August 18, 2014
Arts Culture & Entertainment
THE ASIAN REPORTER n Page 11
Iranian Festival offers glimpse into exotic Persian culture
By Kate Hubbard
The Asian Reporter
onversations about Iran and the
Middle East often dissolve into
politics. The Andisheh Center
seeks to change that, by celebrating the
culture, diversity, and contributions of
Iranian Americans. The center hosted its
15th annual Iranian Festival this month,
an event that offered the Portland commu-
nity a glimpse into a beautiful, ancient
culture, with a focus on Iranian (also called
Persian) art, music, dance, and literature.
The sunny park blocks next to Portland
Farmers Market burst to life during the
festival. Attendees were greeted with the
smell of delicious food wafting through the
trees. Booths were adorned with colorful
banners of various architectural wonders
of Iran. I had never heard of any of them
except what is commonly called “The Pink
Mosque.” It felt like stumbling into a secret
treasure-filled world that had been there
all along.
Portland mayor Charlie Hales and
Beaverton mayor Denny Doyle both ad-
dressed the crowd and thanked everyone
for their contributions, and for sharing
their cultural heritage. Mayor Hales
commented that Portland is truly
becoming a world city instead of the
provincial town he moved to 35 years ago.
“Diversity makes us stronger, richer,
better,” Hales said, explaining that it’s
important to recognize the gifts and value
of people from all over the world, and how
it makes our city even better.
A charming vendor crafted my name in
Persian calligraphy, and another let me
photograph stunning examples of Persian
handicrafts. I learned that khatam is wood
inlay, an ancient art that has been
perfected over centuries, while mina is
copper-smithing that is enamelled and
painted into brilliantly patterned works of
art.
More familiar to many were plush
Persian carpets and pillows as well as a
roped-off section for games of chess and
AR Photo/Jan Landis
AR Photo/Kate Hubbard
C
backgammon. One vendor had a back-
gammon set that took an expert craftsman
three months to create.
There was an information booth that
had videos, music, and examples of
costumes on display. Adults and children
wore clothing that represented the wide
variety of Iranian subcultures, all of which
have distinct languages, arts, and forms of
dress. There was even a table featuring
items for the Persian New Year celebra-
tion: gold coffee carafes, deep jewel tones,
and decadent desserts, all represented
different New Year wishes.
I was greeted warmly and introduced
around as though I belonged. The event
was described to me as a rowdy, loving
family reunion, and that was exactly how
it felt. This was a chance for Iranian
Americans to get together and celebrate
their heritage, to show off their amazing
culture, and focus on connecting as a
community.
I walked around while eating a dessert
called Fallodeh — a frozen noodle
concoction topped with lemon juice. It was
unlike anything I’d ever tasted, and
perfectly refreshing on a hot summer day.
Children ran around in the sunshine,
giggling and sparkling in their finery.
Freshly applied henna tattoos were
everywhere; they need an hour to dry
before the henna can be removed, leaving
the distinctive reddish brown designs
behind.
As I listened to the strains of exotic
music and debated whether to have some
chilled Sholeh Zard — a saffron infused
rice pudding — a young woman came up,
introduced herself, and aired her concerns.
“It’s really hard to be 18 years old and
Persian and see how people treat us,”
Bahar Bhboodi told me. “I’m terrified right
now.”
It’s all too easy to point fingers, talk
about wars and terrorists, and lose track of
EXPLORING IRAN. The 2014 edition of the Ira-
nian Festival featured Persian dance, music, activities
for kids, Persian food and desserts, a showcase of tra-
ditional outfits, vendors, and more. Pictured are young
people dancing to live music (left photo) and an artist
writing calligraphy (right photo).
the amazing people and culture of Iran.
The Andisheh Center has done a
brilliant job sharing a sample of Iran that
the western world often does not have a
chance to experience. The Iranian commu-
nity is eager to connect through culture,
and they have a lot of it.
For example, who knew that one of the
largest adobe buildings in the world — the
Bam Castle — was in Iran, and that it was
designated a UNESCO World Heritage
site? It was mostly destroyed by an
earthquake in 2003, and is currently
under extensive reconstruction. The
Sio-Seh Pol Bridge in Esfahan is another
gorgeous feat of engineering, and the list
just goes on and on.
I highly recommend this festival for
those who can attend next year. It was a
rich cultural experience, and an important
reminder to embrace our diversity and
create a city — and world — that is
culturally wealthy. And it’s a great
opportunity, as mayor Doyle put it, to
“have a great time, eat well, and prosper.”
To learn more about the Andisheh
Center and the annual festival, visit
<www.andisheh.org>.
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