Fared Shafinury

February 18, 2007

The Death of a Musician - Ya Haghi

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In the late 1970s, at the time of the Iranian Islamic Revolution, the mainstream U.S. press labelled Islamic fundamentalist hardline revolutionaries “turbans”, and the modernist moderates “neckties”. Culturally, in theocratic Iran, neckties have been denounced as decadent, un-Islamic, and symbolic of the Western oppression. Since then, most Iranian men have worn long-sleeved shirts with collars, but not neckties.

Recently I attended the funeral of one of Iran’s greatest violinsts: Ya Haghi. In Fatemiye square in one of Tehran’s biggest mosques there were hundred’s of people lined up in the streets, just to be apart of Ya Haghi’s funeral. Among the attendies were famous actors, actresses, and many singers from the Shah’s era. Ya Haghi had composed many songs during the Shah’s regime. After 1979, the rules and regulations with regards to music broadcasting had made it increasingly more difficult for musicians such as Ostad Ya Haghi to remain proliferate. He had also broken his right hand while trying to adjust the side mirror of his car: some other car hit his wrist and broke it.

Since Ya Haghi’s instrument was of European decent, the violin had met a similar fate to that of the necktie. As neckties were replaced with open collars, so was the violin replaced largely with the Kamanche. What was striking to me was that most of the male attendies at the funeral wore neckties, including myself. I actually wore a very special necktie that my friend Maryam had given me for my 24th birthday.

Ostad Mozafari had taken me to the funeral, and with him I was able to go all the way inside the mosque, bypassing the people crowded at the mosque door. I couldn’t believe my eyes, neckties everywhere! There was a quranic reader singing verses from the Quran….all of a sudden the crowd of people standing at the door began to yell (translated) ” Golpa is here, let’s pray for him, long live Golpa, long live Golpa….” The religious ceremony quickly turned into Hollywood’s red carpet celebrity walk. Everyone was preoccupied with the old ancient singers from 30 years ago. Golpa is a mere memory of the past, eventhough he is now allowed to sing in Iran again. The entire funeral had become a celebration: neckties, smiles, everyone with their eyes wide open ready to catch another fallen star. I was so happy that my smiles were accompanied with my tears. God bless Ya Haghi and may his music live on for ever.

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The Death of a Musician - Ya Haghi

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