Iran

The Block

The Honarvar family, Hossain, his wife Audrey, and their daughter Jeanette Honarvar Craig, put their hearts, talents and love of Iranian culture into making the block. It is a wonderful example of the complex, finely balanced colour and lines incorporated throughout Iranian art and hand crafts. The central paisley pattern repeated throughout the embroidered, inner border, is formed by an almond-shaped motif in a mir-boteh configuration. This shape was named for the Persian village that was renowned for its rugs in this pattern and is an important part of Iranian designs used extensively on such things as clothing, plates and carpets.

The background colour is a traditional blue that dominates the interior and exterior tile-work of the country’s mosques. Gold, symbolizing wealth and purity, is used in many areas of Iranian culture, including architecture, jewellery and clothing, and the block-maker has incorporated couched gold work and gold threads throughout her design to reflect its significance. A poem by the well-known 12th century Iranian poet Sa’adi, written in Persian, frames the central design. Translated, it says “The children of Adam are limbs of one another, having been created of one essence. When the calamity of time afflicts one limb, the other limbs cannot remain at rest. He who is indifferent to the suffering of others, is a traitor to that which is truly human.” Calligraphy, where writing becomes an art form, has had an important place in Iran dating back to the Islamic caliphs.

Cultural Profile

Iran, whose name means of ‘noble origin,’ is located in western Asia. Formerly known in the west as Persia, it is a big and populous country. One of the oldest empires in the world (625 B.C.), at its largest it extended from Eastern Europe and Libya to present-day Pakistan. Iran has had a huge impact on the world’s history due to its strategic location on the doorstep of Asia. It is a modern country infused with rich traditions. Its population is comprised of many ethnic groups including Persians (Farsis), Azaris, Kurds, Lors, Baluchis, Turkamans, Arabs, Armenians and Assyrians. The official language is Farsi, sometimes called Persian, but only about half the population speaks it as a first language. Each ethnic group has its own language as well.

Iranians are very hospitable people who will go to great lengths to avoid offending a visitor. They follow the ta-arof, a set of polite behaviours used particularly when dealing with guests or strangers. Unity and honour of the family are more important than individual wishes, and children are raised to be disciplined and respectful of their elders.

One of the most important traditions in Iran is the celebration of Nowruz (which means ‘New Day’), the beginning of the Persian calendar at the spring equinox. A non-religious holiday, it is celebrated by all in Iran, but also in neighboring countries such as Afghanistan, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and others. The celebrations involve spring-cleaning of the house, buying new clothes for the coming year, and visiting family and friends during the twelve day celebration.

Iran has an ancient artistic heritage that includes stone carvings hundreds of years old. Art tends to be non-representational, designed instead with colour, patterns, and geometric and floral shapes. The architecture is known for both its colour and use of exterior ornamentation. Persian gardens are a wonderful example: their enclosed spaces are meant to be earthly paradises, perfectly balancing light, shade and water.

For many centuries the country has been known for miniature paintings and intricate jewellery. Persian embroidery is known for its use of the zari metallic thread to produce zardozi embroidery, and silk brocade. The Imperial crown jewels of Iran, which were the property of the shah, the Iranian monarch, are one of the world’s largest sets of jewels and were endowed to the country in the 1930s. Their estimated value is so high that they are used today as a reserve to back the Iranian currency.

Poetry and theatre also play a great role in the country’s cultural life. Their roots date back millennia, while Iran’s cinema continues to garner international attention, having garnered numerous awards in festivals around the world.

Iran is also famous for its Persian carpets, with the areas of Fars, Kashan, as well as Bijar in Kurdistan, being prominent centers for the trade. Iranians make the most diverse styles of carpets and it is estimated that the country produces approximately three-quarters of all the handmade rugs in the world. Weavers use wool, cotton or silk and incorporate designs that are symbolic or from daily life. However, Persian rugs, treasured by Iranians and non-Iranians alike, are more than just floor coverings to the Iranian people. They are a display of wealth, an investment, an integral part of cultural festivities and a part of everyday life that can be used as a form of currency. The most famous Persian carpet is the Ardabil Carpet from 1568, which measures 10.7 by 5.3 metres and contains one million knots.

Iranians are a relatively new community in Canada. They have been coming here since 1946 but it wasn’t until the 1980s that significant numbers began arriving, settling all across the country with larger numbers in Ontario, Québec and British Columbia. As of 2011, there were 163,000 people of Iranian ancestry in Canada. They assimilated quickly into Canadian society while maintaining great pride in their culture and history. Organizations such as the Iranian Artists’ Association of Ontario and the Centre culturel et communautaire des Iraniens in Montréal have been established, as have several Farsi-language newspapers, radio and TV programs, video and music stores and Persian book stores. Iranians are involved in a wide variety of occupations. Their influence on the Canadian palate can be seen in the increasing number of Persian cafés, restaurants and chelo-kebabis (shish-kebob and rice) opening across the country that allow all to share in the Iranian cuisine.

Sponsor: The Honarvar Family