The amazing memoirs of a teacher

Mohammad Ali Fatemi
Translated by M. B. Khoshnevisan

2018-12-25

The Qadiani Publication Institute has recently (December 2018) released the book "A land outside the map: The amazing memoirs of a teacher; based on the life of Aziz Mohammadi Manesh" in 656 pages.

Ali Nourabadi has written and compiled the book in 16 chapters. The title of the chapters tells the timeline in the book: the years 1379 and 80 in the Iranian solar calendar (2000 and 2001) – the area of eastern Miankooh – the village of Sirom Qalavand, the year 1381 (2002) – the area Kornas – the village of Minnah, the year 1382 (2003) – the area of kool-e Rad – the village of Sartang Lisheh, the year 1383 (2004) – the area of Kool-e Rad – the villages of Sehgordeh and Palang Kooh, the year 1384 (2005) – the area of Kool-e Rad – the village of Sartang Lisheh, the year 1385 (2006) – the area of Maher & Bakhtiari – the village of  Chal Reideveh, the year 1386 (2007) – the area of Qappi – the village of Boland Narges, the year 1387 (2008) – the area of Kool-e Rad – the village of Sartang Lisheh, the year 1388 (2009) – the area of Kool-e Rad – the village of Sarkaneh, the year 1389 (2010) – the area of Elman Sard – the village of Darhouneh, the year 1390 (2011) – the area of Elman Garm – the village of Choub Kooh, the year 1391 (2012) – the area of Elman Garm – the village of Komieh, the year 1392 (2013) – the area of Elman Garm – the village of Gerehei, the year 1393 (2014) – the area of Maher & Bakhtiari – the village of Garm (or Chol Garm), the year 1394 – the area of Maher & Bakhtiari – the village of Kadooh.

Every chapter has other subtitles which are based on the events narrated by the narrator.

With no introduction, the book starts with the narration of the narrator about his story. In auto-memoirs books, a process of how the memoirs have been first registered and recorded is usually mentioned in the introduction of that work. That is why it has been mentioned that the book has no introduction. At first, it seemed that it might be related to the taste of the book's publisher, because this publisher usually publishes fiction books and the nature of those books is that they do not have an introduction, and it involves the reader in narration suddenly. This has happened here and the narrator has started this way, "According to the ID, I am born on 23^rd of July 1978…" but in the text of the memoirs, there is the narration of the acquaintance of Aziz Mohammadi Manesh and Ali Nourabadi and the events that led to the production of this work. What is expected is to be introduced, in fact, is part of the memories. 

The text tells the reader that he or she is facing with the memoirs of someone who has entered an arena of social experience as a teacher soldier; an arena which is various, its observations endless, especially if the narrator is sharp-sighted. Aziz Mohammadi Manesh tries to depict the dimensions of this experience, accompanying the reader in this path. Obviously, it also happens an emotional accompaniment with the narrator, because he talks about his life in place of service. The nature of writing about the people's life creates accompaniment automatically. Now that the narrator has brought a significant detail of his almost round-the-clock activity among the people, it has caused the dimensions of his narration to be expanded, "After one year, I found out that being a teacher for nomads is not merely a teacher; he or she should do many other things simultaneously. I was the judge and authority of not only that village but the whole area…"

"When the military conscription was finished, we were employed as teachers; they needed us and we liked it…" This part shows that the narrator is determined to continue the way. Although there were hardships which require high degree of tolerance, but as if they face with love and affection after any hardship in a way that encourages them not to hesitate to continue their way.

One of the manifestations of the book which can be seen in the process of narration is the attention to customs. The narrator himself was born in a village in Lorestan Province, and is familiar with the customs, because it is in fact the same lifestyle, but in the long run and perhaps because the lifestyle particularly in urban areas changes, it is preferred that the customs is told in the old lifestyle. This aspect of the book can also be seen in the names, behavior and the proverbs of the villagers and tribesmen.

The process of the memoirs makes the reader believe that Aziz Mohammadi is not merely a teacher; being a teacher may be a pretext for him to recognize and discover the people living in hard-to-reach areas and resort to remove their needs which are necessary for primary living. Form this viewpoint, the phrases “a land outside the map” and “the amazing memoirs of a teacher” on the book’s cover become instantaneously more reliable as the ones which both attract the audience and remain in his or her mind.

“I served as a teacher soldier for two years and then employed as a teacher…” This part under the subtitle “I have no claim” is in the final pages of the book; passing through other chapters of the book shows that the narrator has a frank tone in narrating the events. In this process, the reader discovers that Aziz Mohammadi Manesh is not an unknown person anymore seemingly, because the nationwide media had introduced him. But in fact, he looks at another horizon that is the job of teaching and teacher. For this, he must establish relations with many government and non-profit institutions and the authorities who can support education in the most remote areas. Their description, and the results obtained and not even received, are evident in the memoirs.

The book ends with colored pictures of the narrator's years of activity. The publisher should be appreciated because it, according to the traditional style of some of the polishers, has not printed the black and white and low-quality pictures; although the number of the photos are relatively small comparing with the narrator’s years of activity but on the whole, it demonstrates his status in activities, the areas where he have been and the moments of some of his works.

Today’s readers may lose patience by reading this book due to its volume and seems long but it is a work which deserves to be published in the honor of this teacher. Also, among the memory-writings, in terms of the subject, it is worthwhile introducing and further investigations, because it seems that where the writing of memories of the events of the Islamic Revolution and the sacred defense in Iran has opened, it has created a strong motive for registering and recording the memories of events and other issues, especially the memories of a teacher, which is also among the revolutionary and sacred activities. The memoirs of Aziz Mohammadi Manesh clearly express such motivations.