Birds, Love and Liberation in Tehran 2012
An Attempt to Understand Human Relationships with Birds
p. 211-232
Remerciements
Acknowledgements: I would like to thank a number of people for their support of this research. In addition to the organizers of this conference and J-P Digard for their interest in animals, I would like to thank Ellen Vuosalo, ornithologist, who has been speaking with me about Siberian cranes and migrant swans for a number of years and my son Rouzbehan, who made me realize there are other birds than just sparrows, pigeons and crows in Tehran. And particularly for their contribution to this research, I would like thank Mr. Fakhri, the head of the bird and fish shopkeepers’syndicate; Mr. Amir Qobadi, Ali Cheraqi, and Ashraf od-din Ensaf and Dr. Etemad Moqadam for the interviews they granted me; and Roya Karimi-Rad who kindly accompanied me to the Bird Garden in Isfahan and spoke with me along the way of her classes on the Shâhnâmeh and the Simorgh.
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Introduction
1In order to identify the 480 different birds within 71 families, and the 27 rare birds – including migrant birds in Iran, one needs to use eyesight as much as auditory faculties. The appearance of a bird (its size, feather combination on various parts of the body including the tail), its behavior (on the ground, in trees, in water and in air), its habitat, its presence in various seasons, all of these are as important as the noises it makes as well as its voice and song. (Parandegân-e Iran 1362[1983]: 5-12, 393-398).
2Students of anthropology, having learned how to listen to others, could expand their expertise to listen to birds and explore this world of the auditory in a world where vision has taken precedence over all other senses. It is highly significant that in the volume entitled The Auditory Culture Reader (Bull and Beck 2003), not one of the 28 authors mentions birds in a topical manner in their studies covering the five continents. Rather, their studies are centered on urban and rural sounds and music.
3The truth attributed to bird sounds in dreams or visions has been the cornerstone of many decisive acts in human civilization. The world of birds has been an intermediary of the real and the transcendental; their ability to walk on Earth and fly through the skies has been interpreted as the gift of migrating from the human to the divine realm, between the natural and the supernatural. This domain can show how a human society, our focus now being Tehran in 2012, understands and interprets the world of birds.
4The Natural Museum of Dârâbâd, located high in the mountains of northern Tehran, displays many birds and features an ever-expanding collection of taxidermy specimens. Nine hundred meters below this altitude, on the Azâdegân highway between the Beheshteh Zahra Cemetery and the city of Karaj, birds are sold daily at the Bird Garden (Bâq-e Parandegân). While the Dârâbâd Museum is situated within a fort-like, protected and artificially constructed natural space, the Bird Garden has an open market of ordinary Iranian birds as well as a two-story building where birds from all over the world are sold. Famous birds, imported from South America and Europe, find their way here mostly illegally from India and Pakistan by way of Iran’s eastern border. Speaking birds are highly sought after, as these expensive and entertaining birds are kept in various stores and in many homes. In stores they draw in customers. At home they provide company, inspiring love in their moments of silence and stimulating many hours of discussion about their astonishing intelligence in uttering unexpected words or phrases. In museums, exhibition labels comment on birds’ visual attributes, on their beauty and the color of their plumage, bearing similarity to a women’s flowery veil or to a fashionable color combination. There are also comments related to the power of God to have created such magnificent and strange creatures. Many children want to hug them, so the birds can cause frustration in this regard, and there is quite a bit of picture taking, not unlike self-portraits posed in front of monuments. To have a bird perch on one’s finger brings great pride and pleasure.
5But how do people really relate to birds? When we walk through the bazaar, in the dimmest corners, we hear sereh chirping away. In an ordinary grocery store, in a car repair shop, in a laundry or in an art store, we might come upon a customer reciting poetry inspired by the birds’song. The worker’s eyes light up when I inquire about the canaries they have kept for the past three years in two separate cages. What is the cultural memory of an Iranian who relates to birds in such a way? Isn’t it through this cultural memory that birds are heard? Beyond the immediate experience of listening, we shall explore how birds are portrayed in different cultural domains: in mythology, folk tales, proverbs, dreams and song lyrics. We shall end with short stories written by young authors and a few Tehrani jokes. This is an immense world with which we can only topically (in a vol d’oiseau) get ourselves acquainted.
The Mystical World of Birds
6The word of God was heard by the prophets, and angels as winged intermediaries brought good and bad news to the earthly realm. Voices heard in dreams are thought to bear exceptional insight and have, thus, influenced a great many decisions. For mystics, there is an authoritative quality in sounds and we easily follow their reverence in poetry of Sanâ’yee, Xâqâni, Sa’di, Mowlawi, Ferdowsi and Attâr, as well as the works of Bahâr, Faroxzâd and Sepehri.
7In his introduction to Attâr’s Manteq ot-Teir, Shafi’yi Kadkani claims that “thinking about the language of birds” must have been a part of the Jewish tradition before that of Islam because King Solomon knew the language of birds. Birds are present in Old and New Testaments and in the Quran (Kadkani 1389/2010: 24). Thereafter, poets have tried to demonstrate their understanding of this old mystical language in their poetry, and have used it to show the paths that unlock the secrets of creation and being as well as the journeys the soul ought take to reach the highest stages of human perfection.
8The bird takes flight, soars in the skies, and has a voice with supernatural qualities that evokes another kind of thinking. Attar, inviting his followers to turn away from worldly matters, says that the wealthy are like mice in a trap (Attar 1389/2010: 58) and that those who have joined him have known the sacred language. He later speaks of his inner bird that has flown away, a bird with thousands of stories to tell. Elsewhere he plays on the terms bird, language, melody and friendship. There are also superb verses about the words he utters that are drawn from the language of friendship, a language in which ancient secrets are revealed (Attar 1389/2010: 98). He likens himself to a nightingale in a garden of words (Attar 1389/2010: 115) and so on.
9In the Avesta, reference is made to the Simorgh, the falcon that brings prosperity to those she casts her shadow upon. In the Shâhnâmeh, the Simorgh plays an exceptionally privileged role as the constant protector and savior of Zâl, son of Sâm. Giving one of her feathers to Zâl, Simorgh advises him to burn the feather whenever he is in need of help. Once summoned, Simorgh avails her extraordinary knowledge to Zâl, and then later to his son Rostam. During the birth of the great hero Rostam, his mother Rudâbeh struggles through a particularly difficult and painful labor. When Zâl burns Simorgh feather, the latter instructs the mother’s attendants to cut open her stomach in order to remove the baby and then tells them to rub its feather, having curative qualities, on the wound to heal her. Once again, Simorgh gives Zâl a feather and leaves. The next significant event involving Simorgh is in the passage recounting the duels between Esfandiyâr and the dragon, then between Esfandiyâr and Simorgh and finally between Esfandiyâr and Rostam. Rostam did not want to kill Esfandiyâr, but he could not allow himself to be killed by him either. Facing this dilemma, he burned the mysterious feather and Simorgh arrived with good advice. First, she instructed Rostam to council to his rival to call off the duel. But when Esfandiyâr refuses, Simorgh tells Rostom of Esfantiyâr’s sole point of vulnerability: his eyes. Thus, Simorgh plays a quintessential role in the life of Rostam, a role intertwined with extraordinary knowledge, care, motherly love and clairvoyance. We should not forget that this mythical bird lived on the pinnacle of Mount Qâf, itself a mystical location (Amuzgar 1374/1995).
Dreaming of Birds
10The volume entitled Complete Dream Interpretation by Sheikh Abolfazl Habish ibn-Ibrahim Tafisi is widely consulted. The birds mentioned in this volume include ducks, sparrows, hens, nightingales, pheasants, doves1 and turtledoves, eagles, white storks and skylarks. This book has drawn heavily from Ibn-e Sirin and Imam Sâdeq’s various dream interpretations in reference to the Holy Quran.
11Dreaming of birds in general, and their size in particular, indicates the measure of one’s determination to reach their aim; if he sees birds’ eggs, he will have a child; if he hears many birds singing, there will be a disaster. If a bird speaks to him, he will prosper. But if the bird tears off a piece of his flesh and flies away with it, part of his property will be forcibly taken away. Water birds may indicate future prosperity and positions of power and authority or the birth of a child. The rooster is the best bird one can have in one’s dreams.
12A duck in a dream signifies bounty: the greater in number, the more wealth one can expect to gain in the future. A white duck represents a rich woman, and black duck symbolizes a slave woman [kaniz]. If one dreams of killing a duck and eating its flesh, the riches of a woman will be given to the dreamer who will in turn spend it (Taflisi 1377/1998: 150-151).
13A nightingale in a dream symbolizes a small child or a slave and the nightingale’s song heralds the arrival of good news. A nightingale in flight indicates the loss of a child or a slave, and the death of this bird in one’s hand means one’s child or slave will die. If one dreams of possessing many nightingales, this signifies the future acquisition of many slaves. And, if he dreams of killing and eating their flesh, his slaves will inherit property. A female nightingale in a dream symbolizes one’s wife, and more generally it signifies female slaves. If one drinks from the beak of a nightingale, one will sleep with one’s wife; and if the bird is injured, one’s wife or slave will die. As it can be seen very clearly, the text refers to men’s dreams.
14Skylarks represent the children of one’s slave, both male and female slaves born into bondage. If one dreams of an eagle, one will be appointed to a position of power by a tyrant king. And if one sees a tame eagle, he will have a child. The eagle generally symbolizes social status, power and authority, prosperity and children.
15If a king dreams that an eagle flies from his hand only to return, he will stay in power, but if the eagle leaves and does not return, he will lose his throne. If a statesman catches an eagle and then kills it, he will be ousted from power and will suffer at the hands of his family. If he catches an owl or is given one and tames it to sit on his hand, he will attain power and grandeur; adversely, if he dreams that an eagle falls from his hand to its death, he will become poor and desolate. If someone offers him an eagle, he will have a handsome and honorable child. And if an eagle sits on his roof, he will become close to the king and prosper from this relationship. If he sees an eagle fly under a woman’s skirt, she will bear a son; and if the eagle has a golden or silver bell around its claw, she will have a daughter.
16A parrot may represent a loyal and respectable man, or alternatively one’s child or slave. So if one dreams of their parrot’s departure, one’s child will go on a trip; and if his parrot speaks to him in a dream, his child will perform deeds that inspire awe; and finally, if he dreams of a female parrot, he will see a virgin (Taflisi 1377/1998: 478).
17An owl symbolizes an untrustworthy man, or even a thief. If one dreams of catching an owl, he will have hostile exchanges with such a man. More generally, it is bad omen to dream of this bird. If one hears an owl cry in a dream, there will be weeping and wailing in one’s waking life; if one catches a baby owl, his child will become disorderly and disobedient; and finally, if one eats the flesh of this bird, he will seize the property of a wicked man (Taflisi 1377/1998: 230).
18All the above avian symbolism could have very well been part of the dreamscapes of powerful men: statesmen, princes, nobility and merchants. Wealth, prosperity, marriage and children seem to be principle preoccupations. Storks on the other hand, may come to peasants, weak kings, policemen, poor men or outsiders in dreams. If one dreams of a stork coming to speak to a harmless man, he will gain in social stature; and if he kills the stork in dream, he will kill his enemy (Taflisi, 1377/1998: 248).
19A stock dove [fâxte] symbolizes one’s wife, child or servant. If a dove sings perched on one’s roof, one will receive good news from someone who is absent. In general, a dove represents a restless woman who is not very kind, complacent or pious. So if one dreams of holding a dove, one will marry such a woman; and if one catches a baby dove or eats its flesh, one will gain proportionally in riches (Taflisi 1377/1998: 501).
20Male pheasants [tozru, qarqavol] in dreams signify a treacherous man and a female pheasant represents a deceitful woman. If one fights a pheasant, one will have an altercation with such a man; and if he obtains a female pheasant, he will marry a woman without virtue. On the other hand, dreaming of a pheasant’s nest foretells a marriage with a beautiful woman. Quails symbolize the children of slaves. Yet, they also signify a livelihood gained in a halâl manner. If one dreams that a quail escapes, then one’s slave or child will die. Finally, ostriches [šotormorq] come to nomads in dreams. If a nomad catches a female ostrich, he will marry a woman of nomadic origin or will buy a slave woman; if he mounts an ostrich, he will go on a trip through the desert (Taflisi 1377/1998: 206, 107)
21More abstractly, feathers and flying also have meanings in dreams. If one dreams of having feathers, one will attain greater power; if one dreams of having feathers and flying, one will embark on a prosperous journey; and if one loses one’s feathers, one will lose one’s status and wealth. The possession of feathers signifies prosperity. Flying from one place to another, heralds travel. The higher the dreamer flies indicates the degree of one’s prosperity; but, if he darts high into the skies without returning, then his life is coming to an end. If one flies from one’s home to another house, this foretells a divorce from one’s wife followed by a marriage with another or one’s settling down with a slave. If one flies to the Milky Way, one will go to Mecca. And if one dreams of leaving his house for an unknown destination, he must repent as if he were going to die.
Birds in Religious Texts
22In Genesis (1:20) God said, “I command the ocean to be full of living creatures, and I command birds to fly above the earth.” In verse (1:26) God said, “Now we will make humans, and they will be like us. We will let them rule the fish, the birds, and all other living creatures.” “He brought them to the man to see what names he would give each of them. Then the man named the tame animals and the birds and the wild animals. That’s how they got their names.” (2:19-20)
23In the Quran, when Abraham wanted to know how God gave life to the dead, God said, “Take four birds, tame them to turn to you, put a portion of them on every hill, and call them: they will come to you (flying) with speed. Then know that Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise.” So we see not only that miracles are interpreted through birds, but also that teaching a bird to come when called is an ancient practice (Al-Baqara verse 260). In the Sura of Yusuf (Joseph), birds are mentioned in dream interpretations (41). And finally, in Al-Anbiya/The Prophets (verse 79) it is written that, “It was Our power that made the hills and the birds celebrate Our praises, with David: It was We Who did (all this things).”
24In Leviticus 5:8, we read that birds will be offered in sacrifice to ask for God’s forgiveness. In Sura Al-Namal (The Ants verse 16), King Solomon – the ruler of birds among other beings, including demons and spirits – is taught the language of birds. In verse 27:16 of the Quran it is written: “O people, we have been taught the speech of birds, and we have been given everything. Indeed, this is a manifest favor.” Verse 27:70 reads: “We subjugated the mountains and the birds to give glory along with David”, and verse 34:10 states: “We gave David a great favor from Us: ‘ O mountains and birds, repeat with him [My praises].’” One of the ways in which King Solomon used birds was as messengers, and this is how the hoopoe took a letter to the Queen of Sheba. Originally the king of all birds, the great White Eagle came under King Solomon’s command and sometimes transported him after he was appointed as the ruler of birds. During a particular voyage on the back of the great White Eagle, the sun began to beat fiercely upon the King, and suddenly a flock of hoopoes flew by and sheltered him. In gratitude, the King offered to grant them any favor they desired. The hoopoes asked for golden crowns. Over time the birds grew quite proud of their crowns, and the human beings, taking note of their golden crowns, began to hunt them. With very few of them left, the hoopoes went to the King to ask him to save their species by changing their golden crown. The King obliged and replaced the golden crown with protruding feathers. This story teaches the impropriety of pride and shows how it can become a trap in one’s life.
Birds in Folk Tales
25The world of flight and flying bring us to the mythological world of semi-human, semi-bird creatures: angels and savior birds. One ancient Persian story tells of how the angel of rain, Teštar star/Tistrya2 apparently the star Canopus [soheil]), liberated the waters from the sky. Teštar star/Tistrya is first incarnated as a 15-year-old boy with wings who flew through the sky to free the rain from the clouds for ten consecutive days and nights. The angel of rain then successively took the form of a cow with golden horns and then of a white horse with golden ears and hooves, each taking flight to bring rain for ten days and ten nights (Yarshater 1958: 40). Another story from ancient Persia gives an account of a wonderful red eagle that flew over Ardeshir’s head, knocking a cup containing a poisonous concoction from his hands with his wings and, thus, saving his life (Yarshater 1958: 174).
26In addition to the benevolent bird that saved Ardeshir’s life in Stories of Ancient Iran (Yarshater 1958), there is also a recall of the Simorgh. Whereas this mythical figure was the protector and savior of Zâl in the Avesta, in this folk tale Simorgh takes care of a little baby girl abandoned by her parents. “Birds” in this collection of tales are connected to the world of the gods. Flying to the seventh sky, these figures cross from the ordinary terrestrial realm into the metaphysical, extraordinary realm. They are also emissaries of divine knowledge and sometimes of healing. This quality in birds is taught from a very young age through folk tales. In the world of imagination, the power of flight is attributed to other esteemed beings and objects including flying carpets and trunks as well as winged horses and, occasionally, camels.
27The birds in folk tales are primarily the most ordinary birds that we encounter daily: sparrows, crows, chickens and roosters. There are also a few extraordinary birds: parrots, eagles and nightingales (Marzolph 1992).
28Sparrows are portrayed as being noisy: playing the drum in a wedding, for instance, or singing in a king’s stomach after being eaten. The sparrow is also characterized as a greedy creature. At times it appears alongside the most powerless people: elderly women. In one tale, an elderly woman removes a spike from a sparrow’s claw to use as firewood for cooking bread. Once the bread is baked, the birds ask the elderly woman to share. This narrative demonstrates just how lowly an elderly woman’s status is in society. In another story the bird brings an old woman wood for her cooking.
29Roosters are present through their singing and their voices may be heard at unpredictable times, a topic that reappears in important works of poetry. They are objects of desire for foxes; their voice, being portrayed as being a nuisance, provides an excuse for making them choice prey. In a way, foxes and birds are in competition over who is more intelligent. And we learn of birds that take their revenge out on foxes for the faults humans attributed them with: roosters for their bothersome voices, chickens for encumbering the domestic space of human beings, ducks for being dirty and peacocks for their pride. Storks and hoopoes are also depicted as out-smarting the fox.
30Speaking parrots are smart and witty. The wise Parrot in Tutinameh, gives guidance to the young wife of a tradesman who is left alone for many months. When the young woman is tempted to pass the time more pleasantly by leaving her house to have an affair, the parrot keeps her from crossing the threshold by telling her one extraordinary tale after another. Time passes as she listens to the stories and the family’s reputation is, thus, preserved. The parrot then says, “I showed her the way through tales,” and the woman avows that, “Through listening to her tales, which were full of good advice, I did not listen to demonic enticers.” So the parrot played the role of an advisor and a teacher of moral conduct, a prevalent role attributed to birds in the Iranian world. The parrot remains to this day a good companion to women in the home, and to families more generally, who through positive interactions with the bird manage to soften their own relationships.
31In folklore, one can also find the most extraordinary, small, insecteating bird: the nightingale. In one tale, a slain brother is transformed into a nightingale, and in another, this bird is transformed into a groom. The nightingale, who is always heard and not seen in stories, has the voice of qeib and its beautiful song is likened to a lamentation [nâle-ye bolbol]. The lamenting nightingale has a prominent place in Persian poetry, and vocalists have been advised to study the bird’s song. A person who is restless, who is full of excitement, who is in love, has become a nightingale [bolbol shodan, bolbol mezâj]. The voice of the superb female vocalist, Qamar ol-Moluke Vaziri, was often remarked as replicating the song of a lamenting nightingale [čahčah]. Upon her death, the radio program in her honor started in the following way: “Last night Qamar died (August 4th, 1959). This wandering nightingale, this miraculous voice, this fire of feeling, love and devotion has gone silent…” (Behruzi 1372/1993: 501).
32Crows are mostly associated with thievery, a reputation that persists to this day from a time when people often had objects stolen from their yard, particularly alongside ponds [howz], by crows. Today, whenever I ask about crows, many people seem to have taken note of this bird and they talk about it with great enthusiasm. Those who have been bed stricken for a while or have had the time to observe them in parks for many hours are very pleased to talk about them, though often expressing regret that this bird often goes unnoticed. Others speak about having watched them while feeding them. Or as it happens at Sâ’yee Park in Tehran, the many people who take food for the cats watch the crows steal the food and play with the cats as well. Many people have also taken note of the commotion caused in a murder of crows when chicks fall from their nest; the adult crows work together, coordinating their flight and cries, until the young are found and taken to safety. Crows have gained distinction for their social cohesion, intelligence, playfulness and longevity.
33The falcon figures prominently in a story known as Karkas va Zaqaan which is often recounted within families (Shirâzi n.d.: 29-32). The tale tells of a falcon and a vulture and illustrates the paradox of the vulture’s vision. At first, the vulture recognizes a seed from a very long distance. But, then, it overlooks the trap laid in its wait. This contradiction amazes the falcon. Through this story we learn at once of the dangers of pride, as the vulture overestimated its perceptive faculties, and of the importance of predestination or the time of one’s death [ajal].
The Bird and the Cage
34We cannot speak of birds and avert the topic of the cage. There is an intrinsic analogy between the caged bird and the essential elements of human life, the heart [del] and life [jân], contained within the rib cage. In daily discourse, as soon as I ask about birds, many evoke the topic of the cage and express consternation about their confinement that keeps them from taking flight. For them, the practice of imprisoning these fragile creatures for human pleasure is evidence of their arrogance and selfishness. The iron bars of the cage have been evoked in poetry for a very long time as metaphors for life’s difficulties, the troubles of an earth-bound body and the social and political problems confronted at different times by the homo iranicus. The popular rap singer, Shâhin Nadjafi, penned an ironic poem of political protest that reads: “Women should not breathe, should die. Birds should always be kept in cages.” In its most commonplace sense, flight means rising above earthly problems, flying from the constraints and limitations of any particular geographical location. Who would not have aspired to fly from one’s social, political or economic fetters? Or today’s traffic jams and pollution?
Birds in Modern Persian Poetry: Bahâr, Farokhzâd and Sepehri
35A politician and poet, Malek ol-Sho’ara Bahâr, drew from the symbolism of birds in Persian literature in his poetic works. He wrote of the “silent bird” [morq-e xâmuš] and evoked the similarity between birds and human beings while incarcerated in 1928 [1308]. Then in 1949 [1329] he wrote of the “owl of war” [joqd-e jang] that symbolizes the end of peace and security in the garden, when the white pigeon of peace and friendship had disappeared.
36Foruq Farrokhxzâd wrote about a “little bird” that was free of human problems, who not read newspapers and who flew above traffic lights. In a verse invoking the Simorgh, she writes, “we have found our way to the cold and quiet sleep of this bird.” For her, pigeons are innocent and benefit from a privileged perspective on human beings. In the poem entitled “Lamentation of a Bird” [nâle-ye parande], Farrokhxzâd writes of caged birds that are ordered by humans to lament, which serves as a metaphor for the human heart confined in the ribcage. The quality of parišâni is attributed to a bird that has lost its way and that returns to its nest in exhaustion [afsâne-ye talx]. In remorse she writes, “I wanted to become a revolting flame, I became a bird in the corner of a cage, bound, arrested” [goriz o dard]. In another verse she highlights the bird’s captors, men, writing, “Come man, you self-centered being, open the doors of this cage, if you imprisoned me all my life, free me for a last breathe [osiyân]”. In this way, the poet uses the symbolism of birds to evoke the sorrow of being caged, of being confined and limited to an inner world. In opposition, she also draws upon the symbolism of flight, representing the joy of life unfettered from daily concerns including the plight faced by women and political problems, more generally.
37Finally, the poems of Sohrâb Sepehri are imbued with ever more complex avian symbolism. The poem entitled “Bird Riddle” [morq mo’ammâ] tells of an introverted being or stranger who fears deceiving anyone, avoids contact with others and desires for nothing. Rather, the bird simply sits and observes surreal patterns. In the poem “With Hidden Bird” [bâ morq-e penhân], the narrator speaks to a bird in pain, which through its inward song “opens time with its voice.” As though inquiring about his very own pain, the narrator asks the bird where its pain resides. An important topic is addressed in the poem “Bird of Story” [morq-e afsâne]: a bird’s ability to cross between realms, between day and night, past and present, beginning and end and between two mirages. In the poem “There was a Bird here” [injâ parande bud], Sepehri asks this delicate being to explain the meaning of flight. Further on, the poet writes of a bird that sows mystery in the interstices of space. Using birds to ask a number of existential questions, Sepehri’s symbolism incorporates certain qualities attributed to birds in the past, yet does not use the symbols of preceding Persian poetry.
38I have included a brief discussion of these particular poems because, over the course of my interviews on the topic of birds, they have been recited by a number of respondents.
Birds in Modern Short Stories
39In modern short stories, just as with the pop music of Iranian youth (Shahshahani 2013), there is total ignorance of what has come before them. Of the twenty-five books of short stories I examined in my article “Coming of Age in Tehran 2012: Short Stories by Young Iranian Writers,” only three works reference birds directly (Shahshahani, 2012). Each of these three stories negates Iran’s rich literary and mystical traditions of bird symbolism. Tâymâz Afsari’s story entitled “Parandeh bâz” (Afsari 1388/2009: 81-88) begins with the following description: “It has yellow rogue eyes. It is not clear what it is. Only that it is a bird. That’s it.” Further on in the story, the bird is used as a messenger between two women, one of whom does not know the identity of the other person. An afflicted woman catches the bird with her healthy hand (implying her other hand is debilitated) and finds a message that reads, “It is difficult to trust others. Happy you came. Waiting for the next message.” Appalled by the tone of the note, she says, “It is all your fault, you shitty pigeon.” She then takes out a paper cutter wanting to chop off the bird’s head, but suddenly feels pity for it. Once spared, the bird is described as colliding into the walls of the room, and then sitting on the edge of a cupboard door. The bird’s excrement scattered about the room is constantly mentioned in this section. The bird is then describes as perching on high-rise buildings enveloped with smoke and as flying through pollution and fog. Later on, we read about the other woman, who walks with a limp as one of her legs has been amputated below the knee. She is kind to the bird that delivers her a message that reads: “Watch out for the bird’s shit” In an unnerving passage, a man who has come to wash himself in this woman’s house warns her that the pigeon is not a messenger bird, but a fighting bird. In response the woman threatens the man yelling, “You pig, I should call the police!” It is significant that the words used in the original text bear definite imprints from non-Iranian threats. Finally, the bird lets out a shriek that sounds like “jiq-jiq”.
40The title of the story by Rezaye-e Zâdeh “A Sunny Day for an Owl” leads us to believe we will be reading about the ominous bird of Persian lore, but alas there is no other reference to the bird in this piece. Another misleading title is found in Maryam Mansouri’s story called “Kaftar Čâhi”, meaning dove that tells primarily of sparrows. She writes: “In the skies there were no more sparrows… there were a few errant dogs and crows, an old, dirty crow… there were tiny sparrows who composed a symphony of ineptitude and submission with their feeble voices.” Finally, in another story entitled “I am a horse,” a pair of birds becomes the focus of a telephone conversation. One character recounts:
Oh shit! There is a dead pigeon here and a crow has been pecking at its chest. When I approached, he flew onto the fence and he is still staring at me… Nothing is left of the pigeon’s stomach, only a little bloody flesh stuck to the bone. Its feathers are bloody… No, it is not white. Gray, lifeless gray. Its head is bent backwards, its eyes are still open. The crow has not pecked out its eyes, only its stomach is eviscerated. Oh! I’ll call you back in a few minutes (Mansouri 1389/2010: 46-47).
41Balancing off bitterness with jokes is a habit, and here, after these morose passages, let us end this section with a joke made on a well-known story: “The crow was perched in a tree eating a pizza. The fox came along and said, ‘ What a head! What a tail! Can you sing?’The crow put the pizza under its arm and responded, “You cannot deceive me anymore. You used this ploy when I was in second grade. Now I have graduated from university.” The fox said, “Ah you have grown old. That is why you have lost your feathers.” The crow spread its wings to show he hadn’t lost them, and of course, the pizza fell. The fox grabbed the pizza and said “I was once a student, now I am an ayatollah!”
Real Bird Lovers
42In many households, people feed breadcrumbs to birds everyday and pride themselves for thinking about these creatures, which would otherwise have no other source of food in the dead of winter. Some people make a vow to take grain to holy sanctuaries to feed pigeons. These are just two different attitudes towards birds among others. At Tehran’s Bird Garden, a wellinformed man minding a stand told me that before humans, a crow (zâq) wore black after Imam Hossein’s death. Families who have speaking birds count them as additional family members, beyond being a pet with extraordinary stories. I am told that among the many visitors to the Bird Garden there are lots of young people who just want to pass a few hours with their friends. The noise and the frivolous movements of birds as well as their friendly relationships with each other is uplifting and provides a model for friendly behavior at a time when people feel terribly depressed and ungrounded, having lost their bearings. There is also a scientific attitude toward birds that can be observed among young environmentalists and naturalists.
43While interviewing expert storekeepers or the head of the bird and fish shopkeepers’ syndicate, I realized their responses were somehow mysterious and left me uneasy. It wasn’t until an elderly physician, who had kept many pigeons, accepted to respond to my questions that I came to understand this awkwardness. Keeping canaries was practiced by the upper class; the lower classes kept pigeons. Speaking about these matters made the physician’s eyes light up and he grinned while describing the special terms for birds that you will find in my vocabulary section. In a recent book In the Streets and Alleys (1386/2007: 166) the author speaks about his classmates, none of whom had continued their studies, and he mentions kabutarbâzân (pigeon keepers) right after gamblers.
44These discoveries led me to approach an acquaintance, who lived in a house where pigeons had always been kept, as I was sure he had some important contributions to make. He opened up to me and spoke of his love for pigeons, canaries and doves. When he was about seven years old, a neighbor’s young canary flew into their house. Learning of his bird’s escape, the neighbor told the boy he should return the canary because she needed to feed and care for her chicks that had just hatched. But, the neighbor offered to let him choose another canary of his liking out of the 20 or 30 he kept. Though the neighbor stipulated, “If you cannot keep it, then bring it back to me.” The young boy took a pair of canaries and five to six months later, the female laid eggs. The aforementioned neighbor was a factory worker. Though big and tough in appearance, he was very gentle and loved his birds. After his wife and children, his birds were his only attachment and great source of pleasure. Through his gift, this neighbor passed on his passion for birds to my informant who explained to me:
Ever since then I, myself, have never been able to set these birds free from my house. There have been as many as 100. Despite all the difficulties I have in my life, I have always served birds. All those who have been drawn to animals, become kind, and fall in love with them. It is a hobby, but more than that, bird keepers also become more understanding and considerate of others and their love and appreciation of nature and God grows deeper. This hobby makes them put aside any violent behavior they might have had. They spend their free time with birds.
45When I asked him why bird keepers are named after “gamblers” and he explained that it is because there were no other pastimes; so rather than idling time away, some kept and served birds. He has had different birds. Keeping pigeons is considered to be the lowliest of all. He later told me about one of his cousins who had gone missing for many years. When he found him, ill and suffering from addiction, he brought him home, gave him shelter and a menial job. One day he took him to a friend’s house that kept pigeons. At the sight of them, the cousin kneeled down to touch one in its cage. Tears welled in his eyes because as a child he had kept pigeons. The owner allowed him to take two, and in time his pair of pigeons grew to 60 couples. My informant explained to me:
Caring for them took lots of time. I would leave their cage door open, but they would always come back. They would leave at dawn returning around noon to eat, and then they leave again to come back in the evening. Pigeons are like one’s wife [nâmus]; their keeper does not allow anyone to touch them. When seeking a mate, they find their own companion. I cannot force or encourage them into couples. But, pigeons must be in couples; they are inward creatures. Any female that accepts a male would not allow another male to approach her. Pigeons have emotions. The female pigeon raises other pigeon’s chicks. A rooster or a dog or cat would not do the same.
46Then I asked him about those who have made a vow to take grain to a pilgrimage site. This opened another chapter on people who believe that by offering grain their problems will be solved. A cousin once came to visit him because his wife could not bear children. The young woman was very sad and upset, fearing that if she didn’t bear a child their divorce would be inevitable. On the day they were to visit a doctor, he woke his cousin early in the morning telling him he should get up for their appointment. Seeing it was only seven o’clock in the morning, his cousin was stunned. My informant explained his intention was to take him to a shrine dedicated to Imâmzâdeh Sâleh (brother of Imam Rezâ) in Shemirân, to offer grain to the pigeons. They did so, offering three kilos of wheat to the great amazement of all those present. Later, they received a phone call from the doctor’s office informing them the doctor would be out of the office for the day and that he could not see the couple. Forty-five days later, the cousin called from Kermânshâh to share the news that his wife was pregnant. Upon hearing this, my informant told me, “I kissed the earth, went to the shrine, offered more grain to the pigeons and thanked the Imam for not having let me down.” Their child is now a 17-year-old girl and every time she comes to Tehran, she first goes to make an offering of grain at the Imamzâdeh shrine. Only after does she pay visit to my informant, her great uncle. The latter explained to me, “These traditions have been given to us with love and faith [ešq o imân].” A bird symbolizes love and it bears a message.
47My informant shared with me yet another extraordinary event that simply in recounting it brought tears to his eyes. One day, a friend came to give him a painting his daughter made for him. Waiting to unwrap it later, he set the present aside. Later on, another friend, who called upon him every month, came to visit and told him he had had an extraordinary dream. In the dream, a cloud of pigeons covered the sky and when they left the image “Ali Vali Ollâh (Imam Ali) was drawn in the sky by their voices. His friend then departed still bewildered and wondering what this dream could possibly mean. My informant, also still wondering about the meaning of this dream, went to unwrap the painting only to discover the girl had painted the word “Ali” in a sky with a flock of pigeons in flight. He was chilled to the bone and to this day keeps the cherished painting in his bedroom.
48He used to offer some 400-500kilograms of wheat to pigeons every year. Scattering grain on the roof of his house, he would watch the pigeons in the sky. They would come in a flock early in the morning, and then at noon, and once again in the evening. Once he had dreamt of a huge fish that had come up to the terrace of his house, smiled at him, and then disappeared. He woke up suddenly, startled by his dream, only to hear the birds arriving. For him, anyone who has gone astray, or who has mistreated birds, will suffer later in life. On the other hand, those who love birds and are mindful of the future, lead contented lives; loving life, they are able to recognize its mysteries. Through the many stories he recounted, all of which involved extraordinary events putting him in touch with kind people, he attested to the important role birds play in revealing the extra-ordinary part of life. It is as if through birds humans learn to better conduct their own lives, providing a sense of rhyme to their days and bringing them together with others who share a common passion. Birds have also helped the rough-and-tumble guys of society to behave and to soften, as they lead a life in admiration of these beautiful creatures.
49There is an interesting account in Sharh-e zandegi-ye man (324 [1945]: 417-18) in which the author emphasizes the role of the pigeon as a letter bearer, a bird that is often kept by the youth [jâhel, luti or mašhdi] of the area. The story tells of the ta’zieh ceremony in which a 17-year-old boy, endowed with a beautiful voice, sings the part of Ali Akbar. In this dramatic piece, the boy writes a letter to his cousin before leaving to fight in the war. Attaching the letter to the pigeon’s ankle, the boy sings the words from his letter while caressing the bird. The young [dâš] of the area, wanting to show empathy for the boy and to intensify the dramatic mood of the scene, had each brought a pigeon under their coat to release the moment Ali Akbar’s pigeon took flight. But releasing so many pigeons at once amongst the crowd of on-lookers created chaos, leaving the birds disoriented and not knowing where to go. Seeing this, the mullah instructs the musicians to play louder, not knowing that the music would in fact attract [tur] the birds and encourage them to stay to listen. This all lasted a few minutes, making everyone laugh and completely forget about Ali Akbar’s romantic song.
50In addition to the stories of my informant and this work of fiction, Ja’far Shahri’s book entitled A Social History of 13th Century Tehran provides valuable information, particularly on the healing uses of pigeons that is in the final section. Here we will turn our interest to his examination of the social aspects of birds in Tehrani society. His perspective on caring for birds diverges greatly from those we have already discussed; Shahri denigrates those who keep pigeons, referring to them as uneducated scum that have nothing better to do than train their birds and steal those belonging to others. He goes so far as to brand them as criminals, as the amount of time they spend on rooftops is suspicious; from their perch they attain an intimate perspective on the family life and possessions of others, which could be useful in plotting a robbery or devising an illicit affair.
51Shahri attributes pigeon keepers with yet greater moral perversions and deficiencies. To illustrate how birds are used to teach children to be aggressive, he tells of a man who brings his son to a store that sells sparrows and pigeons and then asks the storekeeper to rip off a sparrow’s head so the child could see! (Shahri, 1369/1990, p.93, 101) He then writes of sparrow meat as being warm and good for cold people with constitutions, enhancing their libido! For him, one who loves pigeons is also an ešqbâz akin to a gambler or a homosexual!
52Nonetheless, Shahri offers an insightful and rather detailed description of pigeon keeper’s daily activities in ancient Tehran. Much of their time was spent on the roof of their house. In the morning they would ensure the birds had enough water and make the pigeons take flight. Pigeon keepers would also fill a basin with water for them to bathe in, made sure they copulated, checked them for any signs of disease, cared for newborn squabs and watched their first attempts to take flight. The morning, with its cool temperatures, would be good time to make them fly; even if they were to leave for a long time, they would have enough time to come back before it got too hot or before night fell. A young bird just learning to fly could easily stay out after dark, making them easy prey. So it was necessary to allow enough time for their flight. It would take some two hours to get the flock ready to take flight. Certain exercises [narmeš] needed to be performed beforehand and the keeper often had to collect the lazy birds that failed to take off with the flock or those that had flown to other roofs. This, according to Shahri, was but a pretext to peer into other people’s houses (Shahri 1369/1990: 107). Some claimed that even if there were jewels before them, they would not even see them. All they wanted was to find their errant pigeons, catch them and carry on with their day. The best roof for them was the highest, the lowest the worst. Shahri describes how, before noon, pigeon keepers would simply toss the pigeons that returned first back into their cages; when the last birds arrived they would be in better spirits and cuddle, caress and kiss them before putting them in their cage (Shahri 1369/1990: 108). It seems paradoxical that the late-arriving birds would receive the most attention after causing their keeper anxiety! In any case, after lunch the pigeon keepers would return to the roof to bathe and feed their birds again before sending them off for the afternoon. Consistency was paramount; whether fed in the morning, at noon or in the evening, the pigeons had to be fed the same amount at the same hour everyday. Other daily tasks included cleaning their cages, washing their water bowls and removing pebbles and dirt from their grain. At the end of the day, pigeon keepers would gather together to talk about their birds while admiring them in flight. This is how they spent their days.
53Betting days would be held in the summer. Pigeon keepers would gather together on a roof, after eating a hearty breakfast of kallepâče that had been prepared for them, to spend the entire day watching their birds fly through the sky. Keeping track of every pigeon, they noted the number of hours each bird spent in flight. At the end of the day, the pigeon keepers whose flock collectively logged the greatest sum of hours would be declared the winner. As well, the criteria of gracefulness and agility were taken into consideration; a soft landing and swiftness of flight were highly valued. The victor would then invite everyone to his roof to celebrate over dinner and drinks (Shahri, 1369/1990, p.110-11).
54Shahri also gives an account of rivalry among pigeon keepers. Out of vengeance or jealousy, without any consideration of the bird’s value, some would steal pigeons from other keepers. This act of antagonism could incite ruthless retaliation that might include stealing from the other’s flock, destroying their cages or even ripping off the heads of the rival’s pigeons. To illustrate this rivalry, Shahri relays the story of a certain Rahmân Xân, a wealthy man from the Sarčešmeh area “who was addicted [mobtalâ] to the love of pigeons.” One day, having spent a great sum betting and feasting with his friends, he became the object of envy of a certain Jewish man named Cohen, who stole his pigeons. Upon discovering that his pigeon cage was empty, Rahmân Xân lied down beside the cage and died (Shahri, 1369/1990, p.111-12). Keeping pigeons is, thus, much more than having the company of a pet or a simple hobby; it also shapes relationships within a group as both friendship and animosity are played out through the bird.
55A final example of animosity being played out through birds can be found in rooster fights. Should the owner see that his rooster is losing the match, he may rip its head off. Apparently, decapitation is the most brutal act committed against this exceptionally fragile animal: the bird, the beautiful, peaceful hope of liberation and flight.
Terminology
Expressions from Isfahân
56Tehrâni pigeon: good Tehrâni pigeon returns home after a long absence or after flying a great distance. Such pigeons are more expensive than birds from other cities, which can only fly for a few hours, because they can fly for 20 to 24 hours at a time. Tehrâni pigeons have multicolored feathers [maxlut], a white head and black tail or the inverse [naqshi].
57Yek Lâyee: The noise or “teq teq” made by the wings in flight.
58Do bahr: A pigeon whose wings make an even louder sound than yek layee.
59Isfahâni pigeon: A poorly esteemed and ugly-colored pigeon.
60Qelâq Meshki: A completely black pigeon.
61Gol panbeh: A white pigeon with a black head.
62Sefid Mehr: A completely white pigeon.
63Shux: A pigeon that makes lots of noise [baqbaqu] and turns pirouettes in the sky.
64kabutar čâhi: A turquoise pigeon.
65Kabutar borji: A gray pigeon.
66Sineh vâz: A white-breasted pigeon.
67Pei sâdeh: A pigeon with a few white feathers on its forehead.
68Sineh Zanjireyi: A pigeon with a white line along the length of its breast.
69Tir Safid: A pigeon with only one white feather on its wing.
70Kaĵdom: A pigeon that has two black feathers on one side of its tail.
71Merqâzdom: A pigeon with a white tail lined with black feathers on either side.
72Xerqeh: A pigeon whose head is the color of a dove and whose tail is white.
73Čeqer česm: A pigeon whose eyes are of two different colors.
74Târ sod: A lost pigeon.
75Pas âmad (Pas umadeh): A pigeon that returns home.
76Xâl sod: A pigeon that flies very high in the sky.
77Most takun: A pigeon that is sent to the roof to bring down pigeons that don’t belong to their flock.
78Bâx kerdeh or Bâxt kerdeh: A pigeon that has gone to another pigeon keeper’s house.
79Ker hamdigeh: Two female pigeons that keep their eggs in the same nest.
Expressions from Tehran
80Jire: A young pigeon that is beginning to make a “jir jir” noise.
81Mofleq: An adolescent pigeon.
82Jald: A pigeon that can find its way back home or to its cage.
83Naqš: A beautifully colored pigeon.
84Naqšbâz or ešqbâz: A person who likes to keep pigeons or who simply enjoys watching them fly.
85Kaftarbâz: A person who likes to keep pigeons.
86Kabutar-e towqi: A pigeon whose neck feathers resemble a “tie” of a different color.
87Kabutar-e šâzdeh: A pigeon with feathers of a different color along its back and around its neck, in the form of a “tie”.
88Pošt qermez/Pošt siâh/pošt sabz or pošt zard: A pigeon whose feathers on its back are respectively red, black, green or yellow.
89Zâq: A black pigeon.
90Qârâ: A brown or black pigeon.
91Sorur: A multicolored pigeon.
92Kabutar feri: A pigeon with upturned feathers.
93Kabutar dom č atri: A pigeon with upturned tail feathers.
94Kerâvateh: A pigeon with feathers protruding from its breast.
95Xusu: A pigeon that returns.
96Mo’alaq: A pigeon that turns pirouettes in the sky.
97Qad zadan: To learn to play.
98Kabutar qei č i: A pigeon that is learning.
99Dom zard/dom sabz: A pigeon whose tail feathers are respectively yellow or green.
100Kalleh berenji: A pigeon with dots on its head.
101Gerow bandi: To bet on pigeons.
102Korkori xândan: To whisper coaxing words to a pigeon, enticing it to perform well on a betting day.
103Kabki kardan: To pluck a pigeon’s long, pointed feathers [harumi] in anticipation of a competition. Not only are these plucked feathers entered into the contest, but also, if done long enough in advance, new feathers will grow in time for the competition.
104Harumi: The long, pointed feathers of a pigeon.
105Baqbaqu kardan: The voice of a pigeon expressing affection and “kissing” beak to beak.
106Words Jafar Šahri refers to without mentioning their meanings:
107Sefid/zâq/siâh/sabz/homa/poštdâr/xâlkamar/xâlsabz/pis/šâzde/yekkati/lak tuš/suski/čelčeleyi/qâzi/gorgi/sineh dom siâh/sineh dom qahveyi/kaleh dom sabz/kalleh berenji/qermez/zard/čâhi/badrang.
108Special terms for canaries:
109Rizârd: A small canary.
110Kešdeh boland: A tall canary.
111Rize Xâni: A canary that is just starting to sing.
Healing Uses of Pigeons
112Fresh or re-constituted sparrow and pigeon excrement removes the pigmentation caused by the nevus of Ito and Ota [mah gereftegi] and also removes warts.
113The feathers collected from around anus of pigeons are good for earaches.
114Re-constituted pigeon excrement mixed with honey and ground cottonseed is good for getting rid of abscess and boils. Also, soaked pigeon excrement, cooked with barley flour, honey and vinegar is good for abscesses and vitiligo [lakopis].
115Rubbing pigeon excrement mixed with watercress juice and mustard heals gout and alleviates joint pain. This ointment can be applied to any painful spot such as the temples and toes.
116Excrement of pigeons mixed with vinegar is good for ordinary boils.
117For insatiable thirst, powdered excrement with mint-infused vinegar is good. The addition of cinnamon to this elixir prevents kidney stones.
118Rubbing burned excrement on the head and around the nose stops nosebleeds very quickly.
119Pigeon egg mixed with honey helps children learn to speak.
120Sufferers of urinary retention can treat themselves with a warm sitz bath made with pigeon excrement.
121Raw pigeon egg is good for dry coughs.
122Rubbing raw pigeon egg on the face gives luster to the skin.
123Eating half-boiled pigeon eggs helps with weight gain and enhances the libido.
124Living in a home where pigeons are kept on the roof or in the house cures small pox.
125Pigeon meat is hot, makes the blood become thick and dry and causes headaches (Shahri, p.103).
Bibliographie
Des DOI sont automatiquement ajoutés aux références bibliographiques par Bilbo, l’outil d’annotation bibliographique d’OpenEdition. Ces références bibliographiques peuvent être téléchargées dans les formats APA, Chicago et MLA.
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Bibliography
Afsari, T., 1388/2009, Colored Sleeves (Astinhâ-ye rangui), Nashr-e Ney, Tehran.
Amuzgar, J., 1374/1995, Mythological History of Iran (Tarix-e asâtiri-e Irân), Tehran, Samt.
Attar-e Neyshaburi, 1389/2010, Manteq ol-Teyr, introduction, correction, annotation by M. R. Shifi’yi-Kadkani, Tehran, Soxân Publisher (7th edition).
Attar-e Neyshaburi, Lesân ol-Qeib with introduction and corrections by A. Khoshnevis, Tehran, Mahmudi Publications.
Behruzi, S., 1372/1993, Cehrehâ-ye musiqi-e Iran, Tehran, Ketâb-sarâ.
The Jerusalem Bible, London, Darton, Longman & Todd, 1966.
Birds of Iran 1362/1983, Tehran, Iranian Department of Environment, second edition (first edition 1354).
10.4324/9781003086895 :Bull, M. and Back, L., 2003, The Auditory Culture reader, Oxford, New York, Berg, Sensory Formations Series.
Mansouri, M., 1389/2010, Two tastes of imprisonment, Tehran, Nashr-e Chesmeh.
Manzarpour, A., 1386/2007, In the Street and Alleys (Dar xiyâbân kuche), Tehran, Vezarat-e Farhang va Ershâd-e eslâmi (3rd edition).
Marzolph, U., 1992, Typologie des Persischen Volksmarchens, Ins Persische Ubersetzt von K. Jahandaari, Tehran, Soroush Press.
Mostowfi, A., 1324/1945, Shahr-e Zendegâni-e Man, Tehran, Elmi.
Pedram, R. Z., 1390/2011, Death Game (Bâzi-ye marg), Tehran, Nashr-e Chesmeh.
Sepehri, S., 1378/1999, Eight Books (Hasht Ketâb), Tehran, Tâhuri, p.20-22, 69-71, 110-117, 429-432.
Shahri, J., 1369/1990, A Social History of Tehran of 13th Century (Tarix-e ejtema’i-e Tehrân-e qarn-e sizdahom), vol.4, Tehran, Mo’asese-ye xedâmât-e farhangie Rasa.
Shirazi, R. (n.d.), Stories of Iranian Literature (Dâstânhâ-ye az Adabiyât-e Fârsi), Tehran, Nashre Danesh Amuz.
Shahshahani, S., 2013 (Spring), “Sound of Music in Tehran 2005”, Anthropology of the Middle East, Volume8, Number 1, p.24-39.
Shahshahani, S., 2012 (November), “Coming of Age in Tehran 2012, Short Stories written by Writers Born after 1979”, presented at International Union of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences (IUAES), KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, India.
Taflisi, S. A. H. I., 1377/1998, Complete Dream Interpretation (Tafsir-e Xâb), translated by Musavi-Garmarudi S. A. Tehran, Salmân Fârsi Publishing House.
Yarshater, E., 1958, Stories of Ancient Iran (Dâstânhâ-ye Irân-e Bâstân), Tehran, Bongah-e tarjomeh va Nashr-e ketâb.
Notes de bas de page
Auteur
Professeur d’anthropologie. Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
Le texte seul est utilisable sous licence Licence OpenEdition Books. Les autres éléments (illustrations, fichiers annexes importés) sont « Tous droits réservés », sauf mention contraire.
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