Look at the book "Am Kaka"

Telling in the details and seasoning for Memoirs

Elham Saleh
Translated by Fazel Shirzad

2016-7-31

War could not recognize young and old people. Everyone was involved; father and his young son, wife and children, urban and rural people, all were affected by the Iraqi imposed war against Iran. That is why young and old man, Basij and Revolutionary Guard Corps and military people could be seen among warriors. Each of these people, who have experienced the war, can narrate some parts of the war alone. They are the narrators of this great event and each of these narratives is part of the oral history for eight years of sacred defense in country.

The book "Am Kaka"[1]  is also dedicated to this issue. This book consists of biography and memoir of injured and militant Hamid Elahi (Amir Kabi) by which oral history of war is narrated and it is personal and part of sacred defense.  

Brotherly kindness and respect

Titles that are on the cover of the  book, the book's title, "Am Kaka"and under the title of book and two names as Hamid Hakim Elahi and Amir Kabi that second one is in parenthesis can attract curiosity of the readers. But, what is the reason of this choice?

Majid, who is narrator's younger brother, called him "Am Kaka":  "Majid was younger than me, but I sometimes think that it was much older, he never called me Amir, but always called me Kaka". "Am" means Amir, and calling a brother as "Kaka" shows highest level of affection as a local culture that combination of Amir and Kaka is "Am Kaka" and is made a book. The real name of the narrator is Amir Kabi, but he chose the nickname Hamid Hakim Elahi for him, there are some reasons that are mentioned in the eleventh chapter of the book; "In battle front of Shush, I was familiar with martyr Hakim Elahi. He was very quiet and dignified. I interested to him particularly.  When he was martyred, I chose his nickname for me, but veterans of Behbahan called me Kabi".

Context of the book in twelve chapters

"Am Kaka" has been developed in twelve chapters. The chapters are without title, and have number of pages, but there is good reason for untitled chapters. Some different and various events are stated in the book, so it was difficult to name chapters, although this issue has not been mentioned in the book.

The book is begins by introducing Hakim Elahi, about marriage of parents and even hard days that resulted from death of their father. Despite the young age, the narrator forced to work to cover expenses of life; "I experienced many works at young age such as studentship, a construction worker, a labor, a quilter, and a baker. Hot days of Khuzestan start in June and schools were also closed in late May. We started to work, when we were freed from school. We had to work on a construction or furnace.  It was very difficult to work on a furnace as a bricklayer in Khuzestan where hot sunshine was on our head. I had often a nosebleed. In the fall, if we were freed from school for some days, we went to work on a furnace again.  In the winter, when furnace was turned off and bricks were cold, we took them out."

The first chapter describes childhood and adolescence times and little by little the days of struggle against the Pahlavi regime. The Impact of the climate caused Hakim Elahi joined to committee of the Islamic Revolution, after the Islamic Revolution at the age of fourteen, to continue his revolutionary activities.

Joining to organization Jihad for Reconstruction, start of the war, member of the rescue team and participate in theoretical and practical sessions related to relief are such of events what are expressed in the chapters of the first book.

Meeting of injured people of Operation Fath ol-Mobin with Imam Khomeini (RIP), fighting in the highlands of martyr Sadr, getting married with Mitra Shamaieli, injured in the leg, hit by shrapnel in the nerve network of hand that it was possible to cut the hand but doctor removed it successfully, and care or lack of proper care for war victims in hospitals are also some other issues that the narrator explains them.

The book started from childhood of Hakim Elahi to recently years and will be continued about working in shipping and about retirement days. These are some of events described in the book, but all of them are not mentioned, it covers only a part of them. Feature of the book "Am Kaka" is that there are many details, and it seems it is remained in narrator's memory well. Another feature is that fighting, joking and laughing are seasoned for theses memoirs.

Other chapters

Besides memoirs of Hakim Elahi, the book "Am Kaka" consists of other parts. In the part "documents and photos ", some images and documents can be seen about attending of narrator at the front of war. Among these photos, two photos can be seen about his childhood and teenage years. One of the images is one that chosen for the cover of the book. Resources are mentioned after parts documents and photos. The book also has an announcement section in which some detailed sections such as persons, places, equipment, operations and military units are also available. In the last section of the book, several pages are also dedicated to write notes.

A memoir; time mortar

"Am Kaka" is all of memories, but one of these memories is about the first attendance of Hakim Elahi in the operation: It was the first time that I participated in the operation. Mortars were shot from each sides and it shrapnel were spread through area. The smell of brimstone and fire were mixed together and smoke was spread everywhere. It was constantly exploding over our heads. I asked myself; "do they have something else to explode?"  

"Are they mortars?" Bashir Rafeie, who came from Shahr-e Kord County, said. "What are mortars?" I said.  "They are exploded in the sky" he answered. "Iraqis forces want to frighten us" I said.

After laughing a lot, Bashir said: "they are shooting to injure us by shrapnel." What does it mean?" I said. "If a mortar fall next you and then you lie on the ground, shrapnel will pass along you and not injured you. But shrapnel of a time mortar move down vertically. To be stand, it is only way to overcome with it" he said.  "If I stand up, I will be injured by other shrapnel" I said. "They are doing it to stop you for any movement" he said.