for the last couple of years me and my best friend we’ve been traveling to many
best friend we’ve been traveling to many
best friend we’ve been traveling to many stages all over the world and we’ve been
stages all over the world and we’ve been
stages all over the world and we’ve been sharing our stories we’ve performed in
sharing our stories we’ve performed in
sharing our stories we’ve performed in museums and theatres often performing
museums and theatres often performing
museums and theatres often performing for adults but not always yeah sometimes
for adults but not always yeah sometimes
for adults but not always yeah sometimes we also perform to teenagers and we
we also perform to teenagers and we
we also perform to teenagers and we always like to start in in in a playful
always like to start in in in a playful
always like to start in in in a playful manner we tell them that one of us is
manner we tell them that one of us is
manner we tell them that one of us is Israeli and the other was other one is
Israeli and the other was other one is
Israeli and the other was other one is Iranian and we ask them who is who
Iranian and we ask them who is who
Iranian and we ask them who is who but then we always add one thing we go
but then we always add one thing we go
but then we always add one thing we go and we tell them you better guess it
and we tell them you better guess it
and we tell them you better guess it right because if not we’re gonna blow
right because if not we’re gonna blow
right because if not we’re gonna blow the place up it’s true even did it today
the place up it’s true even did it today
the place up it’s true even did it today we went to some of the people that we
we went to some of the people that we
we went to some of the people that we met outside and we asked them the same
met outside and we asked them the same
met outside and we asked them the same question and about half the people we
question and about half the people we
question and about half the people we asked got it completely wrong which
asked got it completely wrong which
asked got it completely wrong which tells us quite a few things it tells us
tells us quite a few things it tells us
tells us quite a few things it tells us first of all that even if there is all
first of all that even if there is all
first of all that even if there is all these stories in the media that we
these stories in the media that we
these stories in the media that we should be so different him the Israeli
should be so different him the Israeli
should be so different him the Israeli me the Iranian if people can’t even tell
me the Iranian if people can’t even tell
me the Iranian if people can’t even tell the difference is there even really a
the difference is there even really a
the difference is there even really a difference and it’s true it’s true there
difference and it’s true it’s true there
difference and it’s true it’s true there are a lot of similarities we are very
are a lot of similarities we are very
are a lot of similarities we are very good friends we discovered over our
good friends we discovered over our
good friends we discovered over our friendship that we have a lot of things
friendship that we have a lot of things
friendship that we have a lot of things of things in common but we also have
of things in common but we also have
of things in common but we also have some differences now I don’t know if you
some differences now I don’t know if you
some differences now I don’t know if you guys know anything about Iranian culture
guys know anything about Iranian culture
guys know anything about Iranian culture but I’ll tell you one thing these guys
but I’ll tell you one thing these guys
but I’ll tell you one thing these guys they are incredibly incredibly polite
they are incredibly incredibly polite
they are incredibly incredibly polite yeah that’s true yeah someone agrees in
yeah that’s true yeah someone agrees in
yeah that’s true yeah someone agrees in the audience I’ll tell you I know him
the audience I’ll tell you I know him
the audience I’ll tell you I know him for four years I still don’t know what
for four years I still don’t know what
for four years I still don’t know what he thinks of me he loves me he hates me
he thinks of me he loves me he hates me
he thinks of me he loves me he hates me yes no it’s all hiding underneath this
yes no it’s all hiding underneath this
yes no it’s all hiding underneath this kind of mask of polite nice smile you
kind of mask of polite nice smile you
kind of mask of polite nice smile you say it like it’s a bad thing
say it like it’s a bad thing
say it like it’s a bad thing come on no politeness is important for
come on no politeness is important for
come on no politeness is important for us if Iranians go into a theatre even if
us if Iranians go into a theatre even if
us if Iranians go into a theatre even if there is people you don’t know the
there is people you don’t know the
there is people you don’t know the people in the front they’re ashamed that
people in the front they’re ashamed that
people in the front they’re ashamed that their back is facing someone so they
their back is facing someone so they
their back is facing someone so they will apologize and then the person in
will apologize and then the person in
will apologize and then the person in the back will say oh don’t worry a
the back will say oh don’t worry a
the back will say oh don’t worry a flower doesn’t have a front or a back
flower doesn’t have a front or a back
flower doesn’t have a front or a back how’s that for politeness er good right
how’s that for politeness er good right
how’s that for politeness er good right huh okay let me let me add one thing not
huh okay let me let me add one thing not
huh okay let me let me add one thing not just a polite smile poetic beautiful
just a polite smile poetic beautiful
just a polite smile poetic beautiful as well yes yes as opposed to the
as well yes yes as opposed to the
as well yes yes as opposed to the Israeli who very much like to open every
Israeli who very much like to open every
Israeli who very much like to open every subject by kicking open the door
subject by kicking open the door
subject by kicking open the door bursting and haha you know no not for us
bursting and haha you know no not for us
bursting and haha you know no not for us we like to create some kind of stage for
we like to create some kind of stage for
we like to create some kind of stage for communication friendliness kindness
communication friendliness kindness
communication friendliness kindness friendliness yes you know what my
friendliness yes you know what my
friendliness yes you know what my grandmother would say about this kind of
grandmother would say about this kind of
grandmother would say about this kind of friendliness I’ll tell you a friend with
friendliness I’ll tell you a friend with
friendliness I’ll tell you a friend with everyone is a friend with no one did you
everyone is a friend with no one did you
everyone is a friend with no one did you hear that they agree with me
hear that they agree with me
hear that they agree with me really yeah well you know what my
really yeah well you know what my
really yeah well you know what my grandmother would say to them friendship
grandmother would say to them friendship
grandmother would say to them friendship can have all directions its animosity
can have all directions its animosity
can have all directions its animosity that has a very clear direction well you
that has a very clear direction well you
that has a very clear direction well you know what my grandmother would say about
know what my grandmother would say about
know what my grandmother would say about this true friends they stab you in the
this true friends they stab you in the
this true friends they stab you in the front not in the back huh but my friends
front not in the back huh but my friends
front not in the back huh but my friends a flower doesn’t have a front or a back
a flower doesn’t have a front or a back
a flower doesn’t have a front or a back I let you win I let him win okay okay so
I let you win I let him win okay okay so
I let you win I let him win okay okay so similarities and differences but if our
similarities and differences but if our
similarities and differences but if our work would stop there with the stories
work would stop there with the stories
work would stop there with the stories that we tell only on that surface level
that we tell only on that surface level
that we tell only on that surface level level of identity it would be quite
level of identity it would be quite
level of identity it would be quite superficial now we like to go deeper
superficial now we like to go deeper
superficial now we like to go deeper with it we actually realized there is
with it we actually realized there is
with it we actually realized there is there’s this question underneath that
there’s this question underneath that
there’s this question underneath that that we want to ask ourselves and we
that we want to ask ourselves and we
that we want to ask ourselves and we asked ourselves a very fundamental
asked ourselves a very fundamental
asked ourselves a very fundamental question we asked herself when was the
question we asked herself when was the
question we asked herself when was the first moment in our life that we became
first moment in our life that we became
first moment in our life that we became aware of the fact that we belong to any
aware of the fact that we belong to any
aware of the fact that we belong to any group because let’s be honest what does
group because let’s be honest what does
group because let’s be honest what does a baby know about being Israeli or
a baby know about being Israeli or
a baby know about being Israeli or Iranian right it starts at a certain
Iranian right it starts at a certain
Iranian right it starts at a certain moment these layers of our identity that
moment these layers of our identity that
moment these layers of our identity that we put on ourselves and gradually to the
we put on ourselves and gradually to the
we put on ourselves and gradually to the point that we say we are this and we are
point that we say we are this and we are
point that we say we are this and we are that and these layers how are they
that and these layers how are they
that and these layers how are they created well many times by stories
created well many times by stories
created well many times by stories stories of our ancestors of our heroes
stories of our ancestors of our heroes
stories of our ancestors of our heroes of the failures of the people we loved
of the failures of the people we loved
of the failures of the people we loved and like this gradually a certain skin
and like this gradually a certain skin
and like this gradually a certain skin is placed on us and underneath it for us
is placed on us and underneath it for us
is placed on us and underneath it for us is there is a there is a question that
is there is a there is a question that
is there is a there is a question that it
it
it who are we so this question who are we
who are we so this question who are we
who are we so this question who are we but also this question of when was the
but also this question of when was the
but also this question of when was the moment that you were claimed by your
moment that you were claimed by your
moment that you were claimed by your group that you realized you were part of
group that you realized you were part of
group that you realized you were part of one group and you were not part of
one group and you were not part of
one group and you were not part of another group this we took to our
another group this we took to our
another group this we took to our mothers he to his mother and me to my
mothers he to his mother and me to my
mothers he to his mother and me to my mother yeah me to my mother with a
mother yeah me to my mother with a
mother yeah me to my mother with a Jewish woman that grew up in Iran
Jewish woman that grew up in Iran
Jewish woman that grew up in Iran actually and only later in her life she
actually and only later in her life she
actually and only later in her life she came to Israel yeah and my mother who is
came to Israel yeah and my mother who is
came to Israel yeah and my mother who is also from Iran but came from a Muslim
also from Iran but came from a Muslim
also from Iran but came from a Muslim family now this is a story that my
family now this is a story that my
family now this is a story that my mother told me she said that she was six
mother told me she said that she was six
mother told me she said that she was six years old a six year old girl who simply
years old a six year old girl who simply
years old a six year old girl who simply loved to sing more than anything in life
loved to sing more than anything in life
loved to sing more than anything in life and at that age being with shy she would
and at that age being with shy she would
and at that age being with shy she would always wait for her mother to go to the
always wait for her mother to go to the
always wait for her mother to go to the market then she would have the house for
market then she would have the house for
market then she would have the house for herself and she would practice and
herself and she would practice and
herself and she would practice and practice the songs and in those days you
practice the songs and in those days you
practice the songs and in those days you know pop songs didn’t have very cheaply
know pop songs didn’t have very cheaply
know pop songs didn’t have very cheaply right no they were written by real poets
right no they were written by real poets
right no they were written by real poets and these words like rubies diamonds
and these words like rubies diamonds
and these words like rubies diamonds emeralds they would come out of her
emeralds they would come out of her
emeralds they would come out of her mouth my mother told me that when she
mouth my mother told me that when she
mouth my mother told me that when she was six years old back in Iran she was
was six years old back in Iran she was
was six years old back in Iran she was waiting for the moment that her mother
waiting for the moment that her mother
waiting for the moment that her mother will take her to the marketplace you
will take her to the marketplace you
will take her to the marketplace you know what they called her cholera SIA it
know what they called her cholera SIA it
know what they called her cholera SIA it means a Black Raven why because she
means a Black Raven why because she
means a Black Raven why because she didn’t have the white skin of her sister
didn’t have the white skin of her sister
didn’t have the white skin of her sister and the green eyes she was dark but my
and the green eyes she was dark but my
and the green eyes she was dark but my mother has one really strong
mother has one really strong
mother has one really strong characteristic she is very very stubborn
characteristic she is very very stubborn
characteristic she is very very stubborn so she kept nagging my grandmother take
so she kept nagging my grandmother take
so she kept nagging my grandmother take me to the marketplace take me to the
me to the marketplace take me to the
me to the marketplace take me to the marketplace take me to the marketplace
marketplace take me to the marketplace
marketplace take me to the marketplace until my grandmother said okay okay when
until my grandmother said okay okay when
until my grandmother said okay okay when you’ll be seven I’ll take you okay
you’ll be seven I’ll take you okay
you’ll be seven I’ll take you okay what do you think happened the day she
what do you think happened the day she
what do you think happened the day she turned seven it was dark outside when my
turned seven it was dark outside when my
turned seven it was dark outside when my mother was already up with my grandma
mother was already up with my grandma
mother was already up with my grandma most beautiful hijab decorated with red
most beautiful hijab decorated with red
most beautiful hijab decorated with red flowers standing next to my
flowers standing next to my
flowers standing next to my grandmother’s bed shaking hair telling
grandmother’s bed shaking hair telling
grandmother’s bed shaking hair telling her I’m seven are you going to take me
her I’m seven are you going to take me
her I’m seven are you going to take me to the marketplace well a promise is a
to the marketplace well a promise is a
to the marketplace well a promise is a promise and my mother told me how she
promise and my mother told me how she
promise and my mother told me how she was amazed by this marketplace this is
was amazed by this marketplace this is
was amazed by this marketplace this is not Albert Heijn you know
not Albert Heijn you know
not Albert Heijn you know the smells of the spices the colors of
the smells of the spices the colors of
the smells of the spices the colors of the fruits seeing the man picking up the
the fruits seeing the man picking up the
the fruits seeing the man picking up the watermelon tapping them to see if they
watermelon tapping them to see if they
watermelon tapping them to see if they were ripe and my mother she was so
were ripe and my mother she was so
were ripe and my mother she was so excited she ran forward and she found
excited she ran forward and she found
excited she ran forward and she found herself in front of a vegetable stall
herself in front of a vegetable stall
herself in front of a vegetable stall and there in front of her eyes she saw
and there in front of her eyes she saw
and there in front of her eyes she saw this big fat black aubergine and she
this big fat black aubergine and she
this big fat black aubergine and she reached out to touch it and she will
reached out to touch it and she will
reached out to touch it and she will never forget what her mother told her
never forget what her mother told her
never forget what her mother told her then my mother will never forget what
then my mother will never forget what
then my mother will never forget what her mother told her when she came back
her mother told her when she came back
her mother told her when she came back from the market you remember the six
from the market you remember the six
from the market you remember the six year old girl who loved to sing she’s
year old girl who loved to sing she’s
year old girl who loved to sing she’s there she’s practicing and suddenly the
there she’s practicing and suddenly the
there she’s practicing and suddenly the door of the house opens she hears the
door of the house opens she hears the
door of the house opens she hears the footsteps of her mother in the hallway
footsteps of her mother in the hallway
footsteps of her mother in the hallway she sees a mother stand in front of her
she sees a mother stand in front of her
she sees a mother stand in front of her pointing a finger at her saying don’t
pointing a finger at her saying don’t
pointing a finger at her saying don’t sing don’t touch that’s what my
sing don’t touch that’s what my
sing don’t touch that’s what my grandmother said to my mother and then
grandmother said to my mother and then
grandmother said to my mother and then my grandmother she pointed out the
my grandmother she pointed out the
my grandmother she pointed out the vegetables without touching them and the
vegetables without touching them and the
vegetables without touching them and the seller he placed them in a box and he
seller he placed them in a box and he
seller he placed them in a box and he handed the box to my grandmother why
handed the box to my grandmother why
handed the box to my grandmother why can’t I sing simple question from a
can’t I sing simple question from a
can’t I sing simple question from a six-year-old girl to her mother why
six-year-old girl to her mother why
six-year-old girl to her mother why can’t I sing and her mother explained
can’t I sing and her mother explained
can’t I sing and her mother explained with a lot of patience you see my girl
with a lot of patience you see my girl
with a lot of patience you see my girl if you sing and a man you’re not related
if you sing and a man you’re not related
if you sing and a man you’re not related to hears your voice he will have bad
to hears your voice he will have bad
to hears your voice he will have bad thoughts and then he will go to hell and
thoughts and then he will go to hell and
thoughts and then he will go to hell and then because you gave him those thoughts
then because you gave him those thoughts
then because you gave him those thoughts you will go to hell I have friends in
you will go to hell I have friends in
you will go to hell I have friends in school they sing yeah very unfortunate
school they sing yeah very unfortunate
school they sing yeah very unfortunate for your friends but we don’t sing we
for your friends but we don’t sing we
for your friends but we don’t sing we are proper Muslims why couldn’t touch
are proper Muslims why couldn’t touch
are proper Muslims why couldn’t touch touch the vegetables that’s what my
touch the vegetables that’s what my
touch the vegetables that’s what my mother asked well you couldn’t have
mother asked well you couldn’t have
mother asked well you couldn’t have touched the vegetables because if you
touched the vegetables because if you
touched the vegetables because if you would have nobody else would why all the
would have nobody else would why all the
would have nobody else would why all the other people were doing it yes but we
other people were doing it yes but we
other people were doing it yes but we are not like all the other people you
are not like all the other people you
are not like all the other people you see my child because we are Jewish
well it is a narrative that was told a
well it is a narrative that was told a long time ago and it’s a narrative that
long time ago and it’s a narrative that
long time ago and it’s a narrative that [Music]
[Music]
[Music] took these two girls who could have been
took these two girls who could have been
took these two girls who could have been friends and separated them but you see
friends and separated them but you see
friends and separated them but you see our generation us we work with these
our generation us we work with these
our generation us we work with these narratives they’re our bread and butter
narratives they’re our bread and butter
narratives they’re our bread and butter we look for them we ask them to be told
we look for them we ask them to be told
we look for them we ask them to be told we dive into them we ask other people to
we dive into them we ask other people to
we dive into them we ask other people to tell their stories so that we understand
tell their stories so that we understand
tell their stories so that we understand who we are and who they are and what are
who we are and who they are and what are
who we are and who they are and what are the layers that are put upon us and a
the layers that are put upon us and a
the layers that are put upon us and a lot of this we do also in our school the
lot of this we do also in our school the
lot of this we do also in our school the master of storytelling school so in a
master of storytelling school so in a
master of storytelling school so in a way the narrative brings us together but
way the narrative brings us together but
way the narrative brings us together but not just us also our mothers and this is
not just us also our mothers and this is
not just us also our mothers and this is funny because I moved to Amsterdam and
funny because I moved to Amsterdam and
funny because I moved to Amsterdam and my mother came to visit me a year ago
my mother came to visit me a year ago
my mother came to visit me a year ago and when she came I told her hey I want
and when she came I told her hey I want
and when she came I told her hey I want you to meet my best friend so we went to
you to meet my best friend so we went to
you to meet my best friend so we went to visit this guy and he’s a little Iranian
visit this guy and he’s a little Iranian
visit this guy and he’s a little Iranian flat in the west of Amsterdam and from
flat in the west of Amsterdam and from
flat in the west of Amsterdam and from the first moment my mother entered that
the first moment my mother entered that
the first moment my mother entered that house I saw a child the carpets
house I saw a child the carpets
house I saw a child the carpets you know looking at the walls as if
you know looking at the walls as if
you know looking at the walls as if she’s remembering a world she had
she’s remembering a world she had
she’s remembering a world she had forgotten and I she was sitting on there
forgotten and I she was sitting on there
forgotten and I she was sitting on there on the couch and then his mother came
on the couch and then his mother came
on the couch and then his mother came and sat in front of her and at that
and sat in front of her and at that
and sat in front of her and at that moment yes she took her hand and at that
moment yes she took her hand and at that
moment yes she took her hand and at that moment my mother started speaking in
moment my mother started speaking in
moment my mother started speaking in Farsi I didn’t understand the world but
Farsi I didn’t understand the world but
Farsi I didn’t understand the world but it looked wonderful for hours you know
it looked wonderful for hours you know
it looked wonderful for hours you know these two women went once stroking the
these two women went once stroking the
these two women went once stroking the hand of the other by the way telling my
hand of the other by the way telling my
hand of the other by the way telling my father bring some ice cream yalla Ali
father bring some ice cream yalla Ali
father bring some ice cream yalla Ali come on come on I want to feed my best
come on come on I want to feed my best
come on come on I want to feed my best friend and they were together like this
friend and they were together like this
friend and they were together like this you know after all these years now I
you know after all these years now I
you know after all these years now I don’t know maybe some of you would think
don’t know maybe some of you would think
don’t know maybe some of you would think are these guys their storytellers
are these guys their storytellers
are these guys their storytellers they’re exaggerating it was a sad story
they’re exaggerating it was a sad story
they’re exaggerating it was a sad story they wanted to end it in a positive note
they wanted to end it in a positive note
they wanted to end it in a positive note it’s not true well especially for you we
it’s not true well especially for you we
it’s not true well especially for you we brought a proof
brought a proof
brought a proof come on Irfan stand over here yes here
come on Irfan stand over here yes here
come on Irfan stand over here yes here you see them the one time that they met
you see them the one time that they met
you see them the one time that they met in our house my mother and his mother
in our house my mother and his mother
in our house my mother and his mother ladies and gentlemen the power of story
ladies and gentlemen the power of story
ladies and gentlemen the power of story [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] you
”
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