The Iranian Features
May 31-June 4, 1999 / Khordad 10-14, 1378
Today
* Poetry: Ali &
Mark
* Book: To the point
Recent
* Relationships: Harmless,
joyful rituals
* Fiction:
Alak-dolak
* Theater: Bayzaie in
Berkeley
* Cover
story: L.A. wedding
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| Thursday | Friday
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Friday,
June 4, 1999
Poetry
Ali & Mark
Three poems
By Leyla Momeny
June 4, 1999
The Iranian
Individualism
there are 240 million john waynes in america
collaborating on the perfect lawn mower.
inhaling
the same televisions.
watching the same
ball game.
licking the same barbecue sauce off
children's faces.
getting dressed
in the same sunday best
to battle freedom
and democracy... GO
TO POEMS
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Book
To the point
A brief history of the Qajars
By Fathali Qahremani Qajar
June 4, 1999
The Iranian
Qajar Iran and the Rise of Reza Khan 1796-1925
By Nikkie R. Keddie
Mazda Publishers, 1999
This is a short history of the Iran prior to the advent of the Pahlavis
that gives an over view of the cultural and political environment of the
Qajar period.
Qajar Iran is primarily about the Qajars and has very little
background on Reza Khan or his actual rise but it discusses the political
environment that allowed him to take over the reins of power ... GO TO FEATURE
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Thursday
June 3, 1999
Relationships
Harmless, joyful rituals
The Iranian way of finding a mate is not unique
By Afshin Afshar
June 3, 1999
The Iranian
I have yet to hear of a couple who met without the initial eye contact.
The only difference is that the Iranian version is indeed longer and more
seductive. I admit to be guilty of loving it! There is nothing like the
moment when the eyes lock for a third or fourth time, and you realize you
may approach and initiate a conversation. Where it goes from there no one
really knows, but that only adds to the excitement. Now that I have seen
"the Iranian way", I can not imagine myself preferring any other
to this most enjoyable and delicious process ... GO
TO FEATURE
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Wednesday
June 2, 1999
Fiction
Alak-dolak
We were a foursome, totally inseparable
By A. Hamshahri
June 2, 1999
The Iranian
Recently I tried to touch base with my childhood friends. Amir gave
me a distant look from behind his sewing counter with his glasses resting
perilously on the tip of his nose. He pressed hard on the foot pedal to
finish the shirt he had promised to deliver two weeks ago. And I silently
drank the tea he had offered and looked into his aged face. I tried to
find traces of that long gone friend. I found nothing. His eyes were too
expression-less to gauge what he was thinking. One thing was clear: he
had to finish that shirt before the day was out. So I left him, knowing
full well that was probably the last time I would see him ... GO TO FEATURE
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Tuesday
June 1, 1999
Theater
Bayzaie in Berkeley
A short but sweet visit to northern California
By Nersi Ramazan-nia
June 1, 1999
The Iranian
"Bahram Bayzaie is in L.A., he can come up for the day to Berkeley.
How about Sunday?"
Who could believe it, Bahram Bayzaie in Berkeley? It was to be a twelve-hour
visit; arriving in the morning and back to Los Angeles at night...
Bayzaie was met at San Francisco airport by a small group of Iranian
Berkeleyites. He was first taken to visit the Darvag Theater where members
of the Darvag group have been preparing to stage "The 8th Voyage of
Sinbad" in English. Bayzaie wrote "Hashtomin Safare Sandbad"
in his twenties -- more than thirty years ago ... GO
TO FEATURE
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Monday
May 31, 1999
Cover story
L.A. wedding
"This was bigger than Princess Di's"
By Hamid Taghavi
May 31, 1999
The Iranian
We lined up at the wedding's registration table. There, the lady in
charge asked for our invitations and two picture IDs. After she verified
the authenticity of the invitations on her computer we were finger-printed
and photographed. Afterwards, she asked if we had any gifts to declare,
whether we had bought the gift at the bridal registry and if not, why...
After all that, she finally cracked a smile, handed me a package and
said:
"Welcome to Bijan and Manijeh's wedding. Here is your welcoming
kit. In there you'll see a brief biography of Bijan and Manijeh, a photo
history of their families, their homes in northern Tehran, their fabled
journey to America, how Bijan met Manijeh, whether she was wearing make-up
when they first kissed, as well as maps to the restrooms and your table.
By the way, for a fee you can upgrade your table to first class and eat
with the bride and groom..."... GO
TO FEATURE
