The Shahs Take Turkey

 So the other day, I was watching Shahs of Sunset, a reality TV show that portrays a Persian cast living an extravagant lifestyle in Los Angeles.  The show consists of a mixture of Persian Jew/Muslim cast members that are well off. However, many of my friends of Persian descent complain that the show falsely portrays what the real Persian community is all about. Some were outraged by the obnoxious behavior and use of foul language that is just unacceptable in their community. Of the cast members on the TV show, the only member that I would describe as having a lot of pride and belief of Persian history would be Asa, a Persian pop priestess, who fled the country post Islamic Revolution as a refugee with her family. Countless times on the show, she would mention that she would never be able to go back to her homeland (Iran) because they would not allow you to leave the country once you are identified as a refugee. Instead, she had the opportunity to relive her past years by visiting Turkey to reunite with her family in Istanbul.  She states that this would be the first time in many years that she would be close to her native land and is able to see her relatives that have all grown up. One of the traditional practices seen throughout the show is when Asa meets her relatives and exchanges gifts for each of the family members as a sign of respect and reciprocity. What I found interesting was the gift that her great aunt brought, a bag filled with soil from Iran. Asa was very happy because for a brief moment she thought she was back home living her dreams. The soil symbolized a lot of the Persian history/culture that was left behind. During their trip to Istanbul it was very amusing that till this day men and women are not treated equally in the Middle East. This is seen when Asa and Reza (Asa's friend) enter the blue mosque, and told that only men are able to pray in the middle of the shrine and women are told to pray by the corners. Obviously, Asa was hurt by this rule and was offended by the fact that men have more authority than women. Even in Turkey the Sharia law or moral code still is practiced. For the members of the cast to witness women covered in black veils it led them to believe that women were still treated unfairly and were unable to wear clothes that didn’t require covering the whole body. Much hasn’t changed since the enactment of Sharia laws that undermined women’s position in society as well as the separation of sexes in public settings. I believe that there is still a long way ahead for equality to be universal among all societies.

Culture & Identity Among The Persian Community

Hello everyone, I will be blogging about how life overall
has drastically changed pre and post Iranian Revolution for a typical Persian
living in the U.S. As a Persian Armenian, I would like to know how life changed
for the first and second generation immigrants from Iran and how the Iranian
Revolution impacted this transition. The revolution was a turning point in the
political regime from monarchial rule to a theocratic Islamic republic. Both my
parents were born in Tehran, Iran and left before the revolution. I plan on
interviewing both my parents to understand the differences between gender roles
back home. I also have my grandparents from my mother’s side who witnessed the
horrendous events that took place during the 1979 Iranian Revolution. Leaving
behind the memories of the past, my family moved to the states and lived their
life without any previous restrictions. However, many of the cultural practices
that they were accustomed to back home are still imminent till this day. One of
the most important cultural aspects that I notice from my parents is speaking
Farsi with one another. When my parents don’t want anyone to understand what
they’re talking about they always speak in Farsi. And when they choose to talk
Farsi the setting always consists of having a cup of fine Persian tea,
preferably early grey. Another common trend I notice from my family members is
the separation of the sexes during big events. Men will be on one side playing
backgammon while the women are in the kitchen. This is not always the case, but
back home this was usually how the setting took place. One of my favorite
aspects of Persian culture is Persian food. There are a variety of dishes that
we prepare during special occasions for family gatherings, grand celebrations,
weddings, and birthdays. A popular Persian dish that I like a lot and is common
in Iran and in the U.S. is called Ghormeh sabzi it is a Persian herb stew. But
my all time favorite is Tah-dig; it’s rice that has a crusty layer that we
sometimes season with spices. Among Persians, Persian literature is important
because it teaches many important disciplines and morals. Many popular poetries
and artworks, such as calligraphy are preserved because Persians value their
history. As a social aspect of Persian culture, many young adults will spend
their late afternoons at local hookah bars, but majority of the people allowed are
men. I myself smoke hookah and this popular trend is not only practiced back
home but in the states as well. As I have mentioned throughout this blog,
Persian culture is widespread in the United States. Encompassing all aspects such
as religion, art, music, and history. Thus, I would like to discover if Persian
identity is still present in U.S. I also want to know how life has changed for
Persian immigrants “refugees”. Hopefully, I will be able to show others that
being part Persian has a lot to offer and not seen as demeaning or in any sense
sponsoring terrorism.