<<<
PREVIOUS.............>>>>>>>
NEXT
Three flowers in North Tehran.
<<<
PREVIOUS.............>>>>>>>
NEXT
The spirit lives
Photo essay: Iran
By Jason Allen
November 8, 2002
The Iranian
I am an Iran-born U.S. citizen (Iranian mother, American father) who has been
traveling the last 17 month through 9 developing countries (Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador,
China, Thailand, Laos, Nepal, India, Pakistan, and now Turkey in that order). These
are photos from my trip to Iran earlier this year -- my first visit in 27 years (I
was a year old when we left the country).
From a cultural perspective Iran was the most amazing country I have ever explored.
Wide and deep, the joy of family, exquisite food, 7,000 years of culture that shows,
orgasmic tilework, a whole terrain of stirring classical music and poetry, a strong
connection to living history, it is the sacrum of the Eurasian continent where all
cultures find thier source and a deep spiritual tradition pours fourth from every
direction in poetry and heart-rending song.
Political isolation, victim of mistakes and great victories, the country is cloaked
thickly in mystery for a West which has only been shown repeated tape reels of black-clad
people buring flags and shouting "Death to America". I have tried to reveal
the rich, human side of a country, which in an environment of global war, is at risk.
|
|
|