December 14, 2017 | Shahrvand
On Saturday, June 25 and Sunday, June 26, 2005, a ceremony was held at the University of Toronto to honor Reza Baraheni, poet, writer, literary theorist, university professor, and human rights activist.
The year 2005 marked the 70th anniversary of Dr. Baraheni's birth, and this event served as an early birthday celebration, organized by the Shahrvand newspaper in collaboration with the Sepas committee.
During the ceremony, a film by Oktay Baraheni, Dr. Baraheni's son, was shown, featuring prominent figures such as Javad Mojabi, Seyed Ali Salehi, Simin Behbahani, Ali Ashraf Darvishian, Manoochehr Badi’i, Mashit Alayi, Amir Hossein Chahaltan, Asadollah Amraei, Farrokhandeh Haji Zadeh, Hushyar Ansari Far, Roya Tafti, Shams Aghajani, Peyman Soltani, Pouran Farrokhzad, and Gholamhossein Salemi. They spoke about various aspects of Dr. Baraheni's work and his impact on literature, literary criticism, and his struggle for freedom of expression. Footage of Baraheni's story and poetry workshops in Iran was also shown, including readings by the late Mohammad Mokhtari and Ghazaleh Alizadeh.
The seminar featured various panels, with speakers such as Nasrin Almasi, Niaz Salimi, Sahar Zarei, Samsam Kashfi, Hassan Zarei, Sasan Ghahreman, Asad Mehdavi, Mehdi Touraj, Dana Rabati, Reza Seyed Hosseini, Javad Mojabi, Amir Hossein Pour, Bahram Bahrami, Saghay Ghahreman, Ali Qara Jalu, Monir Parvez (from the literary and cultural community of Pakistan), Saboorullah Siasang (from the literary and cultural community of Afghanistan), and Sanaz Sahati.
On the evening of June 26, at a dinner held at the Sheraton Hotel, John Ralston Saul, the spouse of the Governor General of Canada (who chaired the honorary Sepas committee), Haroon Siddiqui, president of PEN Canada, David Cohen, city councilor, and Dr. Reza Meridi (Chair of the Sepas executive committee) were present to acknowledge Dr. Baraheni's fifty years of service to Iranian culture and literature.
During the ceremony, messages from various cultural, literary, and political figures were read, including those from Dalton McGuinty (Premier of Ontario), John Ralston Saul (philosopher, writer, and honorary president of PEN Canada), Jerry Liber (first chair of the Human Rights Guardian), James Bartleman (Governor of Ontario), and William Bell (Mayor of Richmond Hill).
Messages were also sent by various former presidents of PEN, including Eugene Benson, June Callwood (writer and human rights and anti-war activist, former president of PEN Canada), Ellen Kamen (novelist and chair of PEN Canada's Writers in Prison Committee), Nino Ricci (Canadian writer and former president of PEN Canada), Camilla Gibb (Vice President of PEN Canada), Catherine Gauvey, and Ron Graham.
Other messages came from Helen Cixous (writer, critic, and women's rights advocate), Noam Chomsky (linguist, intellectual, and prominent social and political thinker), Karin Clark (writer, Germany), Eugene Shulgin (novelist, Sweden-Norway), Mahmoud Dolatabadi (writer), Mehdi Flahati (writer, poet, and television program host), Mohammad Ali Farzaneh (writer and researcher), Ziaoddin Sadr-ol-Ashrafi (writer, historian, and researcher), Behrooz Sheida (writer, researcher, and literary critic), Dr. Nasser Zarafshan (writer and political-social activist), Fereydoun Andach (critic, editor at Dunia Publishing, Istanbul), Aydin Chobokchu (writer, editor of Orensel Kultur literary magazine, Ankara), Mozaffar Elhan Ardoost (writer, editor, Soul Publishing, Ankara), Ahmad Yildiz (writer, editor of Literary and Critical Magazine, Ankara), the Azerbaijan Language and Culture Foundation of Iran-Canada, the Board of Trustees of the International Azerbaijani Institute, and PEN Turkey.
Selected Messages for the Tribute to Dr. Reza Baraheni in 2005 – Toronto
Eugene Benson
Writer and former President of PEN Canada
I send my greetings to Reza Baraheni for his brilliant achievements as a writer and literary theorist, especially for the countless sacrifices he has made in pursuit of democratic freedoms in his home country, Iran. I hope that he and his dreams and goals continue to live on in his new country, Canada.
Helen Cixous
Writer, Critic, and Women's Rights Activist
Discovering a work, during a lifetime of reading, is a rare event, as rare as the resurrection of a dead lover from the grave. Such an event happens once every five or ten years, with such force that on that day, a person can truly grasp the reality of literature. This happened to me a few years ago when I read The Inferno of Mr. Ayaz by Reza Baraheni. For me, it was a revelation. What a blessing it is to suddenly learn that another planet exists, another world.
I remember that reading had almost become unbearable for me because works that overflow from the depths are unbearable for my imagination. These works are disturbing because they circle around evil, badness, and the secret of evil. Therefore, my friend Reza was not deceived: he had entered a hell directly from the beginning. A hell that is the cradle of creations. I say a hell because everyone has their own hell. Baraheni's hell is like a magnificent and ornate palace. It contains archives from Iranian, Turkish, and Western worlds. It holds encyclopedic knowledge and memories. It is both original and modern. I should say hells, beautiful hells. Because Reza’s world pulls hell from everywhere. It sings the song of prisons or exposes crimes in the family.
Reza had to go into exile. This was the will of literature, because he is a very capable citizen of literature.
Reza, a great poet and at the same time a teacher of imagination and witness, a man of action and literature, belongs to the global tradition of alchemists of words and creators of new freedoms.
Noam Chomsky
Linguist, Intellectual, and MIT Professor
I was very pleased to hear about the tribute to Reza Baraheni. It is a great honor for me to have known Reza for the past thirty years, since he became a prominent figure in the fight against the violence and oppression of the Shah’s regime. In the years that followed, he continued his courageous work defending human rights and freedom, not only in Iran but in many other places. Throughout all these years, it has always been an honor for me to join him whenever possible and learn from his remarkable activities and examples. I am truly delighted to join you in expressing my deep appreciation for what he has done so far, and with the hope that he will continue to do so in the years ahead.
Fereydoun Andach
Critic, Editor of Dunya Publishing, Istanbul
I am very happy that we published Reza Baraheni’s poetry book To the Butterflies. This is the first poetry book published in the poet's mother tongue. Reza Baraheni, who is of Azerbaijani descent from Iran, is among the greatest Persian-language writers. His relationship with language has led to the emergence of a poet who understands language better and values the language he uses. Because, in human life and literary life, language, despite transforming and distorting reality in its symbolic world, is the only force close to reality. Baraheni’s poetry is a testament to this. I send my greetings to this great poet and theorist in this foggy path of literature.
Karen Clark
Writer, Germany
Dear Reza,
It is with great joy and honor that I count myself among the countless friends, both near and far, who celebrate you and your outstanding literary, academic, and personal achievements. While working with you at the PEN International Congresses, it soon became clear that we both think about similar problems and use similar approaches to confront and address them.
Though I do not speak Persian, I spent many months late at night, wrestling with the French text of Azadeh Khanum—a book you kindly sent me. I was captivated by the courage, perseverance, and creative passion of Azadeh Khanum, enchanted by her understanding, which seems to gather all the different aspects of this world into one place, protecting the treasures of the past and present, and guarding this heritage for tomorrow. And she never bows to the challenges that concern all of us. The powerful imagination and knowledge you present to us in this time will accompany me for a long time.
Aydin Çobukçu
Writer, Editor of Oransel Kultur Literary Magazine, Ankara
Reza Baraheni is a great synthesis of Western and Eastern literature. The numerous works he has left in the fields of criticism and poetry embody both languages. One language that draws us to the West and another that connects us with the East. Reza Baraheni thus represents the fragmentation from Shams to Joyce, the revolutionary spirit of language.
Greetings to the great laborer of language! Greetings to the great poet!
Mahmoud Dowlatabadi
Writer
Baraheni is a man of words.
When I remember Dr. Baraheni, a distinct image of him appears in my mind that expresses exactly what I just said: a man of words, a man in words, and with words. But the visual expression of Dr. Reza Baraheni that I see is of a man standing under the rain of words, in the gust of wind that blows diagonally, sticking words to his face, eyes, neck, and whole body, until he is soaked in words and continues walking in the streets, sidewalks, and alleys until he reaches home and sits down on a chair, behind a writing desk, and chains those words onto the endless white pages of paper, paper, paper... Yes... he must rid himself of the burden of words, so he must expel them from himself. Yes... the man I know, whom I have known since my youth, is possessed by words and has spent his whole life trying to rid himself of the burden of words, but he cannot. Because the words rain upon him, the words flow around him, and in the exile of a thousand miles, just imagine how those Persian words must twist and turn before they reach him! Those words must travel a long distance before reaching Baraheni, so they travel with the wind to find him in that land of storms and rain upon him. Thus, that man in exile cannot find refuge from the journey of the pouring drops. His words search for him, find him, and cling to every inch of his body, even when he speaks another language in the classroom. The immigrant words never leave him.
Now, you, the admirers of Dr. Reza Baraheni, in this beautiful and proper hall, can see a man standing before you who is no different from each of you. But I, Mahmoud, see him as a man who has taken refuge in this hall from the rain of words and is now covered from head to toe in written words, and Baraheni wants to share some of that madness of writing with you as a gift.
In any case... I miss him dearly, and I send these words to the wind to carry them to Baraheni—Reza Baraheni!
Mehdi Falahati
Writer, Poet, and TV Program Producer
It is beautiful and uplifting, in this darkness of exile, which resembles the infernal days of Ayaz, to see the sun of honoring greatness in the world of poetry, storytelling, and criticism. A greatness that, single-handedly, has expanded the mental space of several generations in the understanding of contemporary Persian poetry and its prominent poets.
Honoring Bahrami is honoring modernity and civilization. It is honoring contemporary vision and thinking of tomorrow. It is honoring the essence of being global.
Catherine Gouvier
Novelist and Former President of the Writers' Union of Canada
Dr. Reza Barahani’s legacy of research and creativity is well-known in his homeland, Iran. Perhaps what is lesser known is his contribution to Canada, the country to which he immigrated. His service to the Writers' Union of Canada greatly excites me. This service began when I was the President of the Writers' Union and continued during his presidency, and beyond. He has constantly exposed the suppression of free speech in Iran, the harassment and prosecution of writers and journalists, and has elevated global resistance to such actions. I have witnessed his poetry readings for excited audiences in Toronto. As a teacher, he has also expanded our horizons. I have asked myself how many of us could endure such displacement throughout our lives and still continue to fully participate in life in another country? I take this opportunity to express my deep respect for Reza and the voice that refuses to be silenced. Bravo!
Ron Graham
Writer and Former President of the Writers' Union of Canada
Reza Barahani has often stated that he owes the Writers' Union of Canada for helping him and his family start a new life in Canada, a life free of persecution, torture, and the threat of death. But he has repaid this debt many times over through his services as a writer, professor, thinker, a warm friend, a brilliant source of inspiration, and a tireless fighter for human rights in Iran and other parts of the world. The Writers' Union of Canada had the honor of assisting him in this journey, but all the achievements, strength, and success are his own. Bravo to Reza!
Mohammad Ali Farzaneh
Writer and Researcher
Esteemed writer and scholar, Dr. Reza Barahani,
With the best regards and greetings, I congratulate you on entering the glorious and honorable 70th year of your life and wish you a long life in the realm of thought and writing. I wish you continued health and the strength to carry on the great work you have so successfully done, and will continue to do.
This wish is not only from me but, I believe, from the heart of any compatriot who loves and respects you. During those difficult and turbulent years, you freed your unyielding pen and creative power from all the constraints and hardships, directing them in defense of the natural and human rights of the oppressed and marginalized. You will especially shine in the trench of defending the social, cultural, national, and civil rights of those from whom you arose. Thanks to this perseverance and steadfastness, you will always be at the forefront of the people’s triumph. May you endure!
Nino Ricci
Canadian Novelist and Former President of the Writers' Union of Canada
I join my voice with others from around the world and extend my best wishes and greetings to Reza Barahani on this occasion. I had the honor of meeting Reza shortly after his arrival in Canada, and through this acquaintance, I had the opportunity to witness not only his vast knowledge and talents, but also the depth of his humanity. Reza is an example for us, showing how to continue one’s hard work despite immense obstacles and how to remain steadfast and loyal to one’s beliefs.
Being an exiled writer is difficult for someone like Reza. Being severed from one's native language, from one’s natural audience, and facing the constant challenge of finding a meaningful new voice.
Since his arrival in this country (Canada), he has never ceased to confront this challenge, through writing, teaching, and leading organizations like the Writers' Union of Canada.
We are very glad that he is among us, and I highly commend the work of the Cultural Center for Gratitude for recognizing Reza’s great contributions and honoring him through these special sessions.
Ziaoddin Sadralashrafi
Writer, Historian, and Researcher
Honoring writers, artists, scientists, and cultural and political servants during their lifetime is a clear sign of cultural progress and, at the same time, a gradual abandonment of the deplorable and chronic trait of "cult of the dead."
Dr. Reza Barahani, with his broad insight and knowledge, is a novelist of unique style, a groundbreaking poet, a dynamic art critic, and undoubtedly one of the greatest contemporary literary critics of Iran. With his mastery of "several arts," he is truly considered one of the great figures of Iran and Azerbaijan.
In all of his works, the freedom of expression (for women, oppressed languages, and marginalized groups) is present alongside respect for culture: from his famous article "The Dominant Culture and the Oppressed Culture" to his timeless book "Masculine History," from the anti-despotism book "Zol Allah" to "Gold in Brass" and "The Secrets of My Land," and other countless works of this diligent scholar, writer, and unwavering poet, all tell of a humanitarian character with a spirit of freedom, a fighter against oppression, a seeker of justice, and a wise and far-sighted thinker.
His Azerbaijani-speaking compatriots expect and hope that "alongside his social duty of defending oppressed cultures and languages in Iran, he will also create poetry, novels, and works in Azerbaijani Turkish and immortalize his name in that field as well."
It should be noted that composing in three languages (Arabic, Persian, and Azerbaijani Turkish) is an ancient tradition that has persisted from Nesimi and Fuzuli to Lali and Nabati, and even to Shahriyar. It is hoped that, alongside his Persian and English writings, he will also offer a contribution to the Azerbaijani Turkish literary tradition. May he live long and remain healthy, which is the wish of all culture-loving Iranians.
Eugene Scholgin
Swedish-Norwegian Novelist, Former President of the Political Prisoners Committee of PEN International, Member of PEN International’s Board of Directors
Dear Reza,
We met in the mustard-colored lights of the alleys of "Sandviken Bry." Wet, heavy snow was falling. The Swedes say, “See Sandviken Bry, then lie down and die!” Naples seemed really far away.
You didn’t look like a refugee, someone who, in a foreign country, at the most awkward time of the year, would be lost and confused. You smiled and nodded, polite and a bit distant. And then, Azar Mahloojian, your former student, hugged us both, and we were in that apartment – a six-by-four Babal – for about four hours together, with hot and amazing food. And you spoke. We spoke. And memories, many memories – bad memories – dangerous journeys – Evin prison – firing squads – crossing borders, strangers one must be suspicious of or trust (and how important that was!), and family and friends we worried about – and still, the main issue remained, literature, our novels, and our expansive imaginations. A rich history and a storytelling tradition from which you drew your epic visions.
I watched you, listened to you. A man who had come to conquer the world, a man who conquered with language, a man who conquered with imagination, a man every country should be proud of. And despite all this, you were vulnerable. Why? Because you had just entered another life, and you had to learn the keys to its codes. You had to see other people, trust them, and accept a different way of life. In your own country, you knew what to expect, the dangers you could take and the dangers you should avoid. You knew the consequences of things you said and didn’t say – more or less you knew – but here, in this northern winter darkness, so much was still unclear for you. I’m sure you felt all of this strongly.
It is often said that the situation of a writer is the worst of all those who are forced into exile. This is not true. It’s a dangerous misunderstanding. Because falling into the trap of being a stranger for life is very easy, feeling misunderstood by people, being rejected by the intellectual community, transforming from someone whom everyone listens to into someone people quickly tire of listening to. And then, the exiled writer becomes the manager of his own character, instead of being himself, his true self. In fact, the writer, in some ways, is the government of his own country. We, in our situation, hold sovereignty, as long as we write and live in the "caves of writing," with our imagination and thoughts flowing through the writing process – but staying in those “caves of writing” requires a strong will, not allowing those who want to turn you into something else – a professional oppositionist, a politician, a refugee who spends all his time arranging his daily life, or someone who participates in the endless conspiracies of isolated groups of his fellow countrymen.
But isn’t this the simultaneous curse of writing anywhere you are? The fragmentation of imagination? And as we all know well: the problem is not the act of writing, but the problem lies in placing oneself in a situation where one can write.
We meet Reza every year through the PEN organization. Again, I hope we will be together in "Bled" in Slovenia. We are a strange family of literary people, connected from all over the world by the will to expand our social space. With the belief that the things that connect us are greater than those that separate us. PEN is a collection of personalities, fixed opinions, experiences, and strange pronunciations of English, and you’ve earned your distinguished position in this family with the same confidence you overcame your exile after those shaky moments under the snowflakes as you entered the frozen Scandinavian climate.
I know that within you, the longing is as burning as it is for all the men and women who miss their streets and alleys, their smells, sounds, and colors. But this longing needs to be consumed, to be turned into poetry and prose. The terror of distance is like a grain of sand in an oyster.
I say this because, Reza, I know you well. You are one of those writers for whom nothing can stop creativity, nothing can stop expression, and nothing can stop your serious play – like the serious games children play – and this game of life reflects that. We wait for the next book – and the next – and the next...
Reza, goodbye, hoping that we will have more sessions together, and tell each other more stories.
Behruz Sheida
Writer, Researcher, and Literary Critic
We Do Not Cross Out Suffering
Reza Barahani once wrote in his poem "The Last Step":
"Do not place me among the lilies and narcissus to die / Do not leave me in the waters of the world / Do not send me to the galaxies / First, pass me through the twisted angle of that gaze / ... Place me on the last step / Turn back / Go down / Take the fruit, the flowers, and the dates, they do not belong here / Take me up to the other side / Place me on the last step / ... Lift me to the back of the soul of the desert / Go." The last step is written for the fathers of the asylum. However, the last step is not always the stone bed of death; sometimes, it is the final station of existence—perhaps the destination of all of Reza Barahani’s writings.
The texts of Reza Barahani have run toward the last step. They have flowed over the waters, soared across the galaxies, and danced in the angled gaze of the twisted soul of the desert. The texts of Reza Barahani, moving over the waters, have immersed in horizontal movement; soaring over the galaxies, they have leaped in vertical movement; and in the dance of that angled, twisted gaze, they have scattered in a thousand directions, spreading across the soul of the desert.
The texts of Reza Barahani once moved horizontally in search of the ultimate goal of history, tearing apart the myths of evil with the teeth of a strange foreign wolf, longing for an ideal land, and hastening toward the rising sun. The texts of Reza Barahani, in vertical movement, have sung a song in the ear of the moon, shaken with the sound of the daf drum, kissed the youth's scarlet, and circled with the old children. The texts of Reza Barahani, in their dispersion in a thousand directions, have sought refuge in the security of their homeland, reached for the warmth of the mother's womb, healed the poet's imagination, and crawled toward absence, meaninglessness, language, femininity, and madness.
However, the texts of Reza Barahani have not sought anything but rebellion in any of these movements. The movement over the waters is a rebellion against the tyranny of earthly power. The movement across the galaxies is a rebellion against the tyranny of death. The dispersion in a thousand directions is a rebellion against the dominance of authoritative voices. If we cross out the word "rebellion," we are getting closer to the text of Reza Barahani's rebellion.
The texts of Reza Barahani are rebellious. The rebellious texts are solitary. The rebellious texts aim to convince us, with the weapon of wisdom, to shoot with the madness of folly. The rebellious texts are a passage through suffering. We do not cross out the word "suffering."
In the sanctity of the text of Reza Barahani’s sufferings, the poet, novelist, theorist, and wise teacher, I rise from my place.
Reza Seyed Hosseini
... It is better to first mention Barahani as a critic, because one can say that his fame in his youth began primarily with his sharp and shocking critiques. Interestingly, these critiques targeted modern Persian poetry, which had only recently emerged victorious from its battle with classical poetry, and usually, no one expected an attack on the main figures of this new poetry. However, Barahani stunned some and upset many by labeling the greatest figures of modern poetry as the "Square of Death."
... Barahani has continuously theorized in poetry, and naturally, like the French surrealists, since he was the first to introduce the initial examples, he himself became the first victim of his new theory. Of course, this is not a universal rule, and most of the poetry he has written will remain in the history of contemporary Persian poetry. Although even his enduring poems have their critics among our intellectuals... In any case, Dr. Barahani's ability to write often draws the younger generation toward his new theories. This younger generation is actively engaging in creating new works and continuing his fresh experiences. Perhaps in the future, from this yet unresolved linguistic approach, immortal masterpieces will arise. When he talks about the classes he held to teach literature to young people, he ends the related statement with: "My connection with the younger generation, which first started at the homes of this or that friend and then moved to regular sessions at friends' homes and finally to the basement of my own apartment, forced me to reconsider all literary issues. The result of those insights, which encompass the major literary-philosophical issues of the last one hundred and fifty years... is recorded in more than eight hundred tapes. They directed me and a small group of my young friends toward a different path. And now, 'I am not the only one, I have made the Kaaba of my heart into an idol temple / In every step, there is a monastery and a chapel.'"
A great novelist is one whose creative power results in works so impactful that theorists, relying on and analyzing them, offer new theories. In my opinion, Dr. Barahani is one of these novelists. Every small event that may not even catch the attention of ordinary people becomes a subject for his creativity, and the issues of the time never escape his notice. Since he has been personally involved in these matters, it can be said that all of his works are drawn from his own life, and they all have an autobiographical or biographical aspect.
PEN Turkey Association
Reza Barahani: A Writer, Intellectual, and Thinker
Reza Barahani is one of the important intellectuals, writers, and thinkers of our time. As the PEN Turkey Association, we would like to express our pleasure regarding the seminar held to honor this important personality. Last year, we had the honor of hosting him at the PEN Center in Istanbul. During the ten-day Iran-Turkey literary symposium, Barahani enriched us with his thoughts, views, and suggestions, illuminating our minds.
As long as there are people like Reza Barahani and writers such as him, hope for humanity on this Earth will remain alive. From this perspective, the holding of this symposium is extremely significant. We extend our greetings and thanks to Reza Barahani and all those involved in this seminar.
Dr. Nasser Zarafshan
Writer and Political-Social Activist
Dear friends!
We are pleased to hear that you have gathered to appreciate Dr. Reza Barahani and the fruits of his decades of creativity and effort. Dr. Reza Barahani once said, "Gaining an international position is not easy for someone who comes from a land ruled by a repressive regime." This is a thought-provoking statement, and it holds special meaning for the Iranians present at this gathering. On the other hand, in Iran, a group of individuals who stand with the stick of power compensate for their own weakness and lack of creativity by aligning themselves with the powerful and riding the waves of media propaganda, which is monopolized by such powers.
Barahani, as a writer and intellectual who has never sacrificed the concerns of the people and their future for relationships with the dominant powers, has earned a special place for himself through his own abilities. My fellow inmates and I at Evin Prison, along with you, honor Dr. Reza Barahani's creativity and efforts in the service of noble human ideals, and we wish him continued success.
Evin Prison,
Khordad 1384 (June 2005)
Javad Mojabi
Writer and Critic
Dr. Barahani is a cultural intellectual who critically examines the status of culture and art in his era, hoping to identify and dismantle old structures, guiding the way toward a new architecture of literary creativity. However, in our country, the cultural intellectual's duties are not limited to specialized efforts in culture. The intertwined network of culture and politics in countries like Iran operates in a way that neither intellectuals nor the public recognizes the artist independently of politics and social influence. From him, they demand everything: good poetry and stories, illuminating articles, expertise on societal issues and their solutions, social activism as a party member, and the endurance of its consequences such as imprisonment and exile. Finally, as Nima said, they expect him to attain a status akin to martyrdom. How could this be achieved unless by a miracle, and Barahani is one of those miracle workers, just as Shamloo and Saadi were. There are few who possess such courage. Whether we place the mirror in front of one of Barahani's books or face to face with his life, it makes no difference. Barahani has been able to write as he lives, and as he has wished in the realm of writing, to move his personal and social life within the historical activities of his people.
Link to the original text in Farsi: https://shahrvand.com/archives/90883