Introduction and Review of “Matikhan”; The Bitter Story of the Forced Migration of Turkmen People on Radio Farhang

According to the Iran Book News Agency (IBNA), Radio Farhang, in its latest ‘Ketab Farhang’ program from the History and Thought group, as part of the national event ‘Iran Jan, Golestan Iran’, will take listeners on a historical journey to northern Iran on Wednesday, December 10, from 20:00 to 21:00, with a focus on reviewing the novel ‘Matikhan’ on FM 106. The program explores a place where the pain of migration and loss of identity among the Turkmen people emerged under the compulsory policies of the Pahlavi government.

The novel ‘Matikhan,’ written by Abdolrahman Onaq, is a historical reconstruction of the migration and settlement of Turkmens around the Atrak River; a narrative about noble and free people who were caught in a short period between tradition and government compulsion, from the forced removal of women’s headscarves and face veils (Bashmaq) to changes in their way of life and the loss of tribe and home.

In this program, Abdolrahman Onaq, the author, will discuss why he chose this topic and the importance of reviving the Turkmen ethnic identity. Also, Hossein Painmahali, a book expert, will speak via phone from the perspective of oral history and the necessity of focusing on local narratives in national literature.

In another segment, Mousa Jorjani, a Turkmen culture expert, will explore the language, etymology, and cultural concepts of these ethnic groups, explaining local words like Chegderma (traditional Turkmen food) and Bashmaq (Turkmen women’s face veil).

Parts of the novel will be read by the warm voice of Masoud Foroutan, and a short segment on other works written about the Turkmen people will be broadcast. In the ‘Frame of Text’ section, Ahmad Mohammad Tabrizi will discuss the theatrical adaptation ‘Sahra Mard’ and the plan to produce the ‘Matikhan’ TV series; a discussion that highlights the connection between literature and theater.

The producer of the Wednesday ‘Ketab Farhang’ program is Mohammadreza Hajheydari, the expert host is Mohammad Ali Momeni, and the editor and writer is Motahareh Akhoundi. This special program from Radio Farhang’s History and Thought group, centered on the slogan ‘Iran Jan, Golestan Iran’, will be broadcast live from Gorgan at 20:00 on Radio Farhang.

With ‘Matikhan,’ Radio Farhang revives a voice from history that had been silent for years—the voice of women and people who identified their land with their identity.