Author Archives: Bonnie Pakravan

Folk Remedy – Tehran, Iran

Nationality: Iranian-American
Age: 53
Occupation: Executive
Residence: Calabasas, CA
Performance Date: April 22, 2008
Primary Language: English
Language: Farsi

“To cure a stomachache, drink hot tea, like early grey tea, with “nabaat” (sugar rocks), and mint water.”

My mom says that in Iran, everybody knows to drink tea (or “cha-ee”) with “nabaat” and mint water (or “abeh nanah”) when they have a stomachache. She said that hot tea is a very popular drink in Iran.  Some of my family drink more tea than they drink water, so it is not unusual to find that tea can serve as therapeutic cure.  Tea with mint water and “nabaat” is a well-known cure that everybody accepts as true.  There are no medical or scientific tests to prove this, but all of the three components are known to ease the pains of a stomachache.  This “recipe” is not written done either; it is just passed on orally between people and down generations.  Since it is widely accepted in Iran, my mom cannot trace back to exactly who told her about this drink.  However, she believes it is an actual cure and she has given it to me whenever I have had any stomachaches.  I personally think that it is a natural, effective cure for stomachaches.  Whenever I tell my friends to drink hot tea with mint water and sugar rocks, almost all of the reactions I get are skepticism and doubt.  They mostly think that it is probably a placebo effect and that it is all psychological rather than an actual effect.  However, I made some of my friends try the tea and they all started to believe the actual therapeutic effects of the tea.

Protection – Tehran, Iran

Nationality: Iranian-American
Age: 53
Occupation: Executive
Residence: Calabasas, CA
Performance Date: April 22, 2008
Primary Language: English
Language: Farsi

“In order to keep the “evil eye” away, we wear jewelry with blue, glass eyes or have them hanging from a wall or something.  It takes away the bad energy that somebody else could be giving you.”

My mother first introduced me to this idea and she said that it is very popular in old cultures.  Everybody in Iran, and in most other cultures, have theories of the “evil eye” and how to keep it away.  This was not something somebody taught my mother; rather, it is something she grew up with.  Many people think that the “evil eye” is a superstition whereas some other people believe in it.  In order to keep the “evil eye” and bad energy away, my mom put blue, glass eyes all over our house.  For example, if somebody pays a compliment, he or she may be sending bad energy by through jinxes, intentionally or even unintentionally.

Belief in the “evil eye” is routed back to the Muslim religion and the Koran.  It is very popular in Middle Eastern countries, the Mediterranean area, and some parts of Asia.  Everybody in my family, including me, believes in this tradition.  I always wear this bracelet my mom gave me when I was very young.  It is gold and has three blue, glass eyes on it.  Whenever I am not wearing it, I feel uncomfortable that something bad will happen.  For example, when my dog died a couple of years ago, my mom and my aunts believed that somebody “gave him the eye.”  They did not believe that was the reason that caused his death because he was already very old, but they did believe it had a part to do with it.  After that incident, she told me to wear the bracelet she gave me all the time and even gave me a glass eye to hang on the rear view window of my car.

My mom also has other precautions of keeping the bad energy away.  Other than the glass eyes, she also knocks on wood and also burns seeds of “esfand” (or aspand) on charcoal so that the smoke can waft through the house.  I know that these all count as superstitions but I do believe that they have some sort of power.  It may just be a sense of comfort and security but it is a theory that dates back many years and has become a custom and tradition.

Joke

Nationality: Iranian-American
Age: 53
Occupation: Executive
Residence: Calabasas, CA
Performance Date: April 22, 2008
Primary Language: English
Language: Farsi

yek jahbeh dar bad va meekhareh tehlehveezion yek torkeh

one box in then and buys television one The Turk

The Turkish man buys a television and in the box

pass foorooshgah beh va meedareh bahr  ahnrah va meebeeneh kohntrole  dastgaheh

back store to and takes out it and sees control remote

he sees the remote control and takes it out and

eshtebahee hesab machineh een aghah keh meegheh foorooshandeh beh va meedeh

wrongly calculator this sir that says store clerk to and gives

gives it to the store clerk and says, “Sir, by accident this calculator

aahmad tehlehveezion een bah

.came television this with

came with my television.”

My dad told me this joke and he said he learned it from one of his friends at work.   At parties or lunch gatherings, there always comes a point where the adults just like to share funny stories and jokes.  Even though these jokes are politically incorrect and make fun of an ethnic group, people still laugh at them.  This sort of joke falls in a group of “Turk” jokes that is very popular amongst Persians.  This makes the people feel more comfortable to laugh at them.

In Iran, there are many different regions and each region has a different identity.  All Persians have many similarities, such as the language Farsi, but they also have differences, such as accents, with the people of different regions.  One region in the northwest of Iran is called Azerbaijan.  The route of the people of this region traces back to the country Turkey.  Many of the people speak a different form of Turkish, but they all speak Farsi, however with an accent.  In Iran, many jokes are centered around the people, called “Turks.”  The term “Turk” is referring to the people of Azerbaijan, not of the country Turkey.  The Turks serve as a blason populaire for the Persians.  The people of that region have a positive relationship with the rest of Iran, but the Turks are always stereotyped as being dumb and ignorant.  For example, the way that Americans have “dumb blonde jokes”, the Persians have Turk jokes.  It is not true that people from Azerbaijan are dumb, but my dad says that they are always the victims of these jokes because their accent makes them sound less educated than other Persians.  However, these jokes are just told to make people laugh; it is not an actual reflection of an ethnic group.

Joke

Nationality: Iranian-American
Age: 53
Occupation: Executive
Residence: Calabasas, CA
Performance Date: Apruil 22, 2008
Primary Language: English
Language: Farsi

“A Turk goes to the doctor and he says, “Doctor, whenever I drink tea, my eye hurts.”  The doctor does all the tests and examinations and finds nothing and tells him that he’s ok and to go home.  He comes back again, and again he says whenever he drinks tea, he has the same problem.  So the doctor says, “Let’s do another test and see what happens.”  He pours him a cup of tea.  The Turk pours some sugar in his tea, he stirs it, and he starts drinking the tea with the teaspoon in the cup.  The doctor realizes that every time he takes a sip, the teaspoon pokes his eye.”

My father also told me this joke.  He learned this one at a dinner party with some family friends.  Like the previous piece, this illustrates the typical stereotype of the Turks from the Azerbaijan region.  This genre of jokes is normally told in an intimate setting.  The person telling the joke usually knows his audience so that he does not offend anyone; people do not usually go up to someone they just met five minutes ago and tell these jokes.

I have actually seen these jokes be told at parties where there is a large gathering.  I have noted that when people start these jokes, they often start off with “I knew this Turk once” and they sometimes add in names or specific details.  Everybody knows that it is a joke once it ends, but the familiarity gives a sense of reality and truth to the audience.  Sometimes I feel tricked when I here these jokes; a couple of times I actually thought that this Turkish man existed and the performer was retelling an actual story.   It would take me a while to realize that it is a joke and all made up, perhaps since, at the time, I was not familiar with them and was not expecting them to be actual jokes.

Holiday – Persian

Nationality: Iranian-American
Age: 53
Occupation: Executive
Residence: Calabasas, CA
Performance Date: April 22, 2008
Primary Language: English
Language: Farsi

“Nowruz” – Persian New Year

“Nowruz (meaning “New Day” in Farsi) is the Iranian New Year. It falls on the first day of Spring (around March 21st) which is also the Spring Equinox, one of only two days in a year when the length of day and night are almost equal.  It celebrates the rebirth of nature in spring when animals and plants start a new life or wake up from their inactivity during the winter months.

The first recorded celebration of Nowruz dates back to over 2500 years ago. Iran at that time was called Persia, which is one of the oldest civilizations of the world.  During that time, Persian Kings celebrated the return of spring in their lavish palace called Persepolis near the city of Shiraz, in the middle of the today’s Iran. Persepolis was the Capital of Persian Empire. All the decisions about governing the vast Persian Empire territory were made there. On Nowruz, the kings would receive a long list of diplomats, government officials and even ordinary citizens in his palace. On these occasions, a variety of gifts were exchanged. The religion of ancient Persians at the time was Zoroastrianism. They were strong believers in “Human Rights”, being “Positive”, “Good” and “Honest”. Their religious motto was, “Good Thoughts, Good Deeds and Good Words.” Celebrating Nowruz for them meant letting into their homes all that is “Good,” “Positive” and “Happy” and getting rid of all things “Negative.” This is still true for all Iranians today no matter where they live.

Nowruz festivities begin long before the first day of spring. It starts with a “Fire Festival” called “Chahar Shanbeh Soori” (meaning “Wednesday Party”) on the night before the last Wednesday of the year and ends with an all-day picnic party with family and friends on the 13th day of spring called, “Sizdeh Bedar” (meaning “Being Outdoor on the 13th”). Preparation for celebrating Nowruz starts quite early. During the weeks leading to spring, the families start a major house-cleaning job. We get rid of old clothes and household things we no longer use. We buy new clothing and shoes for each family member to start the year looking the best we can. We also set up a ceremonial table called “Haft Seen” (meaning “Seven Dishes”). We arrange seven items in seven separate dishes that are believed to bring to our home good fortune and good health. The seven dishes are chosen for what they symbolize. They all start with the letter “S”. The original letter was “SH” and later was changed to “S” after Iranians converted to Islam. The number of “Seven” has long been considered a symbol of good luck and special value in Iranian culture. The dishes are selected from the following list:

1. Sabzeh: Sprouted Grains, symbolizing “Growth”

2. Samanoo:  A sweet type of Porridge-like dish, symbolizing “Strength”

3. Seer: Garlic, symbolizing “Good Health” and “Remedy”

4. Seeb: Apple , symbolizing “Good Health”

5. Senjed: A fruit of Lotus, symbolizing “Love”

6. Sekeh:  Gold Coin, symbolizing “Wealth”

7. Serkeh: Vinegar, symbolizing “Age” and “Patience”

[This was substituted for “Sharab”(Wine) after the religious conversion. Wine, as well as any other alcoholic drink, is considered forbidden in Islam]

8. Sombol: Hyacinth Flower, symbolizing “Smell of Spring”

Other items that are placed on the table include:

  1. Candles: Symbolizing “Light”
  2. Mirror:  Symbolizing “Reflection”
  3. Colored Eggs: Symbolizing “Fertility”
  4. Esphand: Rue Seeds, symbolizing “Keeping away the evil-Eyes”)
  5. Gold Fish: Symbolizing “Creation”
  6. Holy Book: Symbolizing “Guidance”

Iranians believe that a New Year should start with happiness and laughter so that the rest of the year will continue to be spent in joy. “Haji Firouz” is Iran’s version of Santa Claus. He would dress in brightly colored clothes and paint his face like a clown. He walks through the streets and public places while dancing, singing and telling people jokes. Joy and happiness are thought as the best way to get rid of evil. At a time when there was no TV or radio, he would bring news of New Year everywhere he went, especially when he would go to the remote villages.

At the time of “Tahveel” (exact time of Vernal Equinox), all our family members gather around the ceremonial table. We put on our new clothes and shoes. We remember the family members who are no longer among us and pray for them. When the exact moment of “Tahveel” is officially announced on the TV and radios, we hug, kiss and wish everyone a happy and healthy New Year. Older people give the younger ones gifts, usually in the form of new, crisp paper money. The younger family and relatives then go and visit their elders to whish them a happy New Year. It is a special time for kids because they receive numerous gifts wherever they go or when other relatives or guests come over. Nowruz is a time to forgive disagreements and forget the past mistakes. It is the perfect occasion for starting the New Year happy and with a fresh mindset.”

My father and some of his friends wrote this letter and e-mailed it to my high school.  They did this so that my school, which had about four or five students of Persian descent in each grade, would be more aware of the holiday and the traditions.  They also did it so that the students had a reason to take the day (or two, depending on the time of the New Year) off from school.  My parents moved from Iran to America in the 1970’s and they have continued to practice many of the Persian traditions.  They even sent my brother, Farbod, and I to Farsi school where we learned how to read and write in Farsi.  My family still celebrates the Persian New Year and thinks it is very important for everyone to be together at the time of the “tahveel.”  However, I know many Persian families that do not celebrate it as much as we do, and they are even baffled by the fact that we do celebrate it in America.

I personally love this holiday.  It is a chance for my family to all come together since I have family all over the world, such as in Florida, New York, even in London and Germany.  For me, it is like a second Christmas, not because of the gifts but because of the preparation that goes into getting ready for the New Year.  About two weeks beforehand, my mom sets up the “haft seen” and the Wednesday before the New Year we jump over the fires.  That time of year has always given me a festive and celebratory feeling.