Three Women of Herat

Afghanistan had not experienced the tumult of communists’ presence, when Veronica and her husband, John Baily entered Herat after 8 months of residence in Iran and learning Persian. Baily went to Herat to study ethnomusicology for Queens University of Ireland. At first, Veronica had no decision but to accompany her husband. Manly doors of Herat were open to them but Veronica was determined to enter the hidden life of Afghan women and leave the manly part to her husband. Her relations with Afghan families who were familiar with music, caused her to learn Herat dialect completely.

“Three Women of Herat” is Veronica’s struggle to convey her relations with three Afghan women who affected her musical life. It was written in 1988 in English.
A main part of the book is devoted to the account of entering Herat in which she delivers a clear picture of Afghanistan as a foreigner.

Maryam, a false name, is the first lady whom Veronica describes. She is the daughter of a classic musician. Although Maryam was not proficient in music, but took Veronica to the world of women in Afghanistan with herself. John Baily spent his time learning classic music from Maryam’s father, but Veronica preferred to enter the out-of-sight part of Afghan women lives. She has introduced the concealed culture of Afghan women. She not only followed the ceremonial and ritual aspects of their life but also traced back their beliefs, creeds and actions and manifested them.

Twelve chapters of the book are dedicated to the description of situations and experiences the writer had gone through because of her friendship with Maryam. In these chapters one can find information on marriage, family members social relations, oblational foods, abortion, courtship, makeup and New Year rituals, especially between Afghan women.

Nabi’s Mother is the second woman of Herat who is introduced to the readers. She is a naive woman with an antecedence of mental disorder, from which she has acquired a kind of metaphysical power. Her relation with Veronica is very attractive and amazing. Veronica is doubtful about her fuddling but gets so close to her to meet “Agha” with her guidance.

Veronica’s acquaintance with the third woman was short but had the deepest effect on her music learning. The writer practically had accepted the discipleship of a woman with an alias name, Shirin, who is formally a minstrel. This woman, whom Veronica later named as Zeynab Herati, is a professional vocalist and musical performer in Herat.

“History of women musical performers go back to 1930s or 1940s and to a man called Amin Sazandeh, who married talented musician women”, the writer said. “He sent these women to weddings and feminine merry makings and earned money. He then tried to marry her sons and brothers with such women too. His work caused women music bands to be formed in Heart”.

Afghanistan is involved in civil war in the last part of the book and John Baily and Veronica cannot visit Herat. So they go to an immigrant camp in Peshawar and meet some old friends.
“Three Women of Herat” is not noteworthy just because of being written by an English woman, interested in music, but it has gathered the oral history of Herat women in a specified period of time and practically has rendered an exact criterion to valuate and compare their situation in Herat society.

The writer’s deep and prejudice-free look, like a documentary film maker, has delivered a clear image of different walks of society. Her adaptation power with hosting society and harmonizing with it to the extent that she choose Afghan woman clothing for herself, is a sign of this reality that the writer has transformed into a member of Herat women society. She simply has entered their homes as an inner observer like other Afghan women and has become one of them in their social and religious rituals. She had submitted herself to activities she had no belief in them, works like cooking oblational foods for having child. Naturally, Herat women had the same feelings toward her so they let her to their private rituals and to be informed of their private affairs.

By Farzanh Sajedpour

Translated by Asghar Aboutorabi