Revolution & Renaissance II: The Power of Together
Artwork by Somayeh Taheri
Healing Decades of Divide: “Oneness of Heart” [ham-deli]
One of the phrases you hear often in the revolution discourse is that Iranians are more than ever ham-del, best translated as “one in the heart” or “together in heart”. Forty-three years of theocratic dictatorship has created more divides and distrust amongst Iranians than any moment in history.
Iran is a complex country with an ethnic diversity of 7+ peoples including Persians, Kurds, Balouch, Arab, Lor, Turks and Azeris that have a long history with each other and the governing state. The ethnic minorities have experienced persecution, violence and discrimination throughout different eras. Iran itself has an even more complex history, having birthed one of— perhaps even the oldest—civilisations in the world. Subsequently, it is a land whose history is full of violence and drama; invasions, conquests, battles and revolutions. It has succeeded in conquering neighbouring lands [and losing them] as well been subjected to endless attacks from Mongols to Greeks and Arabs. The history of these conquests, wars and divides makes the collective psyche of Iran one filled with complexity and drama, as well as one which has found harmony and healing through its deep historical traditions of art, poetry and literature. However, it’s been the divides created through the corruption and propaganda of the Islamic Republic in the past 43 years that makes it not easy for the average Iranian to trust each other in public and political matters.
How has this divide been formed in the collective psyche of Iranians? This is a big question that can be answered from a variety of perspectives. One of them is the psychological effect this brutal dictatorship has had by taking away people’s voice and their ability to express themselves if it is not in-line with the dictator. Dr. Fathali Moghaddam, a scholar and author on social psychology with a specialisation in the psychology of dictatorships writes that one of the definitions of dictatorship is the lack of voice in the people; “In dictatorships, the vast majority of people have no voice and feel less attached to the group. Thus, the mechanism of control in dictatorships becomes brute force rather than identity and emotional attachment.”
Consequently and perhaps most importantly in regard to the wound of divide; living under such a tyrannical dictatorship has created the shadow of an internalised oppressor who has very limited capacity to hear the other’s point of view if it is not in-line with their own. This is one of the major challenges that this revolution and the opposition of the Islamic Republic face today. A separate essay will be dedicated to this topic as it requires a thorough break-down of its complex psychology. What we have to hold consciously and acknowledge as one of the healing balms for this great wound of divide is the deeply emotional, connective tissue this new ham-deli and the poetics of this revolution has brought forth. Holding this as the very basis of our united and continuous roar for freedom is essential at this stage. Becoming conscious of our own internalised oppressor and shadow-dictator will determine the success of this revolution and it coming to a fruitful conclusion, especially in the transitional period after the falling of the current regime where the divides will be amplified once again.
Jin Jian Azadi as the healing balm of divide
The very soul of this revolution is the Kurdish originated chant Jin Jian Azadi [Woman-Life-Freedom] that was born from the warrior women in Kurdistan. Mahsa Jina Amini, the symbol of this revolution was of Kurdish origin and lived in Saqqez. The sparks of this revolution was ignited in the deep underbelly of Iran’s most oppressed and divided region. For decades, the Kurds have suffered terrible persecution and oppression and when Mahsa Amini died, people in Iran did not think the protests would spark much further than the Kurdish region. But the very thing that this regime feared most happened: people across the country rose up against the injustice done to a Kurdish girl and across the world people started chanting Jin Jian Azadi. The voice of oppressed minorities became the symbol and code of an uprising that is inspiring the world. Soon, across Iran chants was being heard “From Kurdistan to Tehran, I sacrifice my life for my Iran!” This uprising has been the single most united one in their chants, slogans and goal: to overthrow the regime entirely and to replace it with nothing less than a real democracy. Many of the differences that used to divide people have been put to the side to accomplish this great task. It is in Woman, Life and Freedom that the people of Iran are finding their unity of heart.
From a psychological perspective, this is most valuable. It is Woman, Life, Freedom[and thus the Feminine principle] that is healing decades, if not centuries, of divide, separation and mistrust. It is the Feminine that is weaving love back through the hearts of Iranians—for each other and for their motherland. A thread of love that stretches all the way across the world to the diaspora living in every corner of this planet. It is uniting Iranians in oneness for a common goal: to move from tyranny to democracy and regenerate Iran zamin [the land of Iran]. A dream I had in the first week of the uprising illustrates this emerging unity:
Revolution art by Somayeh Taheri for Woman-Life-Freedom
“A woman is standing on a platform in the streets of Tehran, I’m both the observer and the woman on the platform. She makes a movement with her arms—as if she is embracing self and [an invisible] other. This movement, almost dance-like, she repeats a few times, with a fierce passion. As she does this, I see mass groups of people coming out into the streets and they are flooding the city.”
In those days, the protests were rippling out to the whole country. City after city rose up and started to flood the streets. Soon, in conservative towns and villages, where no one had ever protested, people had stood up against the dictator. This unity has been unprecedented and has been the single most terrifying surprise to the regime, who therefor unleashed a most violent plan of oppression and crackdown.
From a Jungian perspective, we can say that the Woman-Life-Freedom movement has crystallised the opposing shadow force, which has now become the target of people’s anger and rage. Any real confrontation with the shadow includes a phase of stark opposites, a period of black-and-white that is shocking, painful, and ultimately transformative if it is followed through. The Feminine eruption in this movement has made it clear to all: the patriarchal tyrant is the enemy of the Iranian soul and must be completely dismantled and eliminated. It is in both seeing clearly the object of their animosity and being seated in the same feeling values of the Feminine, namely Woman-Life-Freedom, that the people of Iran find their ham-deli; their unity of heart.