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Culturhaus
Domab
Goals:
The Cultural House of Domab has been created
as a means of bringing about better cultural conditions towards
increasing public awareness as well as restoring and protecting
the historical identity of the whole area. This cultural center is
made up of a library; a museum of anthropology and a room equipped
to show films as well as being finished with educational material.
Along with this goal, the cultural house of Domab also identifies
methods towards education, furnishing information to the general
public, providing educational opportunities, increasing public IQ,
preserving and introducing the cultural vicinity and historical
artifacts of the whole region in accordance with the lifestyles of
Domab and the neighboring villages proceed with the following
three goals:
. The elevation of the cultural perception of the Domab public
. The enrichment of the information and IQ of the younger
population
. Restoring the historical and cultural identity of the Domab
village.
History:During
the recording period of the above historical events, there were
much efforts towards the gathering of such information as the
village people’s culture, etiquettes and more, demeanor of life
and finally their terms and idioms. The selection and list of the
interviews are generally very extensive. Some of these include the
elders of the tribe, prominent women, the heroes of historical,
religious personalities, a woman who was associated with
witchcraft or a woman who sincerely loved the previous regime .
During the times of their interviews, many of the interviewers
were during the last years of their lives. Unfortunately as a
result, they gradually one after another began to pass away during
following years. Due to further trust from the public, we were
slowly able to collect more records and items such as a marriage
document, a romantic letter, a wedding dress, sewing objects,
etc…. In the next phase with the aid of one of villagers, there
was an effort to examine the gathered documents. A great portion
of them dealt with various businesses, such as buying and selling
land But also there were other miscellaneous records such as a
marriage document.
In the coming years, the gathering of these data was becoming more
complete. But what was unusual was the quick turnaround of the
cultural identity and unity of the village, such as the village
youth’s perspective in contrary to those of prior times. In the
fifties decade the recreational activities for the young were
local games such as: Alak Dolak, Haftsang(Leper), Googhooly and
Goog zeeresh konee. During the period, entertainment for the the
weekends was primarily card games and sometimes chess board.
Today, from about the mid-seventies, the pastime activities of the
youth have shifted towards drags. Of course, this situation did
not apply to Domab only. The bitter reality was the reasons behind
which allowed and motivated the youth to turn to such activities
that the means to achieve relaxation was done in such an inverted
way.
It seemed that they has turned into second or third class citizens
of the country. Also, it was possible to perceive this matter from
old letters and documents. In old days, the conversations between
city and village folks were very respectful. But today in the
seventies, after the passage of five decades a native sees himself
as a dependant on government aid.
A general analysis of this dreadful matter and the reasons for it
did not exist, but it was obvious that the present generation was
not in regards to their past prides, values and abilities. They
see themselves in a lower than their metropolitan counterparts.
This will not allow him/her to offer to better him/herself and as
a result he/she will not be able to improve the conditions of
his/her life.
Therefore, the decision was made to open up a library in order to
help such individuals to develop their abilities and potentials.
If this person is supposed to be a worker, than with such
arrangements at very least he or she will be a specialized worker.
Further more from the point of view a folk id supposed to be able
to assume and under their identities. The re-recognition of this
identity as well as the enhancement of his/her intellectual
abilities became our primary tasks. The gathering of these items
gave us the hope that one day and night be able to build a museum
from the natives’ own past works.
The creation of a library and a museum required much feasibility.
Within our initial imagination there was much expectation from the
government. There was much effort in contacting the board of the
national library of the country.
In order to provide for financial and human needs, the supporters
had to believe in the unity of their goals. There was a need for a
lot of discourses. Some mentioned that people needed employment
and incomes. Though that was the truth, yet the solution was out
of our compass. Some stated that auditoriums and speakers were
required, but, from our point, obtaining these did not completely
solve all our problems. Our aim was to potentialize and empower
individuals who wanted to respond to their own needs by themselves
and to be the very source of production, as well. This job was
only possible through the means of fostering a generation. In
spite of the fact that our dialogues over many of the issue did
not yield any results, yet a few of the cooperative responses were
the cause of numerous positive actions.
To begin with, a small reservoir of money was provided,
approximately twenty thousand Toomans and as a result the
provision of the book was started. From the time the book was
conveyed to the village, the expectation was created. Although we
initiated this expectation, Yet others with the declaration of
their needs prompted our task. At the present time many of the
children of this suburban town reside in various nations and with
the sponsorship of our project within a period of about two years,
we were able to collect approximately a budget of nearly two
million Toomans.
At that time, provisions were made for more than one thousand
copies of the book and approximately on hundred antique items. An
effort was made to find a suitable place for the activation of the
library. In this regard, at last, a decision was made to construct
a new building. The initial visualization was that, at the very
least, with providing the man-power, the citizens of Domab will
have helped the manufacturers, but this hope was in vain. In
respect to providing a workforce for a new structure and paying
the expense, we were in a predicament. More ever, the tractors of
Domab did not ever help once to bring dirt or sand to the museum
and the library, which would be used by the youth.
In Domab, one of the people who inherited a castle (Darvish Bayk)
from his father, denoted a part of the land of the castle to the
Cultural House. With regards to the structure of the mentioned
castle, there was a need for a suitable design, which coordinated
with tower’s own architectural style and at the sometime to be
attractive to the people. Simultaneously, the consulting engineers
of the tower, created the design of the building in accordance to
the protection of the local architectural values and at the same
time constructed a design which was quite attractive to people.
The constructions of the structures are in two phases of new and
old. Near the main entrance door, there existed and old room that
was restructured in same manner for the museum of anthropology.
These who were familiar with Domab and the historical background
of this town rendered the most assistance for the preparation of
the books as well as the mastering of voluntary aids and very
instrumental in the advancement of the design.
From the time the anthropological studies were occurring, a list
of articles, requisites and various living goods of Domab was
furnished. Up to a certain point in time, these items were
collected from a house to house format. Throughout her travels and
associations with the women of the town, we were able to
accumulate more of cosmetics and decorative supplies.
Through digging and excavating certain sections of this demolished
castle, we were able to find certain instruments used for
juice-cooking and he ultimately prepared them to be put on
display.
At this stage, we had more than 200 articles of remained
documents. 150 agricultural tools and household items, clothing
and medical-related equipments. During the final phases prior to
the openning day, we visited vacant regions of the town with the
company of one of the town folks. There amongst the nearly
demolished houses, we were further able to find more artifacts
such as one wardrobe, Tapoo Geli and a number of other valuable
pieces. Two days prior to the opening of museum, with
classification of the articles, they were installed to walls. Due
in part to an invitation from the women of the village as well as
the desire to introduce this project the headman of the villagers
traveled all over Domab to present this project.
During the exhibition, the woman had a sense of relation to their
performance, due to the primitiveness of the objects. Within a
time from of 24 hours, with the collaboration of the two headmen
and the head of the town council, more than 100 pieces were added
to our collections: From a mask made from cow’s skin used for
comical marriage performance to supplies used in the smoking of
opium and a mace used in feuds with the neighboring towns.
Finally the Cultural House of Domab on the twenty fourth day of
the month of Mehr of 1382 in the presence of the public as well as
guests officially opened. |
