Wright: Iran Collection
The World Oral Literature Project is pleased to host the historical collection of Susan Wright. The audio material in this collection was recorded between 1974 and 1976 in Iran as part of field research for a D.Phil. Details of the collection can be browsed on DSpace@Cambridge by clicking here.
Collection Details:
Collection: Luri recordings from Doshman Ziari, Mamasani, Iran
Collector: Susan Wright
Date(s): 1974-1976
Language(s): Luri
1. Avaz-e kalaki / Song whilst transplanting rice
In the spring, the young rice plants have to be transplanted into the flooded fields. This is backbreaking work, and people’ clothes are soaked and heavy. To keep spirits up and maintain a rhythm of work, the owner of the field starts a song and the young children (mainly girls) doing the transplanting sing the replies. (Every important and hard task has its own song).
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2. Āvāz-e mahali / Local song
Just a few men and women in the villages were well known for their voice and ability to sing these local songs. The songs were sung when people gathered together in someone’s house in the evening, tired from work, and at times of sadness and happiness.
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3. Āvāz-e shīr dooshidan / Song – whilst milking a cow
The woman is singing in appreciation of her wonderful cow’s milk, teats, eyes, teeth etc. She sings do’aā (prayers) to Ali, asking him to look after the cow. (There is a special song for nearly all tasks).
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4. Āvāz-e shīr dooshidan / Song – whilst milking a cow
The woman is singing in appreciation of her wonderful cow’s milk, teats, eyes, teeth etc. She sings do’aā (prayers) to Ali, asking him to look after the cow. (There is a special song for nearly all tasks).
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5. Bard o gerdoo / Stone and walnut
Folk stories (metīl) were recounted when people gathered in someone’s house, especially in the winter months, and when they were doing repetitive tasks like de-shelling acorns to make acorn bread flour. Some men and women were known as especially good story tellers. There are many genres of stories. Metīl are more imaginary and fanciful than dāstān (an account of something that happened - or might have happened), and more pithy and poetic than afsāneh (epics).
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6. Boz og Mish / The goat and the sheep
Folk stories (metīl) were recounted when people gathered in someone’s house, especially in the winter months, and when they were doing repetitive tasks like de-shelling acorns to make acorn bread flour. Some men and women were known as especially good story tellers. There are many genres of stories. Metīl are more imaginary and fanciful than dāstān (an account of something that happened - or might have happened), and more pithy and poetic than afsāneh (epics).
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7. Boz va Gorg / Goat and Wolf
Folk stories (metīl) were recounted when people gathered in someone’s house, especially in the winter months, and when they were doing repetitive tasks like de-shelling acorns to make acorn bread flour. Some men and women were known as especially good story tellers. There are many genres of stories. Metīl are more imaginary and fanciful than dāstān (an account of something that happened - or might have happened), and more pithy and poetic than afsāneh (epics).
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8. Dadi o Dadi che kerdi? / Sister, sister, what have you done?
Folk stories (metīl) were recounted when people gathered in someone’s house, especially in the winter months, and when they were doing repetitive tasks like de-shelling acorns to make acorn bread flour. Some men and women were known as especially good story tellers. There are many genres of stories. Metīl are more imaginary and fanciful than dāstān (an account of something that happened - or might have happened), and more pithy and poetic than afsāneh (epics).
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9. Dāstān-e dīv va dokhtar amoo / The story of the giant and the girl cousin
Folk stories (metīl) were recounted when people gathered in someone’s house, especially in the winter months, and when they were doing repetitive tasks like de-shelling acorns to make acorn bread flour. Some men and women were known as especially good story tellers. There are many genres of stories. Metīl are more imaginary and fanciful than dāstān (an account of something that happened - or might have happened), and more pithy and poetic than afsāneh (epics).
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10. Hatam-e Tāee / Hatam, son of Tāee
This metil is a story of how Hatam became a very compassionate and charitable man. The story originated in Arabic . It has moved into Farsi and now is recounted in Luri.
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11. Mahteti / Mahteti (girl’s name)
This metil is a story about a poor man who had 7 daughters. He couldn’t afford to keep them and his wife says take them into the mountains. He gets them to collect hawthorn berries and leaves them. They find the house of a giant, and when he wants to eat them, Mahteti, the smallest one, cleverly tricks him into giving her horses, grape treacle (shireh) and clarified butter (roghan) and they get away. The story would take several evenings to recount. She marries the son of the king, and ends up going home. It gives children a picture of how clever and brave a young girl can be.
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12. Marāsem sineh zani / Chest beating ritual
In the month of Moharram, when Imām Hossein and his family were killed in Karbalā, from 1st to 8th in the evening around 7pm, men proceed in one group around the village, chanting and beating their chests. One man leads the chant and the others answer. They are led by a boy holding a flag (parcham-e ‘āshurā). On 9th-10th everything in Iran is closed and they spend the whole day from morning to night in procession chanting and beating their chests. The women watch and cry.
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13. Mehtil-e mard-e kārgar / Story of the worker
Folk stories (metīl) or were recounted when people gathered in someone’s house, especially in the winter months, and when they were doing repetitive tasks like de-shelling acorns to make acorn bread flour. Some men and women were known as especially good story tellers. There are many genres of stories. Metīl are more imaginary and fanciful than dāstān or ghesseh (an account of something that happened - or might have happened), and more pithy and poetic than afsāneh (epics).
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14. Metil-e keyk / Story of the flea
Folk stories (metīl) were recounted when people gathered in someone’s house, especially in the winter months, and when they were doing repetitive tasks like de-shelling acorns to make acorn bread flour. Some men and women were known as especially good story tellers. There are many genres of stories. Metīl are more imaginary and fanciful than dāstān (an account of something that happened - or might have happened), and more pithy and poetic than afsāneh (epics).
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15. Musik-e mahali - aroosi - Hanna Bandan / Local music – wedding - Henna Painting
The first day of the wedding lasts from noon til after the evening meal. Then around midnight the musicians play a distinctive rhythm associated with the henna celebration. People from the family of the groom paint the groom’s head, hands and feet with henna Then the musicians accompany the groom’s family who take henna to the house of the bride. The women, clapping and ullulating (kel), go into the bride’s room. The designated person, often the wife or mother of the barber, covers the bride’s head, hands and feet with henna, and everyone else asks for some in their hands. This is the night before the bride goes to the groom’s house.
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16. Nana Havā va Bo Ādami / Adam and Eve
This is the story of the creation of mankind.
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17. Rozeh Khāni ‘Āshorā / Narration of the story of the death of Imam Hossein
During the month of Moharram, after the processions round the village, in the evenings certain individuals hosted a gathering in their house or in the mosque. A religious and literate villager told the story of the suffering and death of Imam Hossein and his family. The audience cries, and when the emotions get too strong, the leader starts to sing the story. These ‘rozeh’ where a speaker explains an aspect of religion are also held during Ramazan and on other religious days.
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18. Sāber o ghoulak / Sāber and Little Ghoul
Folk stories (metīl) were recounted when people gathered in someone’s house, especially in the winter months, and when they were doing repetitive tasks like de-shelling acorns to make acorn bread flour. Some men and women were known as especially good story tellers. There are many genres of stories. Metīl are more imaginary and fanciful than dāstān (an account of something that happened - or might have happened), and more pithy and poetic than afsāneh (epics).
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19. Sāz-e sehar / Reveille for a wedding
Early in the morning (after Hanna Bandun the night before) this special tune is played on the sāz to alert everyone to the wedding, then the drummer (mehtar) joins in and they play extracts from the tunes of the men’s stick dance (tarkah bāzi), and different women’s circle dances. People hear the music, and get up and have breakfast, do their daily work and see to their animals, and get ready to come to the wedding a couple of hours later.
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20. Sāz o āvāz / Brass instrument and singing
The music is played on the sāz and a small drum naghareh. It was a special performance put on in the musician’s house for me to record. The song is of the style balāl vā bei.
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21. Sāz o naghāreh Qashqāi / Brass instrument and drum, Qashqāi
The first tune in this wedding music is for the women’s handkerchief dance (dastmāl bāzi). This is a Qashqāi tune, although the Lurs also know it. Then they play the men’s stick dance music (tarkah bāzi). The sāz looks the same as the Lur one, but the sound is much louder.
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22. Sāz o naghāreh - tarkeh bāzi / Brass instrument and drum – men’s stick dance
At weddings, men’s stick dance is called chub bāzi or tarkah bāzi.
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23. Shangol o mangol / A lamb and a kid
This is the story of a lamb and a kid, and a wolf. Folk stories (metīl) were recounted when people gathered in someone’s house, especially in the winter months, and when they were doing repetitive tasks like de-shelling acorns to make acorn bread flour. Some men and women were known as especially good story tellers. There are many genres of stories. Metīl are more imaginary and fanciful than dāstān (an account of something that happened - or might have happened), and more pithy and poetic than afsāneh (epics).
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24. Sheyr-e kodak-e dabestani / Poem recited by primary school children
One of the rituals of schooling was for children to recite a poem for visitors. The first class, aged 7, have learnt a poem in Farsi, which one of them recites for me.
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25. Sobh roostā / Morning in the village
I got up very early, around 5am, and taped the sounds of the morning. Women were taking their sheep and goats to the shepherd who took the collected herd out to the mountains for grazing.
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26. Sāz o naghāreh / Brass instrument and drum
Wedding music - not a good recording. All the tunes are for women's scarf dances.
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27. Sāz o naghāreh / Brass instrument and drum
Wedding music for women’s scarf /circle dances.
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28. Sāz o naghāreh / Brass instrument and drum
Wedding music for the men’s chub bāzi (also known as tarkeh bāzi).
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29. Sāz o naghāreh / Brass instrument and drum
Wedding music. The first section is a very beautiful version of music for the men’s stick dance (chub bāzi). The second half is music for the women’s scarf/circle dance (dastmāl bāzi).
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30. Sāz o naghāreh / Brass instrument and drum
Wedding music for women’s dances.
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31. Sāz o naghāreh / Brass instrument and drum
Wedding music first for the women’s scarf dances, then there’s a short piece for men’s tarkah bāzi – then women’s dancing again. Note people letting off celebratory gunshots in the background. This recording goes with one of the super 8 films.
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