Behnaz Zarrabizadeh:

Study and Research as Foundations for the Authenticity of Narrators

Interview and Compilation by: Akram Dashtban
Translation: Kianoush Borzouei

2024-11-13

The book Pari Khane-ye Ma (Our House’s pari), the latest work by Behnaz Zarrabizadeh, was unveiled in May 2024 at the Tehran International Book Fair. This work comprises the memories of nine families of martyrs—Bahadorbeigi, Bayat, Teymouri, Changizi, Hajibabaei, Sarabi, Azizi, Moradi, and Momeni—hailing from the Hamadan Province, who sacrificed three to four children to the Revolution during the Sacred Defense period. With its multi-perspective narrative style, the book brings forth a polyphonic array of voices, allowing readers to encounter the lives of these martyrs from multiple vantage points. Although interconnected in theme, these short stories remain distinct in their storytelling. The Oral History of Iran website recently held an interview with Zarrabizadeh about the writing process behind this book, which follows here.

When did you begin writing the book, and when did you complete it?
I started conducting research and interviews with narrators in 2018, and by 2021, I had submitted the book to the publisher. One of the reasons for the lengthy writing process was the number of narrators—over 30 individuals.

How did you select the subjects? Was this book your own initiative or a commissioned project?
I already knew one of these families in Hamadan and had a deep desire to write a book about them. Unfortunately, the mother, father, and one sister of that family had passed away. I wondered how much the siblings of the martyrs could actually contribute! When I visited the Martyrs Foundation in Hamadan, I discovered they were known as "eternal families." When they saw my interest in the subject, they suggested I write a book about all the eternal families of the province. They gave me a list of 20 families, of which I could establish contact with nine. There were challenges along the way—some were unwilling to be interviewed, others claimed they couldn’t remember the memories, and in some cases, the parents of the martyrs had passed on. Many of the siblings were too young during that period to recall much, or there were other obstacles, as I mentioned in the book’s preface.

Are you satisfied with the book you’ve written?
Yes, I deeply cherished these memories. Despite nearly four decades since the start of the imposed Iraq-Iran war, little attention has been given to the stories of martyr mothers and families with multiple martyrs—families not uncommon across the nation. If each province has 20 such families, imagine how many there are in total.

What was the most challenging part of the process?
The most challenging aspect was gathering photographs of the martyrs, as coordinating with all nine families was necessary. The photos were scattered in various locations. Initially, I thought of publishing the book without photos but then realized that would diminish its appeal and authenticity. I made considerable efforts to collect these, which ultimately yielded good results.

Given the numerous narrators, what steps did you take to verify the accuracy of the information?
As mentioned, this book has a multi-perspective narrative. Each memory has multiple narrators. Since the narrators were family members, I sought to ensure that all family members of the martyrs contributed to cross-check and enrich each other’s recollections. It’s only natural that after four decades, memories may fade, but my approach was to interview as many family members as possible. They assisted each other in recalling memories, which helped verify their accuracy.

Did you use any additional methods to verify the narrators’ information, or did you rely solely on their accounts?
I undertook a great deal of study and research. When an operation date or event was mentioned, I referred to historical sources, cross-checked dates, and compared them with historical records. There were instances where a narrator recalled an event on a certain date; I investigated and found that the event didn’t actually occur as described, indicating an error. In such cases, I would study further or gather the families to recollect the memories collectively, achieving an accurate date. Some family members had notably sharper historical memories, and their recollections served as reliable foundations for the veracity of the accounts.

What do you believe is the book’s strongest feature in its storytelling?
The book’s multi-perspective approach offers diverse angles on each narrative. It contains nine separate memories where the families share similar experiences and life circumstances. However, I endeavored to differentiate the stories so each would convey the unique message of its respective family. Although connected in content, these stories are distinct in narrative. Nowadays, people have limited time to read; this book allows readers to complete a story in just 15 minutes each day.