Fieldnotes on Humanity

“Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta." From the book. For years, I have been desperately  seeking the opportunity to read  Lolita  by Vladimir Nabokov, and finally, the moment has  arrived.  For the past few days, I have been sitting in coffee shops, reading this captivating book. It is disgustingly beautiful, and delightfully troubling. A reader must mentally be prepared to encounter unseen, unheard, invisible, and unthinkable stories and events in  Lolita. It is definitely unsettling for people in this day and age to see a man, probably in his 40s, having a sexual affair with a 13-year-old girl. In the beginning, Humbert Humbert explains that this is the age when marriage and cohabitation before the age of puberty are uncommon, but by doing so, he also tries to familiarize the reader with his perversion. As...

Loiq Sher-Ali (1941-2000) was born in a small village called Mazar-e Sharif (it shouldn't be confused with the city of Mazar-e Sharif which is one of the four largest city in Afghanistan) of the Panjakent district in the Sughd Region of Tajikistan. Shir-Ali was a notable figure in the Persian literary milieu of the twentieth century. He was strongly influenced by his countryman Abdollah Jafar ibn Mohammad Rudaki. Stylistically he was under the influence of Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh (Book of Kings) and Omar Khayyam’s poetry. Themes in his poetry are diverse. Commonly he is believed to be a cheerful poet , one can scarcely finds sadness and sorrow in his poetry. His complete works have been fully published in 2001 in both cyrillic and Farsi script. Here is a sample of his poetry that I translated from Tajiki into English: If you can’t make me laugh, don’t make me cry If you can’t help me, don’t hurt me If you can’t make me happy, don’t remind me of joy If you can’t make me joyfu...

I just read this short poem Das Wasser 'The Water' by Christian Morgenstern (1871-1914) in my textbook. The water that he talks about here has multiple meaning, and it could be, metaphorically, taken as 'silence' or, 'quietness.' It could also symbolically mean the fluidity of life, quietly, and yet persistently strong and smooth. My amateur impression is that Morgenstern who lived until the outset of the First World War, was to some degree under the impression of romanticism period - sometimes with a tinge of melancholy while drenched in humors  - which is not very apparent in the following short poem. I really like this poem and I tried to reach the marrow of its symbolic, metaphorical, and metaphysical streaks in order to exhume a meaningful translation into Farsi. I hope I am succeeded, and if there is any suggestions, please don't hesitate to leave your comments on the comment section. You can also appear anonymous by placing a check mark on " I...

In my earlier blog post , I alluded to candle lighting, but I did not elaborate on it. The candle lighting is important specially at the night of 40th anniversary of t hose 80 (or more) people who lost their lives and more than 250 wounded on July 23, 2016 . In this post, I'm going to call your attention to some of its important aspects of lighting candles. I will explain why it is symbolically significant for Hazaras - and maybe others who sympathize with the cause - to simultaneously light candles in order to commemorate the lost ones' memories, while reemphasizing on their nonviolent movement against unjust and discriminatory policy of the central government. Symbolically, candle lighting is intrinsic to the quality of life, the very matter that the movement has based upon. It directly relates with the nature of our demands, and with our struggle against an autocratic management, which does not only listen to its citizens, but tacitly allows terrorists to kill our ...

Now, it is clear that we are battling with a government that is facing a crisis of legitimacy, that its leadership has lost its ethical credibility due to persistent lies and deceptions. What the  Enlightenment Movement, at this point, can do is to defiantly answer to government's demands and rules by using tools of civil disobedience. It does not have to be feigning illness to go to work, or resigning from a post; although these tactics are important, currently, it is unexpected and unacceptable for any Hazaras to resign from any government job in protest at its discriminatory policy. The Hazaras must stay in their posts in order to remain as a conduit of communication and information between people and government. Afghanistan has not experienced nonviolent movements before, therefore we have to look at other nonviolent movements in other countries. One of the most recent nonviolent movement took place in Iran in which the pro Green Movement  turned their demands and anger...

At this point, we all know what happened with the nonviolent Enlightenment Movement on July 23rd, 2016. The government is obstinately resistant to hear the movement's demands, not only that, but its security apparatus did not cooperate with peaceful protestors, and in some way, it showed a tacit green light to terrorist to kill the peaceful protesters. The numbers of casualties have increased, there are now over 90 dead and over 200 individuals fatally injured. Some are in critical condition and need to be flown to another country for better medical operation.  The movement's leadership has recently announced and warned the Afghan government that if there legitimate demands won't meet in near future, they are going to come back to the streets again. This time their tactics could be different than before, where government's tactic to block the streets with containers will not be enough.  While coming back to the streets is one of the options to raise our v...

I have been reading Goethe's poems every once in a while, and I found most of his poems, in symbolic form, mystical and transcendental, like the one below. I finally decided to translate the following poem from German into Farsi. I am not sure weather it is translated into Farsi already or not. I put it on my Farsi blog and asked my reader to comment on the translation, and I'd like to extend the same request here. I would welcome any comments and critiques. Gefunden Ich ging im Walde so für mich hin, und nichts zu suchen, das war mein Sinn. Im Schatten sah ich ein Blümchen stehn, wie Sterne leuchtend, wie Äuglein schön. Ich wollt es brechen, da sagt' es fein: Soll ich zum Welken Gebrochen sein? Ich grub's mit allen den Würzlein aus, zum Garten trug ich's am hübschen Haus. یافت شده در جنگلزاری قدم گذاشتم نه اینکه دنبال چیزی باشم همینطوری برای دل خودم نیتم چیزی جز این نبود ناگاه دیدم ،در سایه ای گل کوچکی ایستاده است درخشان بسان س...

Nothing compares to the happiness when you receive your first postcard from the country that you have love for. I have been to Germany a few times and upon every visit, I learned something new, something real and serious. I have heard stereotypes about Germans being austere in their mannerism. That may be true, not only about Germans but about a lot of people in the United States and around the world. But what I experienced and learned during the time I spent in different cities in Germany was unique. I found people who were serious in their promises, honest in speaking the their minds, forthcoming when asked for help, and beyond all that, sincere in their relationship. Germans also have stereotypes about Americans, and one of them is  oberflächlich, which means superficial. It might be true to some extent, but again it could be said about any people or culture anywhere that we know nothing or know very little about them. Even that little information which is usually from TVs...

Eid is arriving everyone is in preparation, Everyone is taking pleasure whether rich or poor But me, without you, I look at my state I see that Ramaḍān is still in distance. عید آمد و هر کس پی کار خویش است می نازد اگر غنی وگر درویش است من بی تو به حال خود نظرها کردم دیدم که هنوز هم رمضان در پیش است Eid āmad-o har-kas payī kār khish ast mināzad agar ghanī wa-gar darwīsh ast man bi-tu ba hāli khod nazarhā kardam dīdam ki hanuz ham Ramaḍān dar pish ast Poet: Mirza Abdul-Qadir Bidel (Trans. Nasim Fekrat, July 06, 2016) Ustad Sarahang has sung this lyrics in a very commendably touching sense. Here is the video that you can enjoy listening.

Millions of people speak in Pashto language, but not many people around the world know how beautiful the language is. Today, I was searching for Pashto landei -  literally means short, only two lines - I stumbled upon a four lines love poem, which I thought deserved to be translated into English. That is what I did. --------- Lover, he cries day and night, the pain of his love but the beloved is a stony-hearted one who spills blood from the lover's heart Oh, her eyes! her eyebrows, like bows of war shoot the eyelashes into my heart. O people! Don't you see the wounds of her arrows in my heart? مین چه آشنایی کا، شپه ور څ به گریانی کا شهی، ده ستمگاره، خوشحال ز ړ و به زخمی کا لندۍ لری د ورڅـیو، با ڼو غشی کاری‌کا پرهار می گوره خلقه، دَ دلبر دَ تیر نبنان سو In Farsi عاشق، دردِ عشق خویش می‌گرید، شب‌ها و روزها معشوقه‌، جفاکار است، می‌ريزد خونِ سرخ قلبش را ابروانش کمان جنگی است و تيرهايِ مژگانش کشنده ای مردم زخم‌های تیر كمان یار را در من ببینید Poet: Unknow...

You can feel the spiritual power of this Sufis dancing in this video. You can feel the energy that emanates from their chanting, their circling, the clapping and pounding. This kind of ritual is rare in the Muslim world, but still exist in some part of the world. They are Chechen Sufis as part of a larger group of Sufi brotherhoods. Chechnya is mostly Muslim, and they relate to the Shafi'i school of thought. Their mystical tradition is mixed of muridism (according to Arabic Al-Ma'ani dictionary , murid means adherent or disciple) and in which a Murshid (spiritual teacher or guide) plays a central role in the spiritual journey. Some of Chechen associate themselves with different branches of Sufism. Mainly there are two tariqas (order) in the north of Caucasus region: Naqshbandiyah and the Qadiriyah. The word that they keep repeating is ' Yahu or Yahoo (which in English means oaf or a lout person),' not the website though, it is an Arabic term and is a pronoun f...

If you haven't yet read  this week's incredible about Sultana on the New York Time , a young girl living in southern Afghanistan who dreams to study in the United States, I highly recommend to read it. Sultana is definitely in of some attention for her future. If you want to donate money towards her education, there is a page made for her in which money goes directly into her account. Sultana at her desk, photo already published on  the NYT . Like Sultana, there are thousands of girls in areas under the Taliban control who can't go to school. It is unfortunate that Sultana and girls like her are forbidden to go to school, but there is always an incorrect perception that deludes our understanding of the nature of south, where Sultana comes from. ( It is not known where exactly she comes from. The impression that I have from the photos that she has provided to her supporters is that she lives in city). Most of often people think that the Taliban are foreigners, the...

Picture: Muhammad Ali Credit: Michael Gaffney He was beyond words to be described. Muhammad Ali was the greatest of all time, the greatest who ever lived, and will be the greatest athlete who ever will be. Rest in peace, the beautiful man! Here is a great quote of him: "A man who views the world the same at fifty as he did at 20, has wasted thirty years of his life."  Muhammad Ali Here is a video of Muhammad Ali on goodwill visit to Kabul, Afghanistan.

Yesterday morning as I walked into the UGA science library, I saw huge stacks of red boxes ready to be loaded into a big truck. I passed by without paying much attention. I assumed that the boxes are filled with books that might be transferred to a new library. Curious and maybe a little worried about the books, I walked to the main gate and approached one of the guys who was loading the truck. I asked him where the books go and how many truckloads do they make a day. He kindly explained to me that the boxes are filled with books and they are going to a warehouse, which finally will be destroyed. He added that for the next two weeks, they are going make one truckload every day.  "How bad." I said to myself. I felt a profound sadness due to thousands of books are going to be destroyed one day. As I walked back to my desk, I thought that this is an indication of an ominous future that is looming on the horizon. I am worried that one day libraries' shelves are being...

I have never seen this in my life until now. A group of men - who don't look to be students because they look in their 40s and 50s - just arrived in the coffee shop with their own thermos and cookies. I watched them carefully because they are sitting next to me. From their accent, I can tell that they are not from the Gulf. Surprisingly, only two of them bought coffee, the rest didn't. They even brought their own cups and sugar. I can't fathom the depth of this contradiction. It is a fascinating social and cultural paradox to see this mingling odds from two different world. I asked myself whether people in the Middle East and North Africa take their food out to the restaurants and coffee shops to eat? I don't think so and I don't know it. This is an odd thing that I saw this evening at this coffee shop. I am a regular coffee shop camper, especially in the evening because the library is closed at night. I also go to the coffee shop because I find my solace in dr...

In March this year, I submitted a poem in German to a monthly poetry competition called " Gedicht des Monats " at the Department of Germanic and Slavic Studies at University of Georgia . A few weeks later, I surprisingly received this message from the head of the department: Dear Nasim, Congratulations! The committee has chosen your poem “Vergessen” as the winner of the Poem of the Month competition. Please see Ms. Petti in the departmental office (Room 204) about your prize; she will need to get some information from you in order to put in a check request. Is it OK for us to display your poem on a bulletin board in Joe Brown and on our departmental website or Facebook page? I am not a poet by profession, but I am glad to be the winner. I was also hesitant to share the news with my friends, because I wanted to avoid any boastful pretension. But finally, I thought, since no one reads blog posts anymore, it would not be harmful to share it here after all. So, here's ...

Dew evaporated as soon as the dawn’s veil was taken off Oh, companion! I just recalled my love, au revoir! Tā sahar bi-parda gardad, shabnam az khod rafta ast Al-widā' ay ham-nishīnān! delbaram āmad ba yād تا سحر بی پرده گردد، شبنم از خود رفته است الوداع ای هم نشینان! دلبرم آمد به یاد Poem by Mīrzā Abdul-Qādir Bidel (Trans. Nasim Fekrat, May 26, 2016)

The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has just released its quarterly report on Afghanistan to congress . The special project's report contains a list of reports that are highly concerning about Afghanistan's future. Among the many of concerns on the country is its economic prospect. Despite more than a decade of reconstruction and development efforts, the Afghan economy remains in fragile and worsening condition. Intractable insurgents, cutbacks in foreign military personnel, persistent emigration of people and capital, and a slowing global economy are shifting Afghanistan’s economic prospects from troubling to bleak. Source: SIGAR Quarterly Report Giving the fact that the country has been in turmoil for decades, long enough that the infrastructure eventually extirpated, it is considerably hard to measure Afghanistan’s economy growth on a global economic index, but there are some reports that give a good estimate of how has Afghanistan...

A decade-and-a-half after the end of Taliban rule, women in Afghanistan still face pressure to dress conservatively in their Muslim-dominated society. That makes holding a fashion show with female models a risky endeavor. But some young women are making a fashion statement, defying threats and social taboos to take to the runway. (RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan).  Source RFE/RL Here is another example of bravery that is presented by Hazara women defying the threats against themselves. However, there is just one caveat to remember. We must be careful and distinguish when we are talking about women in Afghanistan. Ethnic plays an important role in women's freedom. You won't see women from other ethnic groups among them. These young females are ethnically Hazara, the most persecuted and downtrodden people on earth. If chance given to them, and they receive support, these women can be an embodiment of courage and freedom that can exemplify it for others.

I posted this on my Facebook page, then I realized that I must have first published it here to make it an official piece, but then I thought an official piece means that I have to do a thorough review of the book. Well, I might come back and do that soon, before my classes start, but for now, it is not a bad idea to share a glimpse of the book which contains inspirational stories of young Hazara girls at Marefat High School . Contrary to other books that so far have published on Afghanistan and have tried to give a grim outlook of the future, The Last Thousand is the opposite, it gives an optimistic picture of Afghanistan's future, while noticing the lack of insecurity and warning about the fall of the country into the hands of the Taliban.  I just finished reading The Last Thousand: One School's Promise in a Nation at War   by a renowned journalist Jeffrey E. Stern . The original version of the book will come out on January 26. I started it three days ago, and thou...