The Zarathushti Oral History Project is looking for volunteers: we need local coordinators in order to help publicize the project, identify volunteers, and coordinate interviews within FEZANA associations.
- Objective: The Zarathushti Oral History Project is an effort to document our heritage as Zarathushtis. The aim of the project is for youth to interview Zarathushtis, especially seniors, and record their oral histories for posterity. We plan to excerpt interviews for the Fall 2007 issue of the FEZANA Journal. Second, we hope that it will stimulate youth interest in their heritage and culture. In the diaspora, much of our culture risks being lost once the immigrant generations pass on.
- Reasons: In the past century, the Zarathushti community has witnessed remarkable transformations. After more than a millennium of existence in the rural strongholds of Gujarat, Yazd, and Kerman, Zarathushtis have become a largely urbanized, well-educated people dispersed around the world. Many members of our elder generation have witnessed first-hand the changes that have greatly impacted our culture, traditions, and religion. It is in our interests to record their stories while they are still with us—within the Parsi community, 30 percent of the population is above the age of 60.
- Example Topics: Topics for discussion—historical, cultural, and religious in nature—are diverse and unlimited. Examples include: Life in a Gujarati or Iranian village, village customs and traditions, life in India and Iran during the Second World War, Parsis in the Indian independence movement and newly independent India and Pakistan, migrations from Yazd and Kerman to Tehran, or from rural Gujarat to towns in Gujarat to cities all over India, Zoroastrianism in the Pahlavi era, reasons for migrating to North America, and how early Zarathushti immigrants adjusted to life outside of their homelands.
- Interviewees: Interviewees are the heart of this project. We need people who are willing and interested to share their experiences and recollections of personal and historic events, describe daily life when they were children, as well as their migration stories.
- Interviewers: Although we encourage anyone to participate as interviewers, we are especially looking for youths. Youth participation will be a way to foster interest in their family and community heritage. Ideally, this project could be integrated into the religious classes offered within associations. Youth participation in the project may fulfill community service requirements in some schools.
- Local Coordinators: We are looking for people to help coordinate interviews in their area. The project contacts listed below will mail interviewers suggested topics and questions and notes about how to take oral histories.
- Inputs, suggestions, and comments related to this project are greatly appreciated. We do hope that you can help make the Zarathushti Oral History project a success!
- Contacts:
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