Laborer’s Home

[ Halabiabad ]

Tuesday was the day I left my job as a business school instructor and went out with other volunteers to aid the poor. My favorite location was Halabi-abad (best translation: tin city). The name came from the millions of five-gallon tin cans the poor stuffed with garbage and used as bricks to build their homes.

The typical home was only a 10-foot by 12-foot room, used as the kitchen, living room and bedroom for the entire family—and sometimes the pets and the chickens too.

What kind of woman can raise a family in these conditions? Tough, unbreakable, resourceful. Amazingly, I found these destitute women to be happier, healthier, more motivated, and, remarkably, more thankful than those in the upper-classes. Compared to them, my compatriots seemed arrogant and perpetually depressed.

حَلَبی آباد

[  لِیبِرز هوم ]

روزهاي سه شنبه من تدريس در مدرسه را رها كرده و بهمراه گروهي از دوستا ن ديگر داوطلبانه به كمك مستنمندان ميرفتيم. من بهترين محل براي اين كار را حلبي آباد يافته بودم. حلبي آباد جايي بود كه ساكنين آن خانه هاي خود را با جعبه هاي حلبي كه در زباله ها  پیدا می کردند ساخته بودند.

بهترين  خانه اين محل که بيش از دوازده متر نبود شامل یک اتاق بود که شامل اطاق خواب، آشپزخانه، و اطاق نشیمن می شد. گاهي حيوانات خانگي مثل مرغ ، خروس و گربه باافراد فامیل در همين اتاق زندگي ميكردند.

يك زن درچنین شرایطی چگونه ميتوانست فرزندانش را بخوبی تربيت كند؟ با اين وجود بيشتر زنان اين محلٌه بسيار فعٌال، پركار، مقاوم و شكر گذار تر از خانمهای مرفه بودند. بسیاری از این خانمهای مرفّه در اغلب اوقات متکبٌرو افسرده بنظر می رسیدند.

The laborer's home depicted in a diorama by Niccu Tafarrodi, recalling her childhood memories of Shiraz, Iran, RememberingPersia.com.
The laborer’s home depicted in a diorama by Niccu Tafarrodi, recalling her childhood memories of Shiraz, Iran, RememberingPersia.com.

She was born in a room which was used for sleeping, dining, cooking, and doing her homework. Even the pets and all of her father’s tools were stored there.

او در همان اتاقی بدنیا آمده است که اینک برای خوابیدن، خوردن، پخت و پز و انجام تکالیف مدرسه اش از آن استفاده میکند. حتّی حیوانات خانگی و وسائل کارپدرش نیزدر همانجا قرار دارند.

The laborer's home depicted in a diorama by Niccu Tafarrodi, recalling her childhood memories of Shiraz, Iran, RememberingPersia.com.
The laborer’s home depicted in a diorama by Niccu Tafarrodi, recalling her childhood memories of Shiraz, Iran, RememberingPersia.com.

The strong and tireless mother was responsible for everything: all cooking and cleaning.

مادر قوی و خستگی ناپذیر خانواده مسئول انجام همه کاری بود ،از جمله آشپزی و نظافت.

The laborer's home depicted in a diorama by Niccu Tafarrodi, recalling her childhood memories of Shiraz, Iran, RememberingPersia.com.
The laborer’s home depicted in a diorama by Niccu Tafarrodi, recalling her childhood memories of Shiraz, Iran, RememberingPersia.com.

The mother washed all clothing at the river or any other place where she could find enough water. It could be her husband’s pajamas or the baby’s diapers. She carried all washed clothing back home, putting them on a line to dry.

مادر لباس همه را در رودخانه، یا محل دیگری که آب کافی داشت می شست. از لباس زیر شوهرش گرفته تا کهنهُ کودکان. او تمام لباسهای شسته شده را به منزل حمل میکند و آنها را برای خشک شدن روی یک طناب پهن می کند.

The laborer's home depicted in a diorama by Niccu Tafarrodi, recalling her childhood memories of Shiraz, Iran, RememberingPersia.com.
The laborer’s home depicted in a diorama by Niccu Tafarrodi, recalling her childhood memories of Shiraz, Iran, RememberingPersia.com.

The charcoal pot in the middle of room was used for both cooking and making tea.

ازمنقل که وسط اتاق قرار دارد برای پختن غذا و همچنین تهیّهُ چائی استفاده می شود.

The laborer's home depicted in a diorama by Niccu Tafarrodi, recalling her childhood memories of Shiraz, Iran, RememberingPersia.com.
The laborer’s home depicted in a diorama by Niccu Tafarrodi, recalling her childhood memories of Shiraz, Iran, RememberingPersia.com.

Each corner of the room was used for a specific thing. Dishes and cooking were washed by water outside the home and brought back to the room.

هرگوشه از اتاق استفاده مشخّصی دارد. ظرفهای غذا و آشپزی در خارج از خانه شسته شده، به اتاق برگردانده می شود.

The laborer's home depicted in a diorama by Niccu Tafarrodi, recalling her childhood memories of Shiraz, Iran, RememberingPersia.com.
The laborer’s home depicted in a diorama by Niccu Tafarrodi, recalling her childhood memories of Shiraz, Iran, RememberingPersia.com.

The best food for the poor was Abgoosht (meat, onions, chickpeas, water, salt, pepper, and tomato sauce). The soup was mixed with bread and grain and the meat was mashed, decorated with onions. The food is delicious with herbs, cheese, and flat bread to go with it.

بهترین غذا برای طبقات فقیر آبگوشت (گوشت، پیاز، نخود،لوبیا، آب، نمک، فلفل و رب گوجه فرنگی) است. آبگوشت با نان مخلوط می شد. گوشت و نخود با هم کوبیده شده و روی آن باپیاز تزئین می شد. آبگوشت همراه سبزی خوردن، پنیر،و نان سنگگ غذای خوشمزه ای است.

The laborer's home depicted in a diorama by Niccu Tafarrodi, recalling her childhood memories of Shiraz, Iran, RememberingPersia.com.
The laborer’s home depicted in a diorama by Niccu Tafarrodi, recalling her childhood memories of Shiraz, Iran, RememberingPersia.com.

In the same room, chickens were raised to be used for special celebrations.

در داخل همین اتاق، جوجه پرورش داده می شد تا برای مراسم و جشنهای مهم از آن اسفاده شود.

The laborer's home depicted in a diorama by Niccu Tafarrodi, recalling her childhood memories of Shiraz, Iran, RememberingPersia.com.
The laborer’s home depicted in a diorama by Niccu Tafarrodi, recalling her childhood memories of Shiraz, Iran, RememberingPersia.com.

Pillows and sleeping bags were folded in another corner of the room. They were unfolded in evening and folded again in the morning.

در یک گوشه دیگر اتاق لحاف و بالش ها روی هم قرارداده می شد. این رختخوابها شبها برای خوابیدن روی زمین پهن می شدند و صبح دوباره جمع می شدند.

Niccu Tafarrodi Avatar

Other dioramas in the category of Hardship & Class Struggle in Iran

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.