June 18, 2023 will mark 40 years since 10 Baha’i women were hanged in Shiraz. Their only ‘crime’ was their refusal to renounce their beliefs in a faith that promotes the principles of gender equality, unity, justice, and truthfulness. This collection highlights Baha’i Blog content relating to the ongoing persecution of Baha’is in Iran.
“10 Nooses in the Night” is a poem by Lorraine Manifold written for the 40th anniversary of the execution of ten Baha’i women in Shiraz. It honours those women, as well as the long struggle for gender equality lived by women of all faiths and backgrounds in Iran for many decades and which continues to this day. The powerful poem was written as a contribution to the #OurStoryIsOne global awareness campaign spearheaded by the Baha’i International Community and it can be read in full here:
10 Nooses in the Night
Shiraz – in the darkest time of night They raided my home They took me away Shiraz – 18 June ‘83 They took me away They took me away
They threw me in prison And tortured me Though blinded and muzzled My truth still lives on
They threw me in prison But my soul was free I raised up my voice As strong as my Faith
Shiraz – in the darkest time of night They raided our homes They took us away Shiraz – 18 June ’83 They took us away They took us away
They lined up ten nooses In Chowgan square From oldest to youngest We stood tall and strong
They lined up ten nooses And forced us to watch As they hanged my mother Then turned to me
Iran – in the brightness of the day We take off our veils They take us away Iran – in the dawn of a new day Within these same walls We stand tall and strong
Mankind – in the brightness of the day All women will shine And show us the way Mankind – at the dawn of this new day We raise up our voices We pave a new way
In her innermost heart, Sonjel is a stay-at-home parent and a bookworm with a maxed out library card but professionally she is a museologist with a background in English Literature. She currently lives on Prince Edward Island, an isle in the shape of a smile on the eastern Canadian coast. Sonjel is a writer who loves to listen to jazz when she's driving at night.
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