorough reaseach work that it certainly deserves!

However, as a child growing up in the 70s in the central Tehran (Serah Takht-e Jamshid) I used to see these street processions on Ashura/Tasua and Tazieh, some of whose elements touched me -- especially the trumpet solos which mostly carried tunes in minor scales reminiscent of Dariush and Farhad's songs. Yet, having grown in a secular hosehold, I despised Ashura/Tasua for its morbidity (I still do though!). But then again, how can you study arts and not have an opinion on Tazieh! Hence, having researched about the history of performing arts opened my eyes and enabled me to see thorugh the religious aspects and accept it for what it was, rather than condemn it as a merely religious object!

Reenactment?

Per the teachings of Quran, the testimony of at least 2 live witnesses are required to validate an event & of minimum 4 in rare cases like adultery. They all & independently must have been @ the scene of the action when taking place. These reenactments therefore are just for entertainment & complete waste of time to watch!

Listen to the guy who also painted 'Imamat' & 'Velayat' in full colors of green & blue!

Such a shame!

بقول ایرج میرزا

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هم میهنِ گرامی‌،در رابطه با مطلبی که در موردِ تعزیه فرمودید و نبشتید،خواستیم بدانیم که نشان دهنده نقطه نظرِ شما در رابطه با این هنرِ اصیلِ ایرانی است و یا تنها خواستید خبر رسانی کرده باشید.

آخر جریان این است که ما نسبت به هنرِ ایرانی حسّاس هستیم،به اسلام و این به دکّان بازی‌ها .. کاری هیچ نداریم،اما پایِ هنر که وسط میاید، آن هم هنرِ مرز و بوم، عمیقا خونمان به جوش آید.

سایهٔ حضرتِ عالی‌ مستدام .

Re ...

Dear RW, I don't understand the question! What is it exactly that you are asking me?

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جنابِ ارج (یا عرج ؟) ..در رابطه با پیامی که لطف فرمودید و نبشتید، این نظرِ شماست و یا دارید مطلبی دیگر را نقل می‌کنید تا ما از آن با خبر شویم ؟

Re Tazieh

Tazieh -- extreme and alien to our modern culture as it seems -- is indeed an Iranian antithesis to the Arab/Moslim conquest and imposition of Islamic doctrines on Iranian society! Facing the Bedouin strict cultural rigidity of the new conquering religion (as drawing, painting, sculpting, singing, dancing, acting... were prohibited by the Moslim invaders), Iranian performing arts, music, literature... found a new (albeit morbid) opening in the Ashura/tasua mourning ceremonies to survive in the form of Tazieh while protesting the new cultural impositions!

It's understandable that most of us only see Tazieh as a savage, primitive form of passion play that does not belong to this day and age! As a matter of fact, I used to see it in the same light, until some Art Study-related research on Corpus Christie drew my attention to the deatils of Tazieh and the intricate art work it's associated with, which like a Persian rug, is a concentration of Iranain cultural elements -- such as poetry, music, theatre, dance... -- yet depicted on an originally non-Iranian canvas of Ashura (which in itself was of Iranian making)! Perhaps, had it not been for Tazieh (which opened an avenue to Shahnameh Naghali), not only Iranian, but many other neighbouring cultures wouldv'e been devoid of elements that help shape their identities!

So, next time we see Tazieh, instead of loathing, perhaps we can think of it as Islam's final frontier in which Bedouin invasion (though having won the battle militarily) lost the cultural war to Iran and could no longer carry on beyound! Having said all that, hopefully in a secular democratic Iran of tomorrow, Taziehs and passion plays would move back to their appropriate place which is the stages for traditional performing arts!