Report about a field journey to Sistan and Balochistan, Iran

February 22 to March 2, 2005

By:

Carina Jahani, Carina.jahani@lingfil.uu.se

Professor, Iranian languages, Uppsala University,

Dept. of linguistics and philology

To:

The University of Sistan and Balochistan, Zahedan

The Higher Education Centre of the University of Sistan and                        Balochistan, Iranshahr

Old and new friends in Balochistan

Let us acknowledge the Lord:

let us press on to acknowledge him.

As surely as the sun rises, he will appear:

he will come to us like the winter rains

like the spring rains that water the earth.

(Words of the prophet Hosea

chapter 6, verse 3)

During the journey I was all the time accompanied by my dear husband, Roubik Jahani. I want to take this opportunity to thank you, not only for accompanying me this time, but also for always standing beside me, for your patience with me, and first and foremost for your sincere dedication to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

The one thing that was overwhelming to us was the joy over rain. Sistan and Balochistan had not got any substantial amount of rain for seven years, as I was told and even the school children were astonished when “water was falling from the sky” since they were not familiar with the natural phenomenon of “rain”.

The purpose of the journey was:

to deliver lectures at the University of Sistan and Balochistan (in Zahedan and Iranshahr) and at a Balochi cultural centre in Chabahar

to sign a trilateral agreement of scientific cooperation between the University of Sistan and Balochistan, the Department of Linguistics and Philology, Uppsala University, and the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL)

to meet academics and others who work on Iranian langugages in general and on Balochi in particular

to be able to visit different places in Sistan and Balochistan and get more acquainted with the province, its geographic conditions and different varieties of Balochi spoken in the province

Acknowledgements:

To the University of Sistan va Baluchistan at Zahedan for providing accommodation facilities at the University's Guest House in Zahedan and for organising two lectures at the university. Particular thanks go to the Chancellor of the University, Prof. Ahmad Akbari, the Director of the Office of international and scientific cooperation, Mr Yahya Keikhaee, Dr. Abbas Ali Ahangar,  Dr. Pakzad Yousefian, Dr. Azim Shahbahksh  and as well as other scholars at the University who took care of us and showed us the Universities facilities.

To the Higher Education Centre of the University of Sistan and Balochistan, Iranshahr, particularly to Dr. Moosa Mahmoudzahi who, in fact, initiated the visit through a formal invitation via mail (in November) to lecture in Zahedan, Iranshahr and Chabahar. Many thanks also to his wife, Mahin Borhanzehi, and his father-in-law, Mr. Borhanzehi, for their hospitality.

To Mr. Abdolhossein Yadegari, Khash, who accompanied us all the way from Zahdan to Chabahar and showed us hospitality in his home in Khash.

To Mr. Morad Raisi and his family who showed us hospitality in his home in Nekshahr.

To Mr. Karim Bashande and his family and Mr. Mohammad Farough Hout and his family, who showed us hospitality in Chabahar.

To Mrs. Shahin Borhanzahi, who introduced me to a number of culturally active Baloch in Tehran and to the activities of Miras-e Farhangi.

To all others who helped us in different ways and showed us hospitality.

We are overwhelmed by your warmth and sincerity. We would like to thank all of you from the bottom of our heart.

Events day by day:

On February 22 we arrived at Zahedan Airport where Mr. Yadegari, Dr. Yousefian and Dr. Ahangar met us. After an evening meal at the Guest house we had an early rest to prepare for the days ahead.

On February 23 we first of all visited two classes, one anthropology class taught by Dr. Yousefian and one linguistics class taught by Dr. Ahangar. I had the opportunity to present some of my research and the students were given time to ask questions about linguistic and general issues. Thereafter we went to the International office to discuss details in the Agreement of Cooperation.  Afterwards we were given a guided tour of the university with its different departments, the library, the sports facilities and the whole campus. We were truly impressed by e.g. the computer facilities available to the students. In the afternoon we drove around a little in Zahedan, went to the Kambuzia library, saw the Masjed-e Makki and visited two bookshops close by the mosque and bought a few books. In the evening I gave a lecture in English about the Balochi language and its contact with other languages.

On February 24: We had an early start (6.15) and went with Dr. Ahangar and Dr. Yousefian on a trip to the Sistani part of the province. First we visited Shahr-e suxte, and on the way up to Zabol we then passed by Lutak, the settlement where Dr. Ahangar had gone to school. He also pointed out to us the settlement of Se-Kuhe where he grew up, From there we went to Kuh-e Khaje and went up to the fort from Parthian times. It was really interesting. During the whole trip, and particularly as we approached the dry Hamun basin, Dr. Ahangar told about his memories when there was plenty of water in the Hamun Lake. Afterwards we went to Zabol where we went around in the bazaar. From there we went to the water reservoire of Chah-nime and to the border of Afghanistan. On the way back we had lunch in Zabol. Well back in Zahedan we had a rest and in the evening the event of signing the agreement of cooperation took place at the University in the presence of Professor Akbari. Mr. Keikhaee and Carina Jahani signed, and the signature from SIL was left for later. After the signing of the agreement we went to the very nice restaurant Braasaan for an evening meal.

On February 25: In the morning the Baloch Students’ Organisation came to the guest house for an interview for the magazine Istun, and after that we were invited to Dr. Azim Shahbakhsh and his family. We also met Mr. Ganjei, originating from Talesh, and discussed possibilities of a journey to Talesh speaking areas of Gilan in the future. Furthermore, we visited Mr. Seyedzadeh and his family, an old friend of professor Abdullah Jan Jamaldini in Quetta. We also visited Mr. Jahandideh, who talked with great enthusiasm and energy both about Balochi literature and about historical events. He also showed us some very old letters and other interesting documents. Afterwards we went to the Baloch Handicraft Organisation and met Mr. Abdolsalam Bozorgzadeh, who introduced us to Balochi handicraft, in Iran particularly pottery from Kalpurakan, and who also gave us several beautiful gifts. Sharmande hastim. In the evening a lecture in Persian/Balochi was organised in the Main Hall of the University. Many students came and the hall was full of interested people. Several people stayed on for further questions even after the meeting. Many were interested to know about opportunities to study in Sweden. In the evening we were invited for an evening meal at Dr. Yousefian’s place.

On February 26: In the morning we set out for Khash. Mr. Yadegari was kind enough to take us down to Khash and then onwards to Iranshahr. It was a rainy day with very low clouds. The road was very good between Zahedan and Khash, and the landscape beautiful. It was much more mountainous than we had expected. When we approached Khash we were told that on sunny days one could see the active volcano of the Taftan mountain on the left. We were invited to lunch at Mr. Yadegari’s and met his family. After lunch we continued to Iranshahr, and there we went to the hotel where we were staying. Dr. Mahmoudzahi met us at the hotel and after a drive through the town we went to the university campus where a lecture in Balochi/Persian was held in the Prayer Hall. Many students attended and, just like in Zahedan, there were many questions after the lecuture. In the evening we were invited for a meal in Dr. Mahmoudzahi’s home.

On February 27: In the morning Dr. Mahmoudzahi took us on a trip to the old fort in Bampur. We climbed up the fort and looked out over the date gardens of Bampur. Both the fort and the view were magnificent. Well back in Iranshahr, we visited the Iranology foundation, where Mr. Abdolrauf Mollazahi kindly showed us around. Here we started discussing issues of language standardisation and orthography with Mr. Mollazahi, and he pointed to the necessity of taking actions to unify both the Arabic based and the Roman based orthography for Balochi. In the afternoon there was a lecture on the Balochi language and its status among Iranian languages in the town hall, hosted by Mrs. Khosravi, Rais-e shoura-ye Eslami, and Mr. Porbar, shahrdar-e Iranshahr, to whom we extend our sincere thanks. In the evening we were again shown hospitality in Dr. Mahmoudzahi’s home.

On February 28: Now the true adventure started when we headed towards Nekshahr early in the morning. We went in Dr. Mahmoudzahi’s car, but Mr. Porbar was kind enough to send us an escort as well. There had been rainfall and nobody knew exactly what roads would be open. Since Mr. Morad Raisi had invited us to Nekshahr, the Sarbaz road was out of question. This later proved to be a good decision, since the road was closed. In Espakke we stopped at the town council to get advice about the road ahead. We had a choice of a road straight to Nekshahr, and a road via Fannuj and Bent. It proved that the road straight on was most probably totally closed, but there was a chance that the other road would take us through. And it did!!! But in a very adventurous and “not-very-good-for-the-car” way. We were pulled through a river by a tractor, and we drove through deep water in newly flooded riverbanks in places where the floods had swept away the road. Our sincere thanks to Dr. Mahmoudzahi, Mr. Yadegari, Mr. Borhanzahi, and Mr. Raisi, who got us through to Nekshahr. We got a very warm welcoming in Morad Raisi’s home in Nekshshr and after a meal we went to pay a visit to the farmandar of Nekshahr, Mr. Davoudi, where we were also warmly received. In the evening culturally active Baloch in Nekshahr gathered in Morad Raisi’s home for interviews and informal talks. Also here the orthography issue was discussed at length.

On March 1: In the morning we had breakfast at Morad Raisi’s home and were introduced to the famous Balochi pahlawan Mir Kamalan. After breakfast we stopped by the clinic where one of Mr. Raisi’s daughters works, and from there we continued to Chabahar, where we were received and invited for lunch in the home of Karim Bashandeh.  After lunch and informal conversations, there was a meeting with culturally active Baloch in Chahbahar and from there we went to the Free Zone area to do some shopping. Many thanks to Abdul Karim Raisi for the gift he bought us. Sharmande hastim. After a cup of coffee in a very nice restaurant in the Free Zone, we went for an evening meal to the home of Mohammad Farough Hout and his family where we also stayed overnight.

On March 2: In the morning our hosts were taking us to the airport, but when Mrs. Homeira Rigi (wife of Mr Hout) checked out details about the plane, it proved to be delayed three hours. So instead of continuing, we went in the opposite direction, out towards the coast where we were shown beautifully shaped mountains, herbs and flowers in the desert that had started growing because of the rain, and the magnificent view of the Bay of Oman. We also saw the Portuguese fort at Tis, had lunch in the Free Zone and then caught the plane back to Tehran. Back in Tehran, we visited Mrs. Shahin Borhanzahi and her family the very same evening we returned.

After our trip to Esfahan, I again met Mrs. Borhanzahi and a number of the culturally active Baloch in Tehran in the home of Mr. Bagher Kord, who also shared about his activities and his newspaper in Balochi, Marz-e porgohar. The Baloch in Tehran had just established an organisation for support and fellowship. This meeting took place in the evening on Sunday 6 March, and after the meeting Mr. Kord and Mr. Hassan Afrakhteh, who was also present, kindly invited us out for an evening meal. On Wednesday 9 March I was able to visit Mrs. Borhanzahi again, this time at the Miras-e farhangi, where I also made the acquaintance of Mr. Abdul Aziz Doulati Bakhshan.

Prospects for the future:

Increased cooperation in the form of commonly arranged conferences and workshops. A conference on plurality in Balochistan is to be held on August 18-21, 2005 in Uppsala. A workshop on sociolinguistic research methods is planned for 2006, possibly in Zahedan.

Common research projects, particularly in the field of dialect studies and minority languages in Iran. A particular sociolinguistic survey of multilingualism in Balochistan is of high priority. Another priority is a workshop on Balochi orthography.

Exchange of visiting lecturers. Initially lecturers from SIL and Uppsala University plan to give courses at the University of Sistan and Balochistan, hopefully already during the autumn semester 2005.

Joint supervision of M.A. and Ph.D. theses in the field of Iranian linguistics and sociolinguistics at the University of Sistan and Balochistan, Zahedan.

It is also my sincere hope that studies of the Balochi language and its literature will be introduced as optional units (vãhedhã-ye extiari) at the University of Sistan and Balochistan, particularly within the framework of general and Iranian linguistics, and literary studies (of both oral and written literature) in Iranian languages.